CHEF’S PROFILE
Sibusiso Nhleko – as a chef ‘you never stop learning’ Sibusiso ‘Sbu’ Nhleko, 35, head chef at Hilton Garden Inn Umhlanga Arch has always had a passion for food, and still enjoys experimenting with different ingredients and flavours.
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was born and raised in KwazuluNatal. I grew up in Empangeni on the north coast. We moved to Durban in 2001, where I completed my high school education at Northwood Boys High School in Durban North in 2004. “After completing high school, I attended a cooking school in Hillcrest. Back then it was called the The Chantecler Hotel School of Food and Wine. This was where I got the opportunity to grow and nurture my skills and my passion for cooking. It was the best experience of my life. I always had a love and passion for cooking. Growing up, I would watch my mother cook and thought it would be 26 Business Events Africa June 2021
exciting and amazing that you could make food as delicious as you wanted it to be. I enjoyed the idea of exprimenting with different ingredients and flavours. My biggest role model and motivater was Jamie Oliver. I would watch his cooking shows. Back then he was called the Naked Chef and I never missed any of his shows. I still enjoy watching him, I just love his cooking. If you would love to know what kind of food I love cooking, watch Jamie Oliver.” Sibusiso, added: “After completing my culinary education in 2005, my principal chef Jugeen Demke placed me at Beverly Hills in Umhlanga Durban. I worked under chef Jared Van Staden as a commis
chef. Over the years I’ve honed my culinary skills while working myself up the ranks.” “It has been a good seventeen years for me in the industry. When I began as commis chef it did not take me long to move to chef de pate. I then moved to the Drakensberg where I held the position of chef de pate for two years. This was where I polished my gourmet cooking skills. My next position was sous chef at a boutique hotel in Durban called Saint James on Venice. I worked with the opening team of this beautiful hotel. Here, I really had the opportunity to upskill my fine dining skills. As I matured, I made sure that my age aligned with my www.businesseventafrica.com
