Chef’s Profile

I get to do what I love every single day

With more than 23 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Stuart Cason, 39, executive chef of Hilton Sandton has a wealth of knowledge in the culinary arts. He was born and bred in Johannesburg.

Mr Cason always dreamt of being a chef and at the age of 16 years started an apprenticeship at the Sandton Sun and Towers Intercontinental Hotel.

Stuart has never looked back. “I get to do what I love every single day. Not many people can say that. I love doing what I do. Meeting the people I get to meet, and building lasting relationships with many of them.”

In 1999, he received a bronze medal in his first Salon Culinary competition, and in the same year he was nominated to participate in the Inter Hotel Chefs Academy. This gave Stuart the opportunity to work in leading properties in Johannesburg and train at the International Hotel School. “This gave me the upper hand in my career, and I was extremely privileged to be able to participate in such a prestigious challenge at the start of my career,” Cason said.

At 21 he became the youngest chef ever to win the Unilever Chef of the Year competition.

“After leaving the Sandton Sun, I spent a few years at Kievits Kroon in Pretoria, the Saxon as sous chef, the Castle Kyalami, and then seven years with Radisson Hotel Group. During this time, I have competed and won several competitions. The Unilever chef of the year 2002, 2004 and 2010 and also represented SA in Dubai at the MLA black box Finals in 2008. I also received the chef of the year award 2018 for Hilton Middle East and Africa.”

He added: “Before I joined Hilton Sandton, I was with Radisson Hotel Group, based at Radisson Blu Gautrain, as area chef for Sub Saharan Africa, looking after 18 properties. While at Hilton Sandton, I was relocated to Hilton Doha, Qatar, where I spent the whole of 2019, returning in December.

“Hilton has been great for me and my development. My five year plan is to do a management course with Hilton, and my plan is to move to a general manager role. My next step would be, after the programme, to be a director of operations for a while, and then move into a general manager role,” Stuart said.

In terms of food trends, he said: “One of the major trends in recent times is the whole plant based diets. I find it fascinating. People are starting to be a lot more conscience of what they put into their bodies.”

However, the world has changed. “The Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating and challenging to our industry. As an industry, we need to make sure that we look after and take care of protecting our guests, clients and employees. While some clients just want us to go back to normal operation, and don’t really understand the government guidelines and procedures we are facing, which is really challenging.

Therefore from a global trends perspective, he said: “Covid-19 has opened up opportunities that many people did not really think of before. A lot of establishments are now preparing meals for home. A lot of really great restaurants are relying on it to pay bills. I think that this trend will possibly stay, and transform into a new way of dining. Ancient grains is still trending as well as plant based diets.”

Working in a kitchen brings with it many behind-the-scenes stories. “I have a really funny story that I still tell my chefs today. Always double-check your quantities of food and always communicate a proper handover.

“While I was a young chef at Sandton Sun, I was in the banqueting kitchen. The menu had turned potatoes on it, and I was delegated the job of counting the potatoes, three potatoes per plate, 800 plates – a total of 2400 potatoes. For every 50 potatoes, I put 1 on the side. Then I counted all the potatoes (which equalled 50) and had 2500.

“I marinated them and put them in the fridge. During service, we had four stations that were plating. The potatoes where evenly distributed over the four stations.

“The senior chefs had radios, and half way through service, I heard the executive chef call for more potatoes. Then the executive sous chef came over and we looked in our hot boxes and we were also running out. I thought to myself, how could I have counted these wrong?

“After a heating service, trying to get What is your signature dish?

To be honest, I don’t have a signature dish. There are a few dishes I do really well.

On our banqueting set menu, I have an 18 hour sous vide lamb shoulder.

It’s delicious and a favourite. When clients come for food tastings and taste it. That’s it, SOLD. For special occasions, I also do a smoked brisket, with a biltong rub. I also slow smoke it for about 18 hours in total. Served with fresh ciabatta rolls. Divine.

What trends are emerging in the conference industry in regards to food?

I have had to adapt to the Covidpandemic at the moment. And I’m sure many other chefs too. There was a trend for bowl food.

What I have done now, is create a conference menu, based around the last plates out, we walked into the fridge, and our staff canteen chef had moved half the potatoes from the shelf I put them on, to another shelf, and the senior chef did not see them and did not cook them. Was not fun on the night, but I always giggle when I tell the story, and think back of that night.”

Stuart is married to Desire and they have been together for 18 years, this year, and happily married for 12 years. “She is also in the industry, and understands the hours and pressures of the industry. I am very lucky to have her in my life. We have two boys; Jaydon, aged nine and Ryan, aged six.

For leisure he enjoys spending time with family and friends over a braai. During summer he enjoys spending days off relaxing in the pool with the family.

“A few years ago, I went for my first hunting experience. I now try and hunt twice a year. It was really important for me to go through the entire process from hunting to the end product. As Chefs it’s so easy to pick up the phone and order any quantity of meat you want. But if you go through that process of hunting, I learnt to have so much more respect for the products we get in. My brother-in-law and I have started making everything from scratch ourselves now; skinning, breaking the carcass down, deboning, making mince for the dry wors, cutting, marinating and drying the biltong. It really is a great experience,” Stuart said.

In conclusion, he offered some advice to newcomers wanting to become an executive chef: “When you become an executive chef of a large operation you can quite easily forget about cooking. Admin, people and crisis management is a daily routine. Make sure you find time to get into the kitchen and work with the chefs. Do the hard jobs; show them you can do what you expect them to do. Your team will trust and respect you more, and you will therefore be able to achieve a lot more.”

What is your signature dish?

To be honest, I don’t have a signature dish. There are a few dishes I do really well.

On our banqueting set menu, I have an 18 hour sous vide lamb shoulder. It’s delicious and a favourite. When clients come for food tastings and taste it. That’s it, SOLD. For special occasions, I also do a smoked brisket, with a biltong rub. I also slow smoke it for about 18 hours in total. Served with fresh ciabatta rolls. Divine.

What trends are emerging in the conference industry in regards to food?

I have had to adapt to the Covid-pandemic at the moment. And I’m sure many other chefs too. There was a trend for bowl food.

What I have done now, is create a conference menu, based around individual portions, where possible, served in biodegradable containers. It is served buffet style, but all grab-and-go style. We have had great compliments from it so far.

What has remained constant in this industry?

The passion, understanding and commitment that everyone has in the Everything else is changing and evolving constantly. And we all need to change and evolve with the times.

What is your favourite beverage?

Everyone knows me here at the hotel. They will always bring me a Coke.

I am also really into craft gins at the moment. I am trying different ones where I can. I really like the amber gins from various makers.

What is your favourite food?

My best meal would have to be a porcini and truffle risotto.

What is your pet hate?

industry has remained constant. their time to get something done.

What is your great love?

That’s easy - it has to be my family!

Are you adventurous?

I like to think of myself as adventurous but have a major fear of heights. However, I have moved to weird and wonderful places. I packed up everything and moved to Doha with the family for a year.

Before we had kids, we would randomly go away for weekends to Drakensberg and Hazyview area. Also, I will always try weird and wonderful foods.