SA Chef Magazine Issue 2, 2017 by Film & Event Media

SA CH EF

MEDIA

ISSUE 02 | 2017

The Of ficial Voice of the South African Chefs Association THE

OOD GOODANFD HOW WINE S

ESBUR

N JOHAN

MARCO PIERRE WHITE

An Exclusive Interview with the Godfather of Modern Cooking

THE YOUNG CHEFS CLUB

Up Your Game and Learn from the Best

MEDIA

SA CH EF

The Of ficial Voice of the South African Chefs Association

MEDIA

SACH EF

The Of ficial Voice of the South African Chefs Association

ISSUE 02 | 2017

SACH EF

The Of ficial Voice of the South African Chefs Association

OK: NEW LOITION! FIRST ED ING AT LAUNCH

THE

OD GOODANFO D OW WINE SH

HOSTE

27-29 OCT

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Join us for Africa’s largest foodie event ISSUE 01 | 2017

ESBURG

JOHANN

durban exhibition centre

ALSO FEATURING:

DAVID HIGGS

On Marble Restaurant and Live Fire Cooking MARCO PIERRE WHITE

J’SOMETHING JENNY MORRIS LENTSWE BHENGU SARAH GRAHAM NEILL ANTHONY LISA RALEIGH SHERWYN WEAICH SA’S TOP SOMMELIERS

JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

THE NEXT GENERATION

Training and Development Initi ativesgoodfoodandwineSA #GFWS2017 @goodfoodSA goodfoodsa

GF&W SA SA Chef DBN.indd 1

MARCO PIERRE WHITE

An Exclusive Interview with the Godfather of Modern Cooking

THE YOUNG CHEFS CLUB goodfoodandwineshow.co.za

Up Your Game and Learn from the Best

2017/06/20 1:21 PM

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Renowned chefs Informative and interactive programmes Exciting culinery experiences and installations Showcase of new trends

WELCOME

FROM THE KITCHEN

OF THE PRESIDENT

STEPHEN BILLINGHAM

arm greetings to our readers from the culinary world, and a special welcome to our new members. It has truly been a whirlwind few months, and I’d like to extend my deepest thanks to our sponsors, partners and patrons who have accompanied us on this exciting period of growth and change. Our successes are manifold, particularly our popular showings at Hostex 2017 and the Good Food & Wine Show, as well as our many local events, competitions and initiatives.

The SA Chefs Association had a wonderful and productive time at the Cape Town leg of the Good Food & Wine Show, with live demos and masterclasses keeping the crowds enthralled. It’s hard to believe that the Joburg show is already upon us, but we trust that the experience will be as rewarding. In other news, the search is on for a new SA Culinary Team manager who will lead the culinary springboks to the IKA Culinary Olympics 2020. On behalf of the board and the members I would like to sincerely thank Chefs Heinz Brunner and Klaus Beckman for managing the National Team and the Junior Team respectively through to the 2016 Culinary Olympics. Gentleman, you have once again left your mark within our noble Culinary Team SA’s history. The ﬁrst challenge to be met is the African Culinary Cup which brings together the best National Junior Culinary Teams from across Africa and the Middle East, and I am conﬁdent that South Africa will dominate this year. It’s again that time for amateur cooks across the country to take on a South African staple

– the humble boerewors – at the 2017 Checkers Championship Boerewors competition, which will once again be judged by members of the SA Chefs Association. The SA Chefs Association would like to thank Philippe Frydman, as he steps down as the chairman of the Academy of Chefs, for his years of dedication and service to the AOC and their fundraising for worthy causes. A very special thank you and heartfelt farewell to Bridget Gunner, who headed up the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger. Bridget should be incredibly proud of her achievements, as we are, as the initiative fed in excess of 8 000 impoverished children daily for just on 6 years. On a personal note it is amazing to be able to reﬂect over my 8 years of occupying the proverbial “hot seat” that it means to be the President of the dynamic all-embracing association from meeting the most amazing, humble and inﬂuential people that wear this esteem Chefs jacket. I thank you for that. Culinary regards, Stephen

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Publisher Lance Gibbons lance@sachefmag.co.za Editor in Chief Katie Reynolds-Da Silva katie@sachefmag.co.za Designers Sheree Steenkamp, Lauren Smith, Caitlin Perrett Writers Kim Crowie, Susan Reynard Contributors Brian McCune

President Stephen Billingham Join us for General Manager Africa’s largest Thomas Overbeck foodie event Financial Manager 27-29 OCT Jason Pitout durban exhibition centre Membership enquiries Precious Maseko ALSO FEATURING: Culinary Workshops enquiries Yejna Maharaj SACA Certiﬁcation Elsu Gericke Head of Marketing and Events Katlego Tshabangu info@saca.co.za | www.saca.co.za Tel: +27 (0) 11 482 7250

ISSUE 02 | 2017

SACH EF

The Of ficial Voice of the South African Chefs Association THE

FOOD GOODAND OW WINE SH

ESBURG

JOHANN

Renowned chefs Informative and interactive programmes Exciting culinery experiences and installations Showcase of new trends

J’SOMETHING JENNY MORRIS LENTSWE BHENGU SARAH GRAHAM NEILL ANTHONY LISA RALEIGH SHERWYN WEAICH SA’S TOP SOMMELIERS

MARCO PIERRE WHITE

#GFWS2017

GF&W SA SA Chef DBN.indd 1

JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

@goodfoodSA

goodfoodsa

goodfoodandwineSA

goodfoodandwineshow.co.za

2017/06/20 1:21 PM

MEDIA

SA CHEF CONTACTS

MARCO PIERRE WHITE

An Exclusive Interview with the Godfather of Modern Cooking

THE YOUNG CHEFS CLUB

Up Your Game and Learn from the Best

CONTENTS

01 PRESIDENT’S LETTER 02 CREDITS AND ADVERTISERS 04 BEST OF BILLY GALLAGHER

04 REMEMBERING BILLY GALLAGHER

One year on from his passing, his friends and peers remember the legend.

06 GF&WS CAPE TOWN – PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS 08 CHEF MARCO PIERRE WHITE – INTERVIEW 12 CHATEAU GATEAUX – CELEBRATING 20 YEARS 14 FRYING OIL – A CHANGING SCIENCE 18 JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN – INTERVIEW

06 GOOD FOOD AND WINE SHOW

The Cape Town leg of the GF&WS was a resounding success. See the photo highlights here.

22 LE CALABASH 24 JOIN THE YOUNG CHEFS CLUB 26 CHEF SHOWCASE – GREGORY CZARNECKI 30 RISING STAR – MEGIN MEIKLE 32 SA CHEFS ASSOCIATION – NEWS 36 CULINARY EDUCATION – AN UPDATE 42 SA BAKERS ASSOCIATION

08 MARCO PIERRE WHITE

The world-renowned chef gets candid about food and fame.

44 EAT IN STYLE AT LALA’S 48 UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS CHEF OF THE YEAR 50 PETE GOFFE-WOOD ON RELIABLE SUPPLIERS 52 REGIONAL SHOWCASE – MABONENG 56 BECOME A MEMBER OF THE SA CHEFS ASSOCIATION 58 HOSTEX 2017

22 LE CALABASH

A culinary school with a difference, nestled in rural France.

60 TEST YOUR CULINARY PROWESS 62 EVENTS TO DIARISE 64 THE LAST WORD WITH BRIAN MCCUNE 03

FEATURE

BEST OF

BILLY

It has been a year since the culinary industry lost Dr Billy Gallagher. His life lessons and shared moments are very much alive in the hearts and minds of those whose lives he touched.

ew people have impacted the hospitality industry like the much loved, respected and mourned Dr Billy Gallagher, life honorary president of the SA Chefs Association and the World Association of Chefs Societies. He was born on 17 August 1948 in Jarrow, England and died on 19 May 2016 in Johannesburg. His life, captured in his autobiography Lettuce and a Lady’s Breast published the year before he died, was dedicated to cooking, loving, striving, guiding, mentoring, slogging, overcoming and conquering. To mark the first anniversary of his death, some of his colleagues and friends in the industry shared their #bestmomentswithbilly on the SA Chefs Facebook page, we asked others what their best Billy lessons were and sourced a few special moments from his autobiography. Here are snippets to inspire and uplift.

Heinz Brunner:

“Billy was a master negotiator. If he did not become a chef I am sure he would have become a politician and I am convinced he would have been an excellent one. This was another big attribute of his, to be a politician within our fraternity. He taught me how to prepare and deliver speeches. He was incredibly talented as a speaker, people loved to listen to him right to the end, and he never lost his lovely sense of humour. He spoke often without any notes, just off the cuff. Should we speak

DR BILLY GALLAGHER

together, he checked my content and guess what, my speech was cut by half. His incredible strength of communication certainly qualifies as one of the best communicators I have ever seen. There is and was only one BG, the Madiba of chefs around the globe.”

Stephen Billingham:

“It was late on a Saturday night after a pumping hot and sticky a la carte service in mid-1989 in the kitchen of the Belfry Hotel in Wilmslow, just outside Manchester. My executive chef at the time, Iain Donald, an old friend of Bill’s from the Dorchester days, summoned me to his office.

FEATURE

As I entered his tiny, cramped shell he tossed the phone at me and said, ‘It’s for you, Punk, and don’t talk for long.’ On the other end of the line was a warm, friendly voice with a strong Geordie accent. ‘Hello son,’ he said, ‘I believe you’re looking for a move to South Africa.’ The rest is history.”

Adrian Vigus-Brown:

“It was the beginning of my culinary adventure and I was at my very first InfoChef. All of a sudden, an elite chef came into the hall and I knew this not by all the people around him but by his presence and his mannerisms. I approached Chef and introduced myself; he wished me luck for my training and said, ‘Find me when you are done training.’ His words to me were, ‘Never forget I am here to assist you.’ From that day Chef Billy had a vital impact on my career, the people I know and the paths that I have taken. He always made me feel like he would answer my call at any time. One day I received a call from Chef and he said, ‘Adrian, you are special, you are one of a kind and I want you to hear it from me, I am very proud of what you have achieved and where I know you will end up, moving at the pace you are. Value your friends and challenge the people who don’t like you.’”

Kabelo Segone:

“My moment with Billy was on the 28th of January 2011, it was a Chef’s Table celebrating the Southern Sun Professional Cookery Programme. Billy was invited as an honoured guest but unfortunately due to ill health he couldn’t attend. I then received a personal call from him, informing me that he had arranged the cookbook Cooking with Akani as congratulatory gifts to hand to the learners. Billy’s telephone message to me to pass on to learners was the importance of giving back and always helping the less fortunate

“RIGHT FROM THE START I HAVE ALWAYS HAD SOMEONE TO GUIDE ME AND HELP ME TOWARDS BEING A BETTER VERSION OF MYSELF.” - Billy Gallagher and to be forever humble. I will forever cherish that moment.”

Manfred Muellers:

“When the first SACA National Culinary team returned successfully from the 1980 IKA in Frankfurt, Billy surprised me at a culinary prize-giving function, which I organised, to award me a specially created medal on behalf of the team in recognition and appreciation of managing the team towards obtaining their first ever gold medal at the Culinary Olympics. The other surprise ‘best moment’ was when Billy, as the life honorary president of WACS, awarded me the WACS life honorary member medal at my retirement function at the University of Johannesburg in 2013.”

Duane Riley:

“Working with Billy was a great honour and opened my eyes to a whole new world and new experiences. The biggest lesson from Billy is whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability and have the courage to ask for help. Billy often referred to the Japanese word ‘kaizen’ — to continuously add layers of detail and improvements — and never be content with ‘good’. We spoke about what I was doing with my life and my short, medium and long-term goals and how he could assist to see them bear fruit. He told me often that I need to have more positive people in my life, saying: ‘People are either wind in your sails or anchors at your feet’.”

Robbie Brozen:

“I have always relied on Billy’s mentorship, guidance and food knowledge to guide us through the choppy waters. His calm demeanour, global respect and unbelievable food sense have always been a safety net for us. Billy’s tenacity and attitude to life is a lesson in life’s great journey. Billy was a great guy at the top of the league, yet his sense of humour and twinkle in his eye hadn’t lost the common touch.”

James Khoza:

“My ‘best moment’ was cooking insects with Billy at Zoo Lake. He had all the ants, worms and an array of Chinese insect delicacies. There was a wave of insect diet being an ‘in thing’ and we were trying to get the crowd to buy in to eating insects.”

Allister Esau:

“I visited Billy and he shared his passion and philosophy, adding a healthy pinch of humour, while sharing what the SA Chefs Association meant to him over years, reaffirming my belief and dedication for SA Chefs.”

BILLY GALLAGHER: “The little boy I was in Back South Street is still very much part of who I am. When I think of my early life I know that it could all have been so different. I am grateful that I had such great protectors and teachers all along the way. Right from the start I have always had someone to guide me and help me towards being a better version of myself. This doesn’t happen to everyone and I know that I am blessed. Life is a series of incidents. Once chance leads to another.”

SPOTLIGHT

THE GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW

The Cape Town leg of the Good Food & Wine Show offered a feast of culinary delights, anchored by star performances by Marco Pierre White and Jan Hendrik Van Der Westhuizen, alongside a plethora of interactive events, displays and local suppliers showcasing their finest wares.

CHEF LENTSWE BHENGU

CHEF SARAH GRAHAM

SPOTLIGHT

CHEF NEIL ANTHONY

J’SOMETHING

CHEF MARCO PIERRE WHITE

KATIE REYNOLDS-DA SILVA WITH CHEF JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

IMAGES COURTESY OF THE GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW © EMIELKE PHOTOGRAPHY

EXCLUSIVE

CHEF

MARCO PIERRE WHITE Katie Reynolds-Da Silva, Editor of SA Chef magazine, enjoyed a candid and refreshing discussion with ‘The Godfather of Modern Cooking’ when he headlined the Cape Town leg of the Good Food & Wine Show.

I want to know your impressions of South Africa so far. What do you think of the food? Anything you’ve been really impressed by? I can’t pronounce it, but I think it is delicious. It’s like mince with spice and little currants in it, and egg.

Bobotie?

Bobotie. Delicious. The last time I came to South Africa I was doing MasterChef, so I had a lot more time to explore. I had some delicious biltong though. Really good biltong, which was the best I’ve ever had actually. And then I had the lamb curry inside half a loaf.

A bunny chow!

Delicious. I love the whole concept of it. Nice!

Do you feel that it is easier or more challenging now, to get your name out there as a chef?

Well the truth is, I don’t do social media. I never have. And I’ve never tried to be famous. I just did my job. I had made my name before I ever did TV. If you cooked the best fish and chips in Cape Town, you would be famous. If you did the best breakfast in Cape Town, you would become famous.

CHEF MARCO PIERRE WHITE AND KATIE REYNOLDS-DA SILVA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF SA CHEF MAGAZINE © NELSON DA SILVA

EXCLUSIVE

And that is what happens in whatever your profession is. If you are a writer; if you a photographer; if you are a cook. Just put all of your energies into actually doing your job really well. And you will become famous, whether you want it or not, you’ll become famous. And the one thing that I’ve learnt in my life is that privacy is freedom. It really is. And you know something? If I could rewind the clocks – I wouldn’t want any of it.

Really? Why?

Because I like privacy. I like freedom. I like to be able just go out and be myself. And just enjoy myself without everything that comes with it. It is a double-edged sword. And the reality is that if you step onto that stage and the spotlight goes onto you, then you have a responsibility and a duty to your followers. You have to give them time. I just did a book signing. I actually took twice as long as they allocated me. But the reality is you can’t just sign your name and say ‘next’, sign your name, ‘next’. I’ll write, for example ‘To Katie, happy birthday, much love. Then give you an x, date it, Cape Town’. So they feel they got something. Because they’ve waited. When they’ve waited you have got to give them your time. Even if it is only 60 seconds. It’s about being professional. And that comes with the territory. You want all the trappings of fame? Then you have to give yourself. It is tricky.

Very true.

Look at the [Good Food and Wine] show today: you walk down those stalls and there’s individuals just making a living. There’s normally people making a living selling their wares. And you walk around those little stalls and it is fantastic. Everything is hand made. Delicious. It really is a good

show, you know, and you’ve got every sector of society there. It is not just for the privileged. Which I think is amazing.

Where do you think the next innovation is in food? Or do you think we should go back to basics?

No, there is no innovation. There is no innovation in food. You can’t reinvent the wheel. We live in a world of refinement and not invention. The camera was invented. They can’t change it. The principles of a camera are what they were. They are just refined. People want to put strange combinations together and think that they are being creative and inventive. Well, if they want to delude themselves then delude yourselves. Let’s be honest: cheese and onion in a sandwich is delicious! Delicious! It really is. Gin and tonic. Works beautifully, doesn’t it. Madeira mushrooms; beef with red wine and marrow bone – it works. Fish and chips with malt vinegar and salt – delicious! Right or wrong?

Absolutely.

Classic combinations. They work. And I think a lot of people are clever for the sake of being clever in the hope that they will be recognised and noticed. And I’ve been to those [sensory dining] restaurants. And they bore me. I don’t need to be patronised. I don’t need to be told what I want to eat. I don’t need to be given some little small portion, which is lukewarm at best, and told what it is, how to eat, and then when I’ve had one mouthful they come back and ask me if I’ve enjoyed it! I don’t want to have dinner with the waiter! And I don’t get those 18 courses; those 26 courses! I’m not being funny – I get bored. I just want to go home.

And you end up going to KFC on the way home.

Give me a great bowl of risotto. Give me a great bowl of pasta. Give me a great stew and make it delicious. And you know something – every one of those courses I might have a bit of cheese, and red wine. And if it is that good I will go back next week because I can afford to. If I asked you the simplest question ‘which is your favourite restaurant?’ it most probably has no stars; you mostly like sitting there, it’s affordable, and you get a standard of food, and you like it there. And you go back every week. If it is super expensive, there is no such thing as a regular. You mostly get people who come once a year, or twice a year. Just feed people really good, proper, decent food. And serve it hot with a smile. Get your lighting right. Because the only thing that doesn’t date with our industry is romance. Everything else dates. And if you look at those restaurants – they labelled them. It was classic in the 80’s – they called it La Cuisine Nouvelle. But La Cuisine Nouvelle had been created years earlier. The world got it wrong. They thought it was small portions, and strange ingredients. But that died. And then years later it resurfaces its head, like a company that has rebranded itself, and called it molecular gastronomy.

“I THINK LIFE SHOULD BE SIMPLE. LOOK, THIS IS LIFE. THE TRUTH IS WE ARE IN HEAVEN. THIS IS HEAVEN.” - Marco Pierre White 09

EXCLUSIVE

IMAGES COURTESY OF THE GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW © EMIELKE PHOTOGRAPHY

I mean, excuse me, science has always been part of cooking. The man who invented the soufflé applied science to what he did. The man who put garlic butter inside a chicken breast then breadcrumbed it and deep fried was a genius! Chicken Kiev – genius! He didn’t say ‘this is molecular’, did he? Come on! I mean, a pate en croute, in pastry, yes? They think they have been ingenious, but they’ve been doing that for years. They have been making pork pies in England for centuries.

Sometimes you remember the experience more than the food. It’s like that when you go to Paris. They are so f*cking rude. They are so rude it’s funny. It’s like when you go to Chinatown in London – they throw tablecloths over your head and into the laundry bin if you are at the wrong table! You think

‘Where did that come, and what’s that?!’ But you laugh at it. It’s like when you go to France and you ask for the bill – they look at you and if you haven’t spent enough money they throw it at you! They are so beautifully rude. I mean, seriously, they make the English look polite! It is extraordinary.

So what makes a good restaurant?

The most important aspect of any restaurant is the environment you sit in, and the lighting. Because if you feel comfortable then you can be yourself. Then you can start to enjoy yourself. That is number one. Number two is service with a smile. So if you’ve got a waitress and she is nice, but she might not be the most technical, and she knocks something over, you don’t get upset, do you? Because she is nice. Number three is the

food. At a price point you can afford and you can go back next week and the week after, and then you become a regular because they tick all the boxes that you want. But number one is the environment that you want to sit. That is key. That is paramount.

Does life on the road get lonely?

No. I’ve been a loner all my life. So, I’m quite happy on my own. And I do solitary pastimes. I go deer stalking. Or I will go fishing. Or I’ll just go for a walk down the woods and watch nature. So, I’m happy about that. I crave ordinary. Even though my life is extraordinary. I crave ordinary.

And do you feel like you have that balance now?

No, of course not. But it is slowly going there. When I go back

EXCLUSIVE

THEN YOU CAN BE YOURSELF. THEN YOU CAN START

meals! He gets out of his bed and walks to the dining table and sits there. He doesn’t beg. He just knows. He knows it is that time. It’s extraordinary. When I go deer stalking or I shoot a deer, the tripe, the liver and heart and the kidneys all go to him. I mix it with his special food.

TO ENJOY YOURSELF.” - Marco Pierre White

Sounds like a lovely life

“THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ANY RESTAURANT IS THE ENVIRONMENT YOU SIT IN, AND THE LIGHTING. BECAUSE IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE

[home] I will spend about five weeks in England and go to my farm. And I love developing my farm. Okay, it is a toy farm. That’s what I call it. It’s not a big proper farm, it’s a toy farm. It’s only 20 acres. But I’ve got 16 sheep; I’ve got 4 bulls; I’ve got 30 odd pigs in the woods. You know. We make bacon; we

make our black pudding; we make our sausages. It’s nice.

I think life should be simple. Look, this is life. The truth is we are in heaven. This is heaven. Where does it say hell is? Hell is down there, isn’t it? When we are dead where do they put us?

Do you have dogs?

In the ground!

I have a lurcher. He lives in my hotel. But what is amazing is he knows exactly when it is 11 o’clock every day, and 5 o’clock. Because that is when we do the staff

Whether it is in the form of ashes, or in the form of a coffin. So let’s live life and enjoy our life while we are here. Let’s be kind. Let’s be good. And let’s impart our knowledge with the young.

Chateau Gateaux Foodservice 20th Birthday photo shoot recently took place at the Beverly Hills in Umhlanga. It was the perfect venue to showcase many of their well loved range, as well as the recently launched decadent Buffet Range.

Red Velvet Diamonds – an instant hit with chefs around Southern Africa.

Carrot Cake Buffet Slices – one of the brand new Buffet Range items recently launched.

The 20 year old iconic Mozart Gateau.

MD Ilan Lipschitz (back right) pictured with the staff of the Beverly Hills at the end of the birthday shoot.

It’s HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Chateau Gateaux! The much loved South African frozen gateaux company has dominated the premium dessert sector for two decades and is thrilled to be turning 20 this July. From humble beginnings in a modest basement warehouse in Sydney Road in 1997, the company now operates from a state-ofthe-art ISO22000 certified Pastry kitchen in Durban’s booming Riverhorse Valley Business Estate. The impressive range of delicacies are hand-crafted from scratch by skilled artisan pastry confectioners and offers the convenience of having five-star, 24cm Gourmet Gateaux, Individual Desserts and Hot Puddings in the freezer, ready-to-serve with no fuss. With the need for daily deliveries removed, elimination of stock shortages and a dramatic reduction in waste, combined with the best in ingredients and innovative recipes and packaging, it is no wonder that Chateau Gateaux is the go-to company for the best in frozen delicacies. Using only the finest chocolate, real fruit, imported nuts and many other quality ingredients, each and every creation is immediately blast frozen during the production process and has a years frozen shelf-life with sealed-in freshness. 2017 sees a host of new products, including the latest mini Buffet Range, all lending themselves to be individually styled, plated and presented. Happy 20 th Birthday to the Chateau Gateaux family – helping the hospitality industry provide their guests with an exceptional handmade taste that leaves them coming back for more!

For a complete list of distributors and further contact details, visit www.chateaugateux.co.za

FEATURE

DEEP FRYING:

A CHANGING SCIENCE Part One in a five-part educational series.

OVERVIEW

Since the inception of deep frying in the USA in the 1930’s, with the use of animal lard as a medium for deep frying, a major evolution has occured, the use of equipment is now a precise science using precise temperatures and cooking for a precise time. The result is a market that is demanding quality golden colour fried foods that are delivered consistently. SA Chef magazine will be doing a five-part series on deep frying, focusing on the best practice available in the frying industry today. This series is designed to be educational so as to improve fried food quality and deliver consistently safe and healthy fried food within the hospitality industry in Southern Africa. Over the next five editions of the magazine, we will be discussing the following key topics related to deep frying: • Principles of Frying • Oil Management and Selection • Fryer Selection • Nutrition • Oil Filtration

PHOTOGRAPHER: ROBERTA SORGE

Deep frying has been part of global cooking process with both positive and negative results. In the 50’s, the American QSR (quick service restaurant) exploded, offering a quick, convenient meal that is tasty and easy to prepare.

FEATURE

BOTH IMAGES © UNSPLASH.COM, PHOTOGRAPHER: CLEM-ONOJEGHUO

Due to its nature, frying has been able to help alleviate bottlenecks in the delivery of tasty food that is easily and conveniently prepared. Technological improvements of the fryer have, in the last 15 years, made major strides in three areas. The first area of improvement is the way that oil is used and managed in the fryer, the second is the cost saving of energy and the third is the ability of the unit to deliver high volumes of fried food when needed. Heat being the biggest enemy of oil is also a subject for discussion as two divergent disciplines — physics and chemistry. Frying oil is the biggest investment a chef would make within the frying oil space — not the fryer! The cost of frying oil can be calculated using a 2 x 30 litre fryer on a three-day oil life, the spend will be in excess of R100 000 a year on oil with current frying oil prices while using old analogue fryers. The new smart fryers which were originally developed for the global QSR market are now using around R20 000 of oil per annum. Energy use is also a major cost saving factor when considering a fryer purchase. Modern fryers only use the required heat when needed, which helps reduce energy consumption. The use of oils or oleo

compounds has helped improve health standards and taste profiles on fried products. The sustainable use of frying oil has become a concern as the growth of frying oil sales has outstripped global growth by 30% over the last 10 years and the resultant oil cost has risen above inflation. Filtration aids are used to extend the life of frying oil by a minimum of 300% in some products, and in some cases, oil life is indefinite with no discard or dumping. This concept has been developed in conjunction with the equipment manufacturers to allow maximum life of the oil. Most major global groups use a filtration media to improve quality and reduce costs. Certain oils have a resistance to heat whilst some oil structures that are perceived to be healthy oils do not have any resistance to heat and hence its oil life is drastically reduced. Global oil sales currently indicate that as much as 65% of total oils sold is palm oil. The standards of acceptable frying have become more sophisticated as the market’s knowledge has evolved. Taste profiling is a major consideration when selecting a frying oil type. Health issues around the

abuse of frying oil has been the focus of the AOCS (American Oil Chemist Society) and as a result legislation has been promulgated into law to manage and protect the consumer against the abuse of oil. The ongoing debate around saturated and unsaturated oils in a health aspect is a hotly contested debate with divergent views on oil types and their effects on the health of the consumer. The use of frying oil as a medium to deliver food has a dynamic relationship between high LSM and low LSM groups. Oil is considered as sustenance for the physical worker, whereas for the population who lead a more sedentary lifestyle; oil can be seen to be influencing obesity. Obesity is a major health risk to the global population. Absorption of oil while frying has an impact on the nutritional benefits of the public. A crisp, which is a thin potato slice, has as much as 50% more oil being absorbed than the classic “slap chip”. The series will allow chefs to be able to make informed decisions about the factors within the frying oil space of their kitchens. The factors like costs and quality of fried foods will be dealt with in detail. Wayne Thorne: The writer has over 9 years of experience within the frying oil space, working with respected global groups and institutions through his business. This experience and exposure has allowed Wayne to be able to impart his knowledge so as to add value to the frying oil space to help improve costs, quality and understanding of this new science. References: AOCS Deep Frying 2nd Edition, University of Illinois | AOCS Official methods and recommendations, AOAC | WHO, Journal of American, Oil Chemistry Society.

4 VAT

2 VAT

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FEATURE

JAN HENDRIK

VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Chef Jan Hendrik Van der Westhuizen speaks to SA Chef Editor-in-Chief Katie ReynoldsDa Silva at this year’s Good Food & Wine Show in Cape Town.

Have you gotten used to being a celebrity chef?

It’s the media! I think if you do something well and you actually do something that you love, then you will become popular. We matter because we feed people, but I don’t see myself as a celebrity chef. Maybe because my life in France is very closed off. You know, I’m just in the kitchen and I’m in my little apartment or at the market and that’s pretty much it. When I am here in South Africa, yes, I see myself on a poster or two.

How are you using your platform?

I’m using it to convey a message. I’ve started embracing zero food waste and really pushing that. We’ve started a Facebook group called ‘Leftover Mondays’. The hashtag is #leftovermondays and it is for people to start seeing leftovers as ingredients and not just things that go into the bin. First of all, we did some research on the WWF and we found there is 50% of South Africans go to bed hungry. I mean, that’s ridiculous. And if you look at the way we shop as South Africans, and frankly worldwide: we go into a place, we overbuy; we overstock up on stuff; we don’t really open up our fridge to see what we’ve got; we get bombarded with new recipes and new ideas and then suddenly you go and buy all of that stuff and

you forget what is in your pantry and in your fridge – which means you are going to throw away 40% of the food in your house. Which means you are throwing away money. And so, I am pushing online shopping. If you can actually be in an environment or in a geographical position to do it, you have your little basket, you know exactly what you need, and you’re not overbuying. You are checking out, and if you bought too much you can reduce

it next time. You’re saving money. And eggs, for example. Eggs have expiry dates on them. If you see the eggs expiring tomorrow then people throw them away today! So, what we are doing with this page is we are sharing tips on how to, for example, test that egg – to see that you can actually still use it and there is nothing wrong with it. Or if your milk has gone off you can make a dressing with it. Or if in the bottom of your rusk tin there is

FEATURE

lots of breadcrumbs you can make a crust with it, or you can crumb something with it. So there are loads of things – the ends of leeks go into the bin, the core of the cauliflower and broccoli gets tossed away – those are the core elements that actually add to the flavour.

So, you are teaching people not only to shop smarter but to cook smarter?

Absolutely. Not teaching, but inspiring. I’m trying to connect that with the celebrity thing – yes, we can all look cool on billboards, but it feels better knowing that I’m actually giving something back. That gives me the push. To actually know that I’m taking on something so huge and I am trying to make a difference.

Which elements of South African cuisine have you incorporated into your restaurant?

So, let’s start with the drinks. 60% of the wine list is South African, 40% is French. So the majority is South African wines. We are working on a tea trolley and we are bringing over incredible teas from South Africa. We also including all these amazing gins and beers that are being created in the Cape.

Are your customers open to it? They are so curious. People come to Jan as they know they are going to be transported. It’s like armchair travel. They are really going to sit back and go somewhere else. Yes, we do French techniques and we’ve used French ingredients, but each dish has a South African connection.

Which ingredients or which food trend do you think is currently over-rated? Over-rated? Matcha! It’s a green tea from Japan. I don’t

JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN AT THE GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW, ALL IMAGES © EMIELKE PHOTOGRAPHY

like it. Actually, the word ‘trend’ is overused and over-rated. I’m slightly moving away from smoking things. I think people over-do that.

What personality traits do good chefs need?

Young chefs, or young people, in particular, are different today. They’ve been influenced by social media. They don’t want to work 18 hours a day anymore. They don’t want to stand and be screamed at. It’s almost like they want to do something immediately and it just happens.

Instant gratification?

Exactly. One needs to work hard, be dedicated, and not being scared of taking risks. And curiosity – that’s probably the biggest word. Curiousity should be an obsession.

Perhaps young chefs want to be Bradley Cooper in Burnt, without doing the 15 years of graft before that.

Well, that is different. You can be the Bradley Cooper. I didn’t do 15 years in a kitchen. Jan is my first kitchen. So I opened a kitchen and I got a Michelin Star two years later. But I did other things that led up to what I am now. I worked in test kitchens; so I was testing recipes, I was working for magazines, I was even a photographer in my previous life. We’ve got a saying now, and it is quite a cool phrase; we are ‘slash generation’. And that’s the future. You are an artist slash beer brewer slash vendor at a market slash a chef slash painter slash a photographer. There are all these things that we do. You can’t just be defined as one thing.

“ONE NEEDS TO WORK HARD, BE DEDICATED, AND NOT BEING SCARED OF TAKING RISKS. AND CURIOSITY – THAT’S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST WORD. CURIOUSITY SHOULD BE AN OBSESSION”. - Jan Hendrik Van der Westhuizen

RECIPE

JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

ROAST LAMB

: P REP T IME S E T 20 MINU IME: COOKING T S 2-3 HOU R G SERV IN : 3 P EO P L E

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1.2 kg shoulder of lamb deboned

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the

• 12 pumpkin or courgette flowers

lamb from the fridge and allow to reach

• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

room temperature. Rinse the herbs and place in a blender with the garlic, lemon

LAMB FILLING

zest and olive oil. Blend until mixed (it does not have to be very ﬁne).

• 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

• Prepare the crust. Mix the garlic, ground

• 5 sprigs fresh thyme • 5 springs fresh rosemary

almonds, lemon juice, green olives and

• 4 cloves garlic

30ml of the herb ﬁlling. Add olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

• zest of 2 lemons

• Butterfly the leg of lamb if not already

• extra virgin olive oil

done by your butcher, and spread the herb

CRUST

gremolata thickly over the meat. • Roll up and tie up with kitchen string.

• 1 clove garlic ﬁnely chopped

Place in a roasting pan and cover with the

• 60g ground almonds

crust mixture.

• 5ml lemon juice

• Roast for 45 minutes, or until the lamb

• 50g green olives pitted

is cooked but still pink inside. Set aside

• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil

to rest.

• sea salt and ground black pepper

• While the lamb is roasting, mix the ricotta,

FLOWER FILLING

anchovies, lemon zest and juice, parsley

• 250 gram ricotta cheese

and mint. Season with salt and pepper.

• 2 anchovies

Carefully stuff the pumpkin flowers with

• zest of 1 lemon

the mixture and close the ends gently. Mix

• 30 ml lemon juice

all the flower batter ingredients with a fork

• bunch fresh parsley and mint

until combined. Add the sparkling water a little at a time so that the batter is of a

FLOWER BATTER

slightly thinner consistency than that of a pancake batter.

• 1 egg

• Warm a medium-sized pot with vegetable

• ± 250ml ice-cold sparkling water • 160 gram all-purpose flour

oil for deep-frying. Dip the stuffed flowers

• Pinch ﬁne salt

carefully into the batter and then place in the hot oil. Cook just until the crust turns crisp.

NOTES FROM THE CHEF

• Remove and place on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve warm with

Wine pairing suggestion Creation Pinot Noir

ROASTED LAMB WITH LEMON AND HERB

slices of lamb.

swEEt Young ChEf 2017

Winner 2016: Nicola van Warmelo, Candyland raspberry mousse and chocolate volcano, 1000 Hills Chef School

r E t En w

nowin

The WINN WINNeR’s school WIll ReceIve huleTTs pRoducTs To The value of R4 000! hule

to 500! R7

Runner-up 2016: Antron Soga, Velvety dark chocolate delice with blueberry vanilla cake base and white chocolate ganache topping, Cape Town Hotel School and Restaurant

his competition is open to all culinary students from across South Africa, aged 18 to 25 years, who can showcase the endless possibilities of baking and cooking with sugar. Participating students and schools must be members of SA Chefs.

thE ChallEngE

four (4) finalists from all entries received. The finals will be held at INFOCHEF in August 2017 and the finalists will have 2½ hours to recreate their recipe, and produce four (4) plates.

Submit one original recipe, together with a photograph and costings, of an innovative dessert. The recipe must utilise at least three (3) products in the Huletts range and consist of at least five (5) components. Email your entry, along with your contact details and the name of the culinary school that you attend, to certification@ saca.co.za with the subject line: HULETTS SWEET YOUNG CHEF.

thE prizEs

thE judging

thE timEframE

A panel of SA Chefs accredited judges, along with Huletts representatives, will select the top

The winner will receive R7 500 cash! The winner will be featured in SA Chef Magazine. The winner’s school will receive Huletts products to the value of R4 000.

Closing date is 20th July 2017. No late entries will be accepted.

for full competition rules go to www.saca.co.za or www.hulettssugar.co.za

FEATURE

SIDNEY AND ALISON BOND, ALL IMAGES © LE CALABASH

LE CALABASH

PETIT CONSERVATOIRE DE LA CUISINE Behind the scenes of Le Calabash - a culinary school “Sans Frontiére”.

is accent is familiar, distinctly South African, a definite tie to his roots on the plains of Zululand. And yet there is something unique about it. At moments, you start to sense some interesting fusion that has taken place... British, maybe, through the influence of his wife and his time spent in culinary school and working professionally in the UK, where he held the position of Executive Chef of the 5* 980 bedroom le Meridien in London. Or French, possibly, from his time spent in France since relocating to the Loire Valley where he and his wife decided to raise their family and

where, in 2006, they began offering Culinary Programmes at Le Calabash. Alison, who heads the pastry section of ‘Le Calabash’, trained in the kitchen of Harrods of London and Selsdon Park Hotel London and then graduated in hotel management. Alison hails from Sanderstead, South London and has held the position of Executive Pastry chef in several five star hotels before taking a back seat and raising three daughters, but never letting go of her passion in pastry and always keeping a hand in doing wedding and celebration cakes from home, as well as assisting Sidney with the training of his brigade when

competing at Salon Culinary level. Alison and Sidney chose to settle down in the French countryside, rather than a major tourist centre because they appreciated the quality of life, natural beauty and traditional lifestyle that it facilitated. Surrounded by river on one side and forest on the other, their small village and surrounding region is home to artisan cheese producers and winemakers whose families have been practicing their craft for centuries. Yet traditional is precisely how Sidney would not describe the style of his cooking or the types of Culinary courses that they offer.

FEATURE

Like his accent, Sidney’s culinary focus could be described as some sort of exotic fusion. In fact, the whole philosophy behind Le Calabash is “Balade Gourmand sans Frontière” or “Cooking without boundaries”. Sidney feels that this phrase encapsulates so much of what sets Le Calabash apart from other cooking schools in France. “You can go just about anywhere in France to learn how to prepare Tarte Tatin” he says. Instead, it is their unique focus on combining traditional French cuisine with flavours from around the world that brings people to Le Calabash. Even some French restaurants and top hotels have sent their chefs to Le Calabash to learn a few exotic tricks from India, Asia or the Middle East. When asked if being outside of the major tourist zone of Paris was a problem for business, Sidney responded that his clientele was quite different from the average tourist who attends a half-day cooking class in Paris. Those who visit the Loire Valley and spend one or more days following an intensive cooking course are those who are serious about cooking and who choose to make cooking a central component of their holiday. He enjoys teaching a clientele who bring real and diverse passion for cooking. Today, his clients tend to come from the US, Canada, UK, Holland, Belgium and Australia. Their ages typically range from 18 through 65. He’s been impressed with the

number of young professionals who visit and attend his courses. In the future, he’s also considering adding multi-day or multi-week courses that would appeal to those training to be professional chefs. But unlike other cooking schools where the focus might often be on maximising the number of students taught, Sidney and Alison are happy to focus on providing a highly personalised and attentive experience for each of their guests. “We’re are scaling our class size back from an average of eight down to six per class” he tells me and explains that they felt they were not able to provide enough personalised attention and coaching to each of their students when there were 8 per class. Sidney and Alison teach every class themselves and they tend to form long-lasting friendships with many of their students. At nearly 50%, the mix of their students who come from repeat or word-of-mouth business is extremely high. Sidney claims that a sizable chunk of his time online is simply spent corresponding with past clients who check-in with questions or general correspondence to keep in touch with the instructors whom they have befriended. Four culinary universities from the USA send their students to Le Calabash to give them exposure to the French Culinary world and as part of their accreditation as Alison and Sidney expose and train them to the sourcing and preparation of

ingredients such as foie gras, truffle, saffron, poultry and chocolate which are all produced locally. This is part of the curriculum and in 2012, Le Calabash opened a new part of the school, Le Calabash Ecole Culinaire, School of Pastry and International Culinary Arts. They now have two programmes in place training around 250 Culinary students a year from four countries and both programmes are fully booked for up to a year and a half in advance, and they work closely with Universities abroad, local producers and culinary institutions to ensure their students receive an in-depth insight and hands on programme with us in France. Le Calabash now also works with the South African Chefs Association in affording two young South African chefs a fully paid for opportunity to do an internship in France for six weeks. The chefs are given an in-depth experience of French culinary arts, including visiting Rungis, Paris, Pierre Hermé, Michalak, Valrhona… As well as working on an awardwinning goats cheese farm that is run by a ninth-generation family, they also get the opportunity to cook in an 11th century château.

FEATURE

UP YOUR GAME AND JOIN

THE YOUNG CHEFS CLUB The Young Chefs Club of the SA Chefs Association is all about sharing, caring and knowing who to turn to when the job makes you feel like swearing.

oung chefs make up half of the SA Chefs Association membership base and are recognised as the future of the industry. The SA Chefs Association Young Chefs Club (YCC) was launched to focus on the development of young chefs under the age of 25. Chairman Adrian Vigus-Brown, now 27, has been the head chef

at African Pride Melrose Arch Hotel since the age of 25. He says it is a space where new and up-and-coming chefs can interact, network, meet up and swap notes in person and on Facebook. He and fellow member Amy-Storm Pretorius explain that in the five years since the YCC launched, they have focused on encouraging chefs across the

industry to join and get involved by marketing the association and its many opportunities, such as competitions, at culinary schools. The Facebook page has close on 6 000 members and is a platform for junior chefs to share their culinary news and activities and senior chefs to mentor the youngsters in industry. A scroll through recent posts reveals

FEATURE

WHEN I SHARE MY STORY AND EXPERIENCE, MY TRAINING AND WHO TRAINED ME, THEY GET TO SEE THE STRUGGLES WE ALL GO THROUGH AND VALUE WHAT THEY’VE GOT. WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE AND WHOSE END GOAL IS TO SUCCEED. THEY NEED TOOLS, KNOWLEDGE AND THE SKILLS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN OUT OF THEIR DEPTH.

presentation ideas and techniques, video clips from mentors in industry and big name chefs, insider industry chit-chat, and lots of ideas, information and inspiration. The YCC also organises and hosts production tours of suppliers to industry, giving students access to back of house operations that they normally would not be exposed to. In this way, their skills in key areas of butchery, bakery, fresh produce and frozen goods grows, taking farm-to-fork understanding to the next level. “We looked at the needs of the SA Chefs Association and want to see more young chefs involved at events and entering competitions. We’re also keen, as a professional body, to let chefs coming into industry know what they can expect, and what the culture of being a chef is all about. You cannot

ADRIAN VIGUS-BROWN; CHAIRMAN OF THE YOUNG CHEFS CLUB OF SACA AND HEAD CHEF AT AFRICAN PRIDE MELROSE ARCH HOTEL.

just be a chef and cook; you need to make this your life,” Adrian notes. The club also encourages communication between students at different culinary schools. Amy-Storm says that in industry, graduate chefs need to work alongside each other and developing camaraderie during the early stages of their careers will stand them in good stead. Social events add further opportunities to meet, greet and swap notes outside of the kitchen. “Everyone needs a mentor or three and a platform on which to engage with each other and ask, ‘Chef, I need help’,” Adrian maintains. Networking helps make the industry less intimidating and shows that chefs, while always busy, are approachable and know how best to go about it. And networking as far and wide outside

of one’s immediate school or kitchen is essential as that is how knowledge and skills are shared. In addition, matching the right mentor to mentee and chef to workplace or job experience ensures that young chefs stay in industry and don’t drop out when they feel overwhelmed, Adrian says. “When I share my story and experience, my training and who trained me, they get to see the struggles we all go through and value what they’ve got. We want to help people who want to know more and whose end goal is to succeed. They need tools, knowledge and the skills to know what to do when out of their depth. You’ve got to learn how to persevere no matter what’s going on around you; that’s when you feel successful,” he adds.

CHEF SHOWCASE

CHEF

GREGORY CZARNECKI Head Chef at The Restaurant at Waterkloof.

RASPBERRY-MOUSSE, GEL AND CREMEUX; LYCHEE CUSTARD, DEHYDRATED WHITE CHOCOLATE, ELDERFLOWER AND MARTINI SORBET. IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY GREGORY CZARNECKI

CHEF SHOWCASE

Your menu is aweinspiring. Where did you draw inspiration from when creating it?

My inspiration comes from everywhere, anything that surrounds me can be taken as inspiration depending on the mood that I am in, the colour on the painting, a flower arrangement, seasons…

What does good food mean to you?

I believe that any meal can be considered as good food as long as it is prepared with love and passion. What’s also very important to me is preparing food in the right way with the correct respect for the product.

How much are you influenced by culinary trends?

I do not follow trends, I cook what makes me happy and what I would like to eat if I went to a restaurant.

What’s your favourite dish to cook for your family?

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES - GLAZED, PURÉE AND CRISPS; WINTER TRUFFLES

MY INSPIRATION COMES FROM EVERYWHERE, ANYTHING THAT SURROUNDS ME CAN BE TAKEN AS INSPIRATION DEPENDING ON THE MOOD THAT I AM IN, THE COLOUR ON THE PAINTING, A FLOWER ARRANGEMENT, SEASONS…

I have very little spare time, but when I do have time I always choose very classic dishes. One of my all-time favourites is a good roast chicken. I roast the chicken on the carcass on a bed of root vegetables, on the side I like to make crispy potatoes, and then using the carcasses I make a jus. This dish is simple but highly effective if executed correctly.

Which ingredient do you feel is overrated?

To me, this would definitely be pork belly. I have never been a fan of it and people just use it everywhere. There are much better cuts of meat to use in its place.

CHEF SHOWCASE

Are you looking to incorporate more alternative proteins into your menu, or is the demand for meat still high? The demand for meat in this industry is still very high but I feel as if people are more

open to trying alternative proteins than they used to be.

What would you hope your legacy to be as a chef?

Success can be weighed up in many different ways. For me as a chef, I have succeeded if I have inspired

people that I have worked with, even in the smallest way. From the first chef I ever worked for, I have always been inspired through their work. My mentors have done that for me and I would like to do that for as many chefs as I can.

FOIE GRAS TERRINE, LYCHEE PURĂ&#x2030;E AND PASSIONFRUIT DRESSING, PHOTOGRAPHER: GREGORY CZARNECKI

CHEF SHOWCASE

SAMPLE DEGUSTATION MENU

Yellowtail Ceviche Horseraddish, watercress, savoy cabbage Circumstance Chenin Blanc 2014

Smiling Valley Marron Tomato concassé, hollandaise Waterkloof Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Ryfylke White Halibut Cauliflower, Jamón Ibérico Seriously Cool Chenin Blanc 2016

Joostenberg Vlakte Duck Breast Saffron apple, glazed turnip Circumstance Cabernet Franc 2013

Madame Fromage Mountain Cheese Chicken skin, onion and sangria jelly Circumstance Chardonnay 2015

Matcha Tea Cheesecake Salted caramel, kalamansi To make a reservation, contact The Restaurant on 021 858 1491.

BELNORI FOREST PHANTOM, HIBISCUS - GLASS, JELLY AND SPHERE; PISTACHIO, POLLEN AND TUILLE DE PAIN, PHOTOGRAPHER: GREGORY CZARNECKI

SUCCESS CAN BE WEIGHED UP IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR ME AS A CHEF, I HAVE SUCCEEDED IF I HAVE INSPIRED PEOPLE THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH, EVEN IN THE SMALLEST WAY.

PUFFED BEEF TENDONS, CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN, DIJON’S CAVIAR, PICKLE AND CREAM CHEESE, PHOTOGRAPHER: BIANCA STRYDOM

FEATURE

RISING STAR MEGIN MEIKLE AND ALISON BOND OF LE CALABASH COOKERY SCHOOL, IN FRANCE.

RISING STAR:

MEGIN’S CULINARY CREATIONS

MEGIN MEIKLE

Pastry chef Megin Meikle has packed a lot of training, work and competition experience into her young life. She chats to Susan Reynard about her latest culinary trip to France.

uietly spoken, calm and focused, young pastry chef Megin Meikle is making a name for herself one delicate, delicious dish at a time. She is currently pastry chef at swish Luke Dale Roberts X the Saxon restaurant in Johannesburg and continues to hone her skills. She recently returned from a six-week culinary trip to the Loire Valley in France, a guest of Sidney and Alison Bond who run Le Calabash Cookery School there. This internship is offered to a young South African chef who has not been exposed to overseas travel. It consisted of a six-week learning experience and Megin was grateful her employer and manager at Saxon supported the endeavour and saw the merits of growing her knowledge and expertise. She leapt at the chance to spend time in rural France learning how to buy for, cook, eat and experience French dishes, kitchens, markets, restaurants, cuisine and culture. She says it’s all about taking classical cuisine back

to basics and was eye-opening. “In South Africa we look up to restaurants and chefs in the Northern Hemisphere but feel detached in a way. The only way to keep in touch is through social media. In France the opportunity to eat in a bistro or restaurant, work with chefs, and see how pedantic they are about only using seasonable ingredients is absolutely mind-blowing,” she says. Megin was fascinated to see cuisine as culturally specific, with children in France growing up eating proper food at their schools, in touch with ingredients and aware of what is in season. She was inspired by a six year old child at a market getting excited that asparagus was in season. “We need to know what is available during the various months of the year, no matter where we live. It seems like a small thing but if a six year old kid is excited about asparagus, we should be too,” she adds. The French love sweet dishes for breakfast, Megin found, eating pain

au chocolat (pastry with chocolate) with their morning coffee. However, when it comes to lunch and dinner, diners pay close attention to eating good food. Megin says it’s not so much about dieting but rather eating good quality food and knowing where ingredients, such as cheeses, come from. Sidney and Alison Bond at Le Calabash Cookery School take in students and culinary enthusiasts from all over the world. These are people who are keen to experience French cuisine from an insider’s point of view. The Bonds are welcoming and warm, Megin recalls, showing her around the area and exposing her to new ideas. “It all starts with prepping and learning how to do it properly. We got to understand where the butter comes from and what it consists of as well as how cows are raised on the farm,” she says. She saw streets with rows of patisseries and ice cream shops, each one offering something different and special for

FEATURE

FACT FILE TRAINING: Megin Meikle trained at HTA School of Culinary Art and qualified in 2011 with a Diploma in Culinary Art. She furthered her studies at FBI (Food and Beverage Institute) Chef School and Pâtisserie Academy in 2013, specialising in pastry.

PATISSIER IN FRANCE

WORK: •

2012 - first half of 2013: MasterChef SA, Kokkedoor, Big Brother Africa

•

customers to enjoy. As a pastry chef she was thrilled at the long history of confectionery in France, what each item is meant to look and taste like and how it is supposed to be made. The fresh produce markets like the one in Tours were especially exciting: “We were there at 8am on a Saturday and it was buzzing. People were out buying and talking to the farmers, selecting freshly picked fruit and vegetables from stalls, walking around with their dogs and trolleys; it’s a day out and the whole family goes,” she says. Rungis is one of the world’s largest night markets on the outskirts of Paris and is specific to the culinary industry. The World Association of Chefs Societies, of which the SA Chefs Association is a member, is headquartered there. Megin describes the market as a city of its own, with special access cards needed to gain entry. Trucks come in and out from all over Europe, bringing top-quality ingredients and produce from their countries and buying up goods from other countries to take back. Everything is clearly marked where it comes from and when it was harvested, ensuring chefs are very clear about the produce they are buying. She recalls around eight halls of fruit alone, with more fresh fruit outside waiting to be unpacked. “Food culture at Rungis is out of this world,” she raves.

Chefs in France take their profession very seriously, Megin notes. They start early at around age 15 and study in a culinary, tourism and hospitality environment surrounded by people passionate about the industry. She found that once people in France became chefs they seldom changed careers as it becomes a way of life, part of their essence. During her trip Megin kept a notebook and wrote down the things and experiences that inspired her. On her return, she looked long and hard at her dessert menu, finding ways to pay more attention to detail to ensure desserts were seasonal and ingredient specific. “I’ve become very passionate about this,” she says. Just some of the changes she has made include swapping bread for croissant bread as the perfect symbolic return from France, and creating a guava dessert instead of a raspberry dessert. She says she has also simplified her desserts. Each dish still comprises a number of sophisticated components but look simplistic in execution. Simplicity can be almost deceiving, she notes, and incorporating what she learnt in France into her dishes, sharing her experiences with her team, is an exciting new phase in her progress as a pastry chef.

2014: Pot Luck Club with Chef Luke Dale Roberts (chef de partie)

•

2015: Restaurant Five Hundred with Chef David Higgs (chef de partie)

•

2016: Luke Dale Roberts X Saxon (chef de partie)

•

2017: Luke Dale Roberts X Saxon (pastry chef)

MEGIN IN TEN 1. My favourite three ingredients are... ever-changing but currently my obsessions are almonds, rum and apricots. 2. My must-have kitchen tools are...I have a weakness for silicone moulds, the perfect whisk and a silicone spatula. 3. My favourite meal is...my Gran’s Portuguese chicken masterpiece that I ate a giant bowl of prior to answering this question. 4. I am inspired by ...my overactive imagination. 5. Future bucket list experience is to... work with Pastry Chef Pierre Herme, and I would love to become fluent in French. 6. Past bucket list experience was when... I was given the opportunity to spend six weeks in France at Le Calabash with Alison and Sidney Bond. 7. I hate...slovenliness. 8. My dream dinner date is...author JK Rowling. She inspires me for various reasons – I love her wit and honesty. 9. If I wasn’t a chef I would be... an FBI agent. 10. Last book I read was...The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

NEWS

LUCRICIA KIM KAYLA AFRICA WRITING HER NYCTP FINAL EXAM AT CERTIFICATE LEVEL IN MAY, DESPITE LOSING ALL OF HER POSSESSIONS EXCEPT FOR HER CHEF’S UNIFORM IN A FIRE AT HER HOME THAT MORNING.

REGIONAL NEWS SA Chefs Association’s regional committees have been hard at work, rallying members, raising funds and cheering on students.

GAUTENG

The newly appointed Gauteng committee held a shebeenthemed evening at HTA School of Culinary Art to introduce new committee members to colleagues, industry, sponsors and friends. The evening also served to raise funds for charity. Committee chairman Raynor Damons from Famous Brands welcomed guests and invited them to enjoy the hospitality and get to know the sponsors and their products. The Gauteng committee members include Terence Hay

(Tsebo Outsourcing Group); Wayne Grove (Tsebo Outsourcing Group); Jodi Gillespie (Sandton Sun); Jonathan Roos (Sandton Sun); Veronique van Zyl (Radisson Blu Sandton); Jonathan Moreno (Park Inn Sandton); Kalpesh Hansjee (The Michelangelo Hotel); Mark Coombe (Capsicum Culinary Studio); Davlin Botha (HTA School of Culinary Art); Madumo Monageng (HTA School of Culinary Art); and Tom Mavuso (Kee Ingredients). Close on 90 people attended the “urban kitchen” event, held on 3 June, including SA Chefs’

president Stephen Billingham and general manager Thomas Overbeck; Alice Taylor-Surridge of Tiger Brands; Melissa Taylor, MD of Fedics at Tsebo Outsourcing Group; Mark Kiefer of Kee Ingredients; and Riana Goosen from Ever After, to name a few. Braais were lit and guests were treated to a thoroughly South African meal. On the menu was: • Starters: Tomato and baby marrow soup with grilled garlic bread • Mains: Braaied chicken pieces, prego steaks, boerewors,

NEWS

GAUTENG COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WARMED UP THE WINTER EVENING WITH A WELL-ATTENDED SHEBEEN-THEMED SOCIAL AND FUND-RAISING EVENT IN JUNE.

pulled brisket, corn on the cob, vegetable skewers, garlic butter mushrooms grilled, pap, relish, chakalaka, green salad and samp • Dessert: Chocolate éclairs, fresh fruit slices and marshmallows on sticks Enamel mugs and plates, potjies and shebeen-style music ensured a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Take a look at the committee’s Facebook page to see all the action. Sponsors included HTA School of Culinary Art, Kee Ingredients, The Township Winery, DGB, Turn N Slice, Capsicum Culinary Studio, Weber, Tiger Brands, CS Continental Meats, Global Meats and Food Boys. The Township Winery showcased their excellent wines produced in unusual backyard wineries in the Cape and introduced the chefs to the 5cees charity. Jodi Gillespie says of the collaboration with The Township Winery, “SACA will continue to promote the products and relationships of suppliers like this and in doing so we market their product for them and use them at our events.”

Guests paid to attend the dinner and some R14 000 was raised, with proceeds to be donated to the 5cees (Christ Church Christian Care Centre) in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. This organisation helps previously disadvantaged young people aged between four and 22 by providing accommodation, education, counselling and care. Raynor says the committee aims to raise R40 000 by December through events such as these, with the goal to split funds between four charities and add to the children’s festivities at the end of the year. Raynor says he is very proud of the new committee and sponsors who worked exceptionally hard to organise this event in three weeks. “We as chefs and in our committee believe in giving back to the community and this event was a stepping stone for us to move us to the next event. This was the highlight of my career as I’ve never done this before.” Next up for the region is appearing at the Good Food & Wine Show at The Ticketpro Dome from 28 to 30 July.

KWAZULU-NATAL

The region held its InfoChef 2017 on 15 June in Durban.

MPUMALANGA/LIMPOPO

Two new chairmen have been appointed: Tommie Hurter for Limpopo and Simon Sutherland for Mpumalanga. This new team is set to engage chefs in the area, raise awareness of the Association and organise interactive gatherings, events and activities.

NYCTP

The National Youth Chefs Training Programme (NYCTP) students wrote their final exams at certificate level on 2 May. Pictured opposite is Lucricia Kim Kayla Africa, who looks calm and focused but what examiners didn’t know was that her home had burned to the ground that morning and she wrote her exam with the last of her possessions, her chef’s uniform. Africa’s dedication is admirable and her colleagues rallied around afterwards, helping in any way they could to ensure that she was warm and had a roof over her head again that night.

NEWS

AMY BUTLER

NAMED BEST APPRENTICE CHEF The top in-service apprentice chefs and graduates from HTA School of Culinary Art were recognised and rewarded for excellence in this year’s annual cooking competition sponsored by Nedan and AFGRI Milling.

AMY’S WINNING MENU:

• Starter: Soya mince consommé, brunoise vegetables and butterbean and butternut tortellini • Main: Drunken sous-vide pork fillet, fennel fritters, carrot purée, carrot ribbons and pickled beetroot • Dessert: Gluten-free coconut brownie, aqua faba (vegan meringue), honeycomb, macerated apple salad, caramel and coconut crumble, dill frozen yoghurt and chocolate oil emulsion

he annual HTA In-Service Apprentice Chef of the Year competition, now in its 11th year, was a cracker of a competition once again, held on 26 May 2017. Nine recently qualified apprentice chefs put their skills to the test in the pristine kitchens at HTA School of Culinary Art. Coming out tops was Amy Butler from the Food Design Agency, with Dylon Winter from Luke Dale Roberts X Saxon first runner-up and Nikita Fikizolo from Ilawu Hospitality second runner-up. Fellow contestants included Phumlani Mtshali from Royal Mnandi; Ross Hughes from The Belgian Triple; Thokozile Mzangwa from Protea Hotel Wanderers; and Mathapelo Mogoboya, Reabetsoe Phephi and Dewald Botha, all from the Protea Hotel Group.

Amy has been in the kitchen for five years and says she spent two weeks deciding on her menu before the competition. “Every day after work I practised. My boss Jodi-Ann is all about innovation and food design so I played around and bounced ideas off of her. We are big on trends and I looked to include those in my dishes, such as vegan, gluten-free, Banting and no waste. For example, for the vegan meringue I used the liquid from the butter beans.” This year’s competition was sponsored by Nedan and AFGRI Milling for the first time. The competition allowed finalists to hone their competition skills, have fun and be exposed to a wide range of Nedan and AFGRI Milling Products, which can be incorporated into four- and five-star cuisine.

The winners were announced at a cocktail event after the competition, attended by around 80 people from industry (including suppliers, sponsors and chefs) and family and friends. Mayor of Mogale City, Councillor Michael Holenstein (previously a chef, restaurateur and hotelier) came out in support of the training initiative. HTA School of Culinary Art founder and owner Stephen Billingham, also president of the SA Chefs Association, in his address to contestants and industry explained that youngsters can take two paths to becoming a chef: through a very expensive culinary school or as in-service apprentice chefs. He recognised how tough being an apprentice chef is, with a lot of hard work and long hours for less recognition and pay than some. However, the rewards are home-grown chefs on the path to becoming executive chefs and captains of industry.

SPONSORS

First prize was a cheque for R7 500 plus a Snappy Chef induction stove, Grunter knife set from MacBrothers and cheese board from KEE Ingredients. Contestants also took home a range of product gifts from sponsors Anvil, Sasko and Willow Creek and an embroidered chef jacket from Maestrochefs as well as a branded commemorative plate and framed HTA Certificate and medal. Other event sponsors included Ready Veg, Foodboys, Sir Fruit, Twinsaver Group, Rich’s and Sharp Edge.

NEWS

CHEESE FONDUE

FLAME TERRACE AT FOUR SEASONS THE WESTCLIFF

FONDUE BEATS

THE HIGHVELD FROST Sharing cuisine has taken a retro turn at Four Seasons The Westcliff hotel. Susan Reynard dips her fondue fork into the pot.

haring cuisine such as tapas and platters now feature regularly on restaurant and gastropub menus. Four Seasons The Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg has taken food to share further with its launch of a modern take on the charmingly retro fondue this winter. Available throughout June and July at Flames restaurant, the food and beverage team planned this for nearly a year. They invested in 12 Le Creuset fondue pot sets, each with six colour-coded forks. Chef Keith Frisley says it took about three months to tweak the broth recipes to get them just right. Broth was selected as a healthier alternative to oil as a cooking medium, with the rich cheese option for traditionalists.

• Classic cheese fondue: Fontina and Gruyère served with rosemary and garlic croutons, vegetable crudités, artichoke, broccolini, confit tomato and asparagus (R295 per person). • Carnivore fondue with oxtail Consommé: Angus beef fillet, veal noche, chicken fillet, portobellini mushrooms, pommes de Pont Neuf and broccolini, served with cognac pepper, horseradish and chimichurri dipping sauces (R395 per person) • Chinese fondue with shellfish fumet: Farmed seabass, Norwegian salmon, queen prawns, calamari, Kenyan beans and Shitake mushrooms, served with sambal oelek, Vietnamese and peanut dipping sauces (R395 per person).

Each fondue serves a minimum of four guests and needs to be ordered at the time of booking:

“During winter we love the fondue because it’s all about sharing a meal with friends. You see, at

game reserves people love to spend time outside around a fire with a beautiful view. We have created this experience at our hotel with fire pits and fondue and we already have a beautiful view. It’s about creating great moments outside using the space we have available,” explains David Barillot, director of sales and marketing. The fondue is served from Thursday to Sunday from 4pm to 7pm, making it an ideal sundowners experience on the deck. Presentation is smart, as one would expect from this five-star hotel, and the dining experience is interactive. On hand are blankets for guests and together with the fire pits keep out the early evening chill. On the dessert front, pastry chef Leon Cronje has captured the outdoors theatre of food mood with his Belgian hot chocolate for four, poured at the table and served with indulgent toppings.

FEATURE

EDUCATION UPDATE As per the SAQA appointed professional body for chefs.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

SA Chefs, since 2013, has been involved with the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) in the development of the new Chef and Cook qualifications in South Africa. These qualifications are set to replace the existing qualifications on the SAQA NQF (National Qualifications Framework) including the Cathsseta Certificate and Diploma in Professional Cookery as well as the City & Guilds Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Food Preparation and Cookery. In 2013, a CEP (Community of Expert Practitioners) was established to develop the syllabi for these qualifications. Since then,

the Occupation Certificate Chef was registered in 2015 and schools started offering it from 2016. Earlier this year in 2017, the Chef qualification was upgraded from NQF level 4 to NQF level 5, and the credits upgraded from 380 to 554. The Cook qualification was also upgraded with two partqualifications: Kitchenhand and Food Handler. SA Chefs has also been involved in the redevelopment of the Fast Food Cook Qualification and the Food Service Assistant (FSA) part-qualification, and well as the Food and Beverage Services Attendant qualification. All these qualifications will be registered by the end of 2017 and available on the NQF from 2018.

NQF 6

Managerial Chefs (Sous/Head/Exec) STILL TO BE DEVELOPED

NQF 5

Chef 343401 (Chef de Partie)

NQF 4

Cook 512101 (Commis Chef/ Restaurant Cook/ Deli Cook)

NQF 3

Kitchenhand

NQF 2

Food Handler

QUALIFICATION PORTABILITY

One of the hallmarks of these new qualifications is the amount of articulation both up and across to various other qualifications. This means one can start as a sculler or Food Handler and then work oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way up to Head Chef! But equally so, the modules are transferable downwards, so if a student is unsuccessful in achieving a qualification at a higher NQF level, there is portability downwards to achieve a qualification at a lower level. Therefore the intended new qualification structure includes:

Pastry Chef (Chef specialisation) STILL TO BE DEVELOPED

Fast Food Cook 841101 (Cook with a Service Component)

FSA Food Service Assistant (Kitchenhand with a Service Component)

Food and Beverage Services Attendant 513102 (with a Cook Component)

FEATURE

All the qualifications share the same core modules. For a detailed comparison of the module sharing in comparing the Food Handler, Kitchenhand, Cook and Chef qualifications please see the table on pages 38 and 39.

NATIONAL STANDARDISATION

Both the Chef and Cook qualifications have external Summative Assessments (examined outside of your own school) where students are tested against a national standard. The Chef external Trade Test is overseen by NAMB (National Artisan Moderation Body) and Cathsseta is responsible for the Cook external assessment.

INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKING AND ALIGNMENT

All these new qualifications have been developed on the foundation of the tried and tested international City & Guilds syllabi. Many schools offering the City & Guilds qualifications will be able to offer the new programmes fairly easily with a little conversion, as there are a few new modules. Another major difference is that the new QCTO programme requires the compulsory time spent in industry to equate to at least half the qualification. Therefore the Work Experience modules for Chef require a minimum of 70 weeks (18 months) and 22 weeks (6 months) for Cook.

8065-01 Certificate

8065-02 Diploma

The new QCTO qualifications align roughly to the City & Guilds qualifications. Please refer to the table below. 343401 Occupational Certificate Chef is basically an amalgam of 8065-01, 8065-02 and 8065-04, plus some additional modules. 512101 Occupational Certificate Cook is basically 8065-01 plus some additional modules.

NEW MODULES

There are some new Theoretical and Practical modules that are beyond the scope of the City & Guilds qualifications, which will require some new material for existing City & Guilds Assessment Centres. Over the next few months SA Chef will address some of these modules not covered by City & Guilds, such as: • Environmental Awareness (NQF level 3) • Environmental Sustainability (NQF level 4) • Computer Literacy and Research(NQF level 4) • Basic Ingredients (NQF level 3) • Basic Scientific principles (NQF level 5) • Flavour Construction (NQF level 5) • Global Cuisines (NQF level 5) • Food Production (NQF level 5) • Operational Cost Control (NQF level 5) • Personal Development (NQF level 2)

Kitchenhand | Part-Qualification + unit 8065-01 104 (Introduction to Nutrition) + units 8065-01 106-109 (Cooking methods)

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Over the next few years the benefits will become more evident as schools are benchmarked to a national exit level standard using external summative assessments. No longer will there be fly-by-nights offering pop-up crash courses that only lead to broken promises and wasted money. One will see the demise of the 6 and 12 month chef courses currently on offer as Cooks will require 12 to 18 months including workplace experience, and chefs will require a minimum of three years. The only shorter courses available will be part-qualifications. For industry this is important as it sets the basic entry level standards expected for a qualified chef or cook. Unfortunately, in the past many students have had very little or no work experience on completing their qualification, but now industry will benefit from proper workplace experienced learners. Once qualified, graduates register with SA Chefs as the professional body which means the work history and CV of each and every qualified chef and cook will be available for reference checking by employers. No longer will there be bogus CVs and work histories. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points will be required to be earned each year to maintain membership, ensuring all qualified chefs remain current, up-to-date and actively involved in industry to keep their registration valid.

512101 Occupational Certificate Cook + unit 8065-02 206 (Healthier foods & special diets) | + units 8065-02 207213 (Prepare, cook & finish dishes)

343401 Occupational Certificate Chef

8065-04 AdvancedDiploma

FEATURE

FOOD HANDLER NQF 2 (2-3 MONTHS) 28 CREDITS

KITCHEN-HAND NQF 3 (4-6 MONTHS) 52 CREDITS

NQF LEVEL

COOK NQF 4 (12-18 MONTHS) 184 CREDITS (SDP 105 WEP79) 79) 15 ++WEP

512101000-KM-01

Personal hygiene and safety

512101000-KM-02

Food safety and quality assurance

512101000-KM-03

Workplace safety

Numeracy, units of measurement and computer literacy

Environmental awareness

Introduction to Nutrition and Diets

Basic Ingredients

Theory of food production

Introduction to the kitchen and the hospitality and catering industry

Theory of commodity resource management

Food preparation methods

Food preparation techniques

Food cooking methods and techniques

Personal Development as a cook

Prepare and assemble food items using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils

Cook food items using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils

Implement food production

Maintain food production systems

KNOWLEDGE MODULES 512101000-KM-09

512101000-KM-11

512101000-PM-01

PRACTICAL MODULES 512101000-PM-03

512101000-PM-06

512101000-WM-02

512101000-PM-06

512101000-WM-02

Document and report on kitchen activities

Assist with kitchen activities

Preparation processes and procedures to provide cooking services within the cook-serve or cook-chill/freeze food production environment

Hygiene practices and cleaning processes and procedures within the cook-serve or cook-chill/freeze food production environment

Processes and procedures for communicating with and assisting other kitchen personnel within a cook-serve or cook-chill/freeze food production environment

Processes and procedures for preparing and assembling a variety of food items using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils, and to accommodate special dietary requirements

Processes and procedures for cooking a variety of food items using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils

WORK EXPERIENCE MODULES 512101000-WM-04

FEATURE

NQF LEVEL

CHEF NQF 5 (3 YEARS + TRADE TEST) 554 CREDITS (SDP 284 + WEP 270)

512101000-KM-01

343401100-KM-01

Personal hygiene and safety

512101000-KM-02

343401100-KM-02

Food safety and quality assurance

512101000-KM-03

343401100-KM-03

Workplace safety

343401100-KM-04

Theory of safety supervision

343401100-KM-05

Numeracy and units of measurement

343401100-KM-06

Computer literacy and research

343401100-KM-07

Environmental awareness

343401100-KM-08

Environmental sustainability

343401100-KM-09

Introduction to Nutrition and Diets

343401100-KM-10

Healthier Food Preparation and Cooking

343401100-KM-11

Basic Ingredients

343401100-KM-12

Gastronomy, Basic scientific principles, flavour construction and global cuisines

343401100-KM-13

Theory of food production

343401100-KM-14

Theory of food production supervision

343401100-KM-15

Introduction to the kitchen and the hospitality and catering industry

343401100-KM-16

Theory of staff resource management

343401100-KM-17

Theory of production facility and equipment resource management

512101000-KM-04 512101000-KM-05 512101000-KM-06 512101000-KM-07

512101000-KM-08

512101000-KM-09

512101000-KM-10

512101000-KM-11 512101000-KM-12 512101000-KM-13

512101000-KM-14

343401100-KM-18

Theory of commodity resource management

343401100-KM-19

Operational Cost Control

343401100-KM-20

Menu planning and recipe costing

343401100-KM-21

Food preparation methods and techniques

343401100-KM-22

Food cooking methods and techniques

343401100-KM-23

Theory of preparing, cooking, and finishing dishes

343401100-KM-24

Personal Development as a chef

343401100-PM-01

Prepare and cook food items using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils

343401100-PM-02

Prepare, cook and finish dishes using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils

343401100-PM-03

Plan menus and cost recipes/dishes

343401100-PM-04

Manage and maintain resources

343401100-PM-05

Maintain food production systems

343401100-PM-06

Implement and maintain cost control

343401100-WM-01

Planning and preparation processes and procedures to provide professional chef services within the hierarchy of the organisational structure

343401100-WM-02

Processes and procedures for organising food production area, ingredients, staff and environment

512101000-PM-01 512101000-PM-02

512101000-PM-03 512101000-PM-04

KNOWLEDGE MODULES

PRACTICAL MODULES

512101000-PM-05 512101000-PM-06 512101000-WM-01

512101000-WM-02 512101000-WM-03

WORK EXPERIENCE MODULES 512101000-WM-04 40

343401100-WM-03

Processes and procedures for preparing and cooking a variety of food items using different methods and techniques, equipment and utensils

343401100-WM-04

Processes and procedures for preparing, cooking and finishing a variety of dishes using the correct method and techniques to meet customer expectations

512101000-WM-05

SPOTLIGHT

TOWNSHIP WINERY What they lack in size and scale, the Philippi wine community replaces with passion and commitment.

CHANGING PARADIGMS

Cape Town families are changing the way we see wine. In recent times, the wine world has become very commercial, but in Cape Town this is changing through a unique project. Single household vineyards and community-owned central winery in the middle of the townships — that’s new.

OUR STORY

PHILIPPI AND FLATS RANGE ON DISPLAY IN NIGERIA © SOJI ONI PHOTOGRAPHY

A craft does not take a lot of money to learn and perfect. It doesn’t have to happen in a mansion. The communities of Nyanga, Khayalitsha and Philippi know that the wine craft is as simple as any other. They have proved that growing and caring for vines is no more difficult than tending other plants. They also know that wine can be made and cared for with sensitivity and hygiene in a shed, in the way that thousands of garageistes make wine at home all over the world.

BEGINNINGS

THE COMMUNITIES OF NYANGA, KHAYALITSHA AND PHILIPPI KNOW THAT THE WINE CRAFT IS AS SIMPLE AS ANY OTHER.

The idea of a non-elite winery, owned and staffed by a different culture was formed in 2009. In 2010, The Township Winery concept was revealed on a homespun website, and was spotted by Virgin Wines in the United Kingdom, who commissioned the first wines. After that, the Philippi soils were analysed for suitability and found to be pH neutral, perfect for vineyards and the first Cape Flats vines in 70 years were planted in 2011.

SPOTLIGHT

IMAGES COURTESY OF THE TOWNSHIP WINERY

STARTING OVER WITH NOTHING MORE THAN THE LAND UNDER THEIR HOMES AND A LIFETIME APPRENTICESHIP IN GROWING PLANTS, THEY TEND THEIR VINES WITH NEW PRIDE AND DIGNITY, BRINGING SHADES OF GREEN TO THE STREET AND FRUIT TO THE COMMON EFFORT.

ORIGINAL AND BEAUTIFUL

Starting over with nothing more than the land under their homes and a lifetime apprenticeship in growing plants, they tend their vines with new pride and dignity, bringing shades of green to the street and fruit to the common effort.

TASTE THE PRIDE

The best grapes have no favourites. After years of open competition, all producers now know where to find the best grapes. All township growers share in the grower cooperative that is a shareholder in The Township Winery. They produce the organic grapes and vegetables and man the stalls stocked with crafts, art and wine at the Winery.

SINCE THEN

The Township Winery has trademarked its brands, enlarged the range of equipment and added new varieties to the range. The export programme has expanded through DTI, WOSA and Wesgro exposure and now includes customers

in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and China. Virgin Wines continue to import The Township Winery products every year for distribution among its 700 000+ upmarket clients. There is also a small set of 5-star restaurant customers in Cape Town.

GET IN TOUCH Tel: +27 21 447 4476 Mobile: +27 73 450 9516 Nomhle Zondani +27 73 450 9516

nomhle@townshipwinery.com Graham Knox +27 83 625 2865

graham@townshipwinery.com

SPOTLIGHT

CRAFT BAKERS UNITE

As it approaches its first anniversary, the recently formed South African Bakers Association is gaining momentum with renewed focus on training.

t last count there were more than 60 000 bakers (SA Chamber of Baking survey, 2003) working across the craft (artisan) and plant (machine) bakery industries in South Africa, and they have long needed an association that addresses their specific needs. The South African Bakers Association was launched with this in mind two years ago with a Facebook group that has quickly attracted almost 1 300 followers. It was incorporated as a Non-Profit Company on 1 September 2016. Dave Collier, national bakery manager for one of the major food retailers, was elected founding president along with Henri Lebon, the independent owner of Romax Bakery in Johannesburg and Tim Faull, MD of the Professional Vision Group in Cape Town, as the vice presidents of marketing and training respectively. Supplementing their efforts is a non-executive committee of project champions for various areas of interest.

PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN BAKERS ASSOCIATION, DAVE COLLIER

THE ASSOCIATION HAS GROWN ORGANICALLY, WITH VOLUNTEERS COMING ON BOARD LAST YEAR TO HELP WITH DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS MEMBERSHIP AND CHARITABLE INITIATIVES.

SPOTLIGHT

OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO ACHIEVE FORMAL TRAINING FOR BAKERS. WE DECIDED TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE WHOLE INDUSTRY, MARKETING BAKERY AS ‘SEXY’ AGAIN. THERE IS NO POINT DOING THIS IF WE CAN’T ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE CAREER OF BAKING.

The Association has grown organically, with volunteers coming on board last year to help with day-to-day activities such as membership and charitable initiatives. Members meet monthly to discuss where the Association can make a difference in the industry. “Our main objective is to achieve formal training for bakers. We decided to get involved with the whole industry, marketing bakery as ‘sexy’ again. There is no point doing this if we can’t attract people to the career of baking,” explains Dave. “We aim to attract members and sponsors, stimulate the industry and encourage people to learn how to become bakers and confectioners.” The Association is busy engaging with the FoodBev SETA and other bodies, such as the SA Chamber of Baking, to ascertain what industry wants and which qualifications are needed. Training providers are encouraged and supported to develop learning systems for baking and confectionery skills development of an international standard. Included in the development and advancement of bakers will be skills competitions and other social activities. “We want to be the organisation that all bakers identify with, offering training, communications and job openings, modelling ourselves along the lines of the SA Chefs Association,” says Dave.

Key challenges they have identified in the baking industry include: lack of skills, no formal colleges and only a handful of private institutions offering only parts of the SETA qualifications. Large plant bakeries do offer inhouse training and the majority are members of the SA Chamber of Baking, which is a business chamber that consists mostly of plant bakeries, suppliers and larger companies. Dave believes that the Association needs to work closely with the Chamber to achieve its goals. The big plants produce millions of short lifespan bread products daily. Pastry chefs bring an elevated skill to industry usually producing a sophisticated, upmarket product. The need for training and more career bakers lies somewhere in the middle; craft and artisanal bakers who produce bread, rolls, confectionery, buns, doughnuts, pastries and the like. Dave has been a baker for nearly 40 years, training with City & Guilds as an apprentice in the 1980s, and says there will always be a need for people to produce speciality baked goods that are part of people’s everyday lives. With its roots in social media, the Association will continue to offer benefits to members online. Services will include pages that promote job opportunities, technical and business help, and eventually e-learning and promotions.

MEMBERSHIP The South African Bakers Association aims to become the recognised professional body for all bakers and confectioners in the country. It has four categories of membership: 1. Professional members: People who have proved their technical competence in craft baking or confectionery at a skilled level and who have contributed to the advancement of the industry. 2. General members: Bakers or confectioners who are active in the baking industry. 3. Student members: Students who are embarking on a learning programme in the craft baking industry. 4. Associate members: People or organisations involved in the food industry who have not been trained as a baker or confectioner but express an interest and commitment to the objectives of the Association For more information go to

www.sabakers.co.za or e mail members@sabakers.co.za or check out www.facebook.com/groups/SABakers/

FEATURE

CHAI CARROT CAKE © PETER VAN DER BYL PHOTOGRAPHY

EAT IN VINTAGE STYLE AT LALA’S

Following the grand opening of Lala’s Vintage Bistro in George, Western Cape, the town now offers a touch of vintage style and cuisine at a special venue.

he relocation of the restaurant from Heather Park has given new life to a beautiful and well-known Victorian-style building in Cathedral Street. Owner/Chef Craig Bloemsma brings to George an international style and service that will bring back nostalgic memories from a time gone by. Lala’s Vintage Bistro is situated at 56 Cathedral Street, offering a

European-style bistro with gourmet French-style breakfasts, healthy and light meals, as well as delicious cakes for the sweet tooth. Lala’s is now also open on a Friday evening for dinner and offer international fine-dining cuisine as well as a freshly prepared roast meal on Sundays Chef Craig is French and Spanish trained and having worked for and run Top 10 kitchens in South Africa and fine-dining establishments

around the world, he brings his signature style of cuisine to the Garden Route.

What is the story of Lala’s?

Lala’s Vintage Bistro opened on 14 February 2017 in a heritage-listed Victorian home built in 1876 in the old part of George, Western Cape. The concept of Lala’s was developed through my experience worldwide

FEATURE

doing fine-dining cuisine and a love of antiques and vintage style. After many years working in top kitchens, I wanted to bring those techniques and experience together with an old vintage feel to create a unique ambiance that is warm, stylish and accessible to all who walk through our doors. Whether it be Frenchstyled breakfast or a pot of tea served in old bone china with a gourmet signature cake that we bake fresh every day. Lala’s is named after my daughter, Larissa, who just turned six, and, after years of being ‘married’ to the kitchen working seven days a week serving fine-dining cuisine and tasting menus, a balance was required. In 2015, I started Lala’s Vintage Coffee shop in Heather Park, George and from a humble 20-seater shop, we have grown to where we are now, in our new location which can take up to 70 guests — 40 inside with a private dining room and 30 outdoors in a European-styled garden. Traditionally, coffee shops serve a limited menu and I decided to do 5-star cuisine, that one would find in expensive establishments and top restaurants / hotels around the world, but at an affordable price and accessible to most customers. In the process, we became the top coffee shop in George with our cuisine, service and ambiance. This was the first part of our concept and now we are a European-style Bistro, having built relationships and reputation to grow into what we are now. We are now also open for selected dinners and prepare a plated Sunday roast meal. We have now become known for my signature cuisine and gourmet cakes.

French and South African cuisine. The focus is on everything being freshly prepared and nothing comes out of a bottle. The recipes are all made on site including the salad dressings, spice mixes, preserves and pestos, etc. Our focus is on modern elegantly presented and affordable cuisine in a vintage setting. It starts with locally sourced quality ingredients, excellent cooking techniques and attention to detail in the final plating of the dish

What are the challenges of operating a restaurant in a small town?

George is the largest town on the Garden Route, there are different

challenges to running a successful and profitable restaurant. In my experience, the top fine-dining restaurants are not about profit but more about reputation. One cannot do what you did in Johannesburg or Cape Town and expect to have the same success. In George, there are many new restaurants and new ownership in existing establishments as many of them are up for sale every six months. Many people realise it is difficult to make a business work here and there is a lot of competition. Business here is built on relationships with your customers and growing your business on word-of-mouth referrals.

What kind of food does Lala’s specialise in?

Lala’s is an upmarket Bistro specialising in French / international cuisine and patisserie. I have many influences including Asian, Spanish,

FEATURE

PORK BELLY, ALL IMAGES © PETER VAN DER BYL PHOTOGRAPHY

The hospitality industry is a ruthless one and it is so important to develop a reputation for excellent quality cuisine, impeccable service and value for money. It is essential to maintain high standards and to do it consistently over time. You are only as good as your last plate of food, is what I have learnt. Understanding your customers and their tastes or preferences is vital in a small town. This is a place where you know your customers by name and they know you. You need to engage with them and build upon those relationships. The demographic here has changed in the last decade, with George being one of the fastest-growing towns with over 30 families moving here every month from elsewhere in South Africa in search of a better lifestyle.

Traditionally George does not pay well and the salaries earned are not what they are in the city, hence there are a lot of franchises here who thrive off specials and deals. However, with the influx of more affluent families into George, there is a market for diners with discerning palates and who are looking for quality above quantity. Lala’s Vintage Bistro caters for that market as well as the many retirees living on the Garden Route who have limited means but enjoy our ambiance and treat themselves to tea and cake

Do you rely on regular customers, or travellers passing through?

Our business has grown largely through word of mouth advertising and people referring or bringing their friends and family. So we have a regular clientele who keep bringing other people. We also have a visible social media and internet presence and attract many visitors to George. We are in the Top 10 on TripAdvisor and if you google “best breakfast in George”, Lala’s will come up ﬁrst. This has been solely through customer reviews and feedback on social media. It is not about what we say but what our customers say about us. This is how we have grown as a business and keep growing

EGGS BENEDICT

What is your food philosophy?

“Food is Art or Art is Food” is my motto, and I have always been a Salvador Dali fan and my plate is my canvas. Food needs to be a sensory experience and customers dine out to experience what they can’t do at home or have seen on TV. The number of times I have been asked about Masterchef, makes me smile. It is important to develop your own style and have signature dishes that people keep coming back for more. My Eggs Benedict with Serano ham and hollandaise is my signature breakfast. My Indonesian pork belly with potato rosti is one of our signature lunch dishes. Our Chai carrot cake and crème brulee baked cheesecake are our signature cakes. A successful dish should always be balanced and have texture, contrast, ﬂavour and colour and based on three fundamental principles • Quality of ingredients • Preparation technique • Presentation and attention to detail Lala’s Vintage Bistro 56 Cathedral Street, George Tel: +27 44 873 2195 +27 76 686 2497 Info@lalarox.co.za

CHECKERS FOOD SERVICES

SOY AND SESAME PICANHA WITH CHARRED BROCCOLI METHOD 1. To make the Asian dressing, stir soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and chilli together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for a few minutes, then set aside. 2. Place the roast in a large dish and rub with the olive oil, salt and a cup of the Asian dressing. 3. Allow to marinate for 2 hours or overnight. 4. Make sure your coals are medium hot, so the Picanha sears without burning Alternately, preheat oven to 200°C. 5. Place the rump on the grid and sear for 8–10 min on all sides, or sear on the stovetop. 6. Allow the meat to continue cooking for approximately 20–30 min on the braai or in the oven for medium rare, or longer if you prefer your meat well done. 7. Remove the meat from the braai or oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 20 min. before carving. 8. Toss the sliced broccoli with a little Asian dressing and place over the hot coals until charred and cooked through. 9. Serve carved Picanha with charred broccoli,

SOY AND SESAME PICANHA WITH CHARRED BROCCOLI

lemon wedges and extra Asian dressing.

INGREDIENTS

•

1 chilli; ﬁnely chopped

•

½ cup (125ml) soy sauce

•

1 Steakhouse Classic

•

3 tbsp. (45ml) rice vinegar

•

2 tbsp. (30ml) sesame oil

•

2 tbsp. (30ml) sesame seeds; toasted

•

3 tbsp. (45ml) olive oil

•

3 garlic cloves; peeled

•

Salt and black pepper

and crushed

•

1 head broccoli; sliced

2 tbsp. (30ml) ginger; peeled

•

Lemon wedges; to serve

and grated

•

Coriander; to garnish

•

SERVING: 6 P EO P L E

Picanha roast (approx. 1,2kg)

NEED INGREDIENTS?

Call 0861 SAVING or go to www.checkersfs.co.za.

SPOTLIGHT

BRIGADE, MAESTRO OR PRODIGY:

CHEF OF THE YEAR

COMPETITION CATERS FOR ALL From those at the top of their game to those just entering the kitchen, and even the F&B teams who create a seamless front- and back-of-house experience, the 2017 Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year competition caters for every kind of chef.

ith a reputation for launching chefs’ careers for over four decades, the Chef of the Year (COTY) competition by Unilever Food Solutions is THE South African culinary competition. Entered and won by some of the giants of the hospitality industry, COTY has been responsible for providing a springboard for the careers of hundreds of chefs. “This year, with three categories – Senior, Junior and Team of 4 – COTY will deliver the same benefits of recognition, career development, acclaim, the platform to unleash competitive and team spirit and, of course, reward, in the form of prizes totalling R110 000,” says Remco Bol, MD of Unilever Food Solutions. Designed to keep chefs inspired and on top of their game, the Senior category of the Unilever Food Solutions COTY gives chefs the opportunity to test their competitive edge, learn new techniques, push their own creative boundaries and win the title of Senior Chef of the Year and a first prize of R15 000, second prize of R10 000 or third prize of R5 000. Chefs must be 25 years or older to enter.

With the chance to launch their career at stake, the Junior Chef of the Year is often the most competitive of the three categories. Attracting chefs aged between 18 and 25, the Juniors compete for a R10 000 first prize, R6 000 second prize and R4 000 third prize plus, for the first time this year, the chef placed first will win a week’s working holiday at a fine-dining establishment, along with the opportunity to make a name for themselves through the extensive media attention the competition attracts. The Team of 4 category returns by popular demand this year, giving teams consisting of a manager, two chefs and a waiter the chance to change up their daily routine and show off their team skills and spirit for a chance at glory. With a first prize of R20 000, second prize of R12 000 and third prize of R8 000, the financial rewards are substantial, but for the chefs who enter this category it’s also about the chance to let their unsung F&B heroes shine. Entries have opened and it’s easier than ever to enter. “We’ve brought everything online, making entering simple

and interactive,” says Craig Elliott, Executive Head Chef of Unilever Food Solutions, who has been responsible for evolving the competition with new trends and innovations every year. The entry portal at www.ufs.com/ coty also offers inspiration in the form of success stories, past winners and their recipes, judge bios and what they’re looking for, tips and tricks and social media feeds. Chefs need only register their interest to be able to access all the information they need to make their entry hassle-free, and to upload their entry and recipes. Says Remco, “As a partner in providing solutions to meet the needs of chefs, our continued investment in the Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year is aimed at delivering a competition that speaks to the needs of the industry.” The regional finals take place between 26 to 28 July. The national final on 6 September will see two individuals or teams from each region preparing a three-course meal incorporating a variety of compulsory proteins and Unilever Food Solutions products. For more information, go to www.ufs.com/coty.

SPOTLIGHT

BEST OF LOCAL FARE

ON THE MENU AT FOURTH ANNUAL STREET FOOD FESTIVAL This festival of authentic and innovative street food keeps growing, with a new night market in Cape Town.

outh Africa’s culinary capitals Cape Town and Johannesburg will in September play host to a celebration of street food prepared by some of the country’s best chefs and food makers. We’re talking the type of food you’ll need both hands to eat: vinegary fish and slaptjips, gatsbys stuffed to capacity and the best braai, straight off the fire. This year’s Street Food Festival is dishing up a new flavour in Cape Town. Not only will it launch its first-ever night market, but its Business of Food conference will bring together top chefs and speakers in a day of interactive tastings, workshops and demonstrations. “The Street Food Festival is more popular than ever,” said director Hannerie Visser. “Street food is something everyone can relate with, and South Africans have always been fans of informal dining, whether it’s pancakes at a church basaar or bunny chow in a corner shop. With more food trucks than ever popping up, the festival will

not only give visitors the chance to taste all their favourite foods, but also create a platform where food makers can educate visitors.” Launched in Cape Town in 2014, the Street Food Festival combines a vibrant street market, where local chefs showcase the best of what South Africa’s street food has to offer, with talks by some of the country’s leading food makers. Among the lineup of speakers at the Cape Town event are food blogger Ming Cheau Lin, pâtisserie chef Nikki Albertyn of LionHeart pâtisserie studio and pop-up supper club Third Culture Experiment. In Jo’burg, festival goers will be able to attend talks by Jako van Deventer, from The Rogue Cheddar, caterer and pop-up dinner host Mpho Masango of Plump Kitchen, and small scale urban farmers the Kotze Rooftop Garden Co-operative. In the Mother City Chefs Wesley Randles of award-winning restaurant The Shortmarket Club and Andy Fenner of Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants will also be offering a taste

of their Convivium – a showcase of local food, chefs and producers - at the festival for the first time. “This year we want to close the gap between real, authentic street food that’s being served on the side of the road in townships and fine-dining restaurants,” said Fenner. “We want everyone eating everything and learning from each other. Being involved in this event is a great way for us to do that.”

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD

On Thursday 31 August, two days before the Street Food Festival kicks off in Cape Town, a full-day food conference will take place at Workshop 17 at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Aiming to empower foodmakers with the necessary tools to transform their passion for food into a career, the hands-on conference will offer tastings, workshops, demonstrations and talks, and cover everything from sustainable food practices to get a new business off the ground. Tickets cost R1 500.

SPOTLIGHT

THE IMPORTANCE

OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH QUALITY SUPPLIERS With insights by Pete Goffe-Wood.

relationships with most of my suppliers. I prefer to deal with smaller suppliers so that if I encounter problems or have particular requests, then I can speak directly to the owner and sort out any discrepancies — whether they be a service, quality or pricing nature. If that relationship breaks down then I’m likely to change suppliers.

Do ethics affect your purchasing decisions?

CHEF PETE GOFFE-WOOD

What do you look for in a trusted supplier?

Quality produce, prompt delivery and competitive prices.

How do you make decisions that make financial as well as quality sense?

Suppliers often try to get your business by undercutting their competitors, but price isn’t the only determining factor. Service is as important, if not more important, than price. The restaurant and catering industry is an immediate one and our days are filled with one deadline after the next. When you open for lunch a twelve o’clock, it’s of no solace to your diners that your vegetables haven’t arrived yet.

What is the most important thing that a supplier should present you with?

Honesty and integrity. From an honesty perspective, I expect to be keep abreast of delivery times. If they want to deliver outside of their usual times, then I shouldn’t have to find that something is out of stock when the delivery arrives. On the integrity front, I want to believe that some sense of responsibility has been shown when putting my order together. I can do nothing with green tomatoes or rock-hard avocados.

At what point will you decide to move to another supplier? I consider myself quite a loyal customer and I have good

Most definitely, I strive to ensure that all the produce we use is as ethically sourced as is possible. As restaurateurs and chefs, we have a responsibility to set an example to our customers and the public in general.

RECOMMENDED SUPPLIERS LIST

Meat - Gastro Foods: +27 21 951 3102 Fish - Ocean Jewels: +27 83 582 0829 Vegetables - Cool Bananas: +27 21 511 8054 Specialty Goods (Fresh and Dry) Wild Peacock: +27 21 801 3663/4/5 Cheese and Dairy - Tacoma Food Services: +27 21 934 0008 Dry Goods - Gourmet Foods: +27 21 552 4346 Function Hiring (Tables, Chairs, Cutlery, Crockery etc.) - Top Table: +27 21 447 4000

SUPPLIER PROFILES

GOURMET FOODS

We are proudly the fastest-growing fully multi-temped warehouse and distribution centre in the Western Cape and Johannesburg. With a vastly experienced management team that have been involved in various food businesses, we have an intricate knowledge of all our customer’s needs. As well as re-investing heavily in the company to stay ahead of our customers’ requirements, we have taken the strategic decision to align ourselves to the hospitality industry as opposed to the distribution industry. Gourmet Food Distributors has grown on the back of our outstanding service levels and sound business principles. T: +27 21 552 4346 | +27 11 957 2522 E: info@gourmetfoods.co.za www.gourmetfoods.co.za

TACOMA FOOD SERVICES With over 25 years’ experience, Tacoma Food Services could be your Preferred Cheese Supplier too.

Distributors of Local and Imported Cheese. Large selection of Cold Meats and Deli. Product Portioning to your requirements Recognised Supplier to the Horeca, Airlines and Shipping Industry in the Western Cape.

Manchester Street, Airport Industria 2 , Cape Town. T: +27 21 934 0008 E: patrick@tacoma.co.za

TOP TABLE

At Top Table our experienced, friendly and professional team works with you from your initial enquiry through to delivery to achieve the best possible results to satisfy your hiring requirements. We custom deliver only the ﬁnest quality table and catering equipment from our extensive range, which includes many truly exclusive and unique products. With our international experience, we understand the need for service excellence and take pride in delivering on time, every time. We take pride in the high quality of our product and our business success has grown quietly and eﬃciently through recommendation. T: +27 21 447 4000 E: sales@toptable.co.za www.toptable.co.za

SPOTLIGHT

MADE IN

MABONENG

The Maboneng precinct in Johannesburg has birthed businesses and a food and retail culture all of its own. Susan Reynard reports.

aboneng looks, feels, tastes and smells like the cosmopolitan city that is Johannesburg. Located to the east of the CBD in Jeppestown, the precinct is the creation of property development group Propertuity’s Jonathan Liebmann. It started with Arts on Main, completed in 2009, as the first neighbourhood development, with big draw card Market on Main launching in 2011 (open on Sundays). “Maboneng started small with the development of Arts on Main, a collection of abandoned warehouses that had great architectural character and were strategically

located at the eastern gateway of the city. The development then became a catalyst in establishing Propertuity, and building the entire Maboneng neighbourhood with residential, offices and retail spaces,” explains Nyiko Chauke, marketing manager of Propertuity. Nyiko says with Arts on Main up and running they focused on what to do with the rest of the abandoned buildings surrounding the neighbourhood. Propertuity started buying and developing buildings over time and the precinct has evolved into a fully integrated, mixed use, mixed income neighbourhood that serves as a benchmark for the rest of the city.

“The success of the neighbourhood has meant that there is a huge appetite for the type of product that we are creating, and through our developments we will work on increasing the number of people that work, live and visit the Maboneng neighbourhood,” he says. Walking around Maboneng (which means “place of light” in Sotho) there is a huge variety of experiences on offer: street food, markets and restaurants; retail stalls, stores and street tables; artwork in studios, hung outside and on display everywhere you look including freestanding, on buildings walls and suspended across roads; merchandise from second-hand

SPOTLIGHT

USEFUL WEBSITES www.propertuity.co.za www.mabonengprecinct.com www.marketonmain.co.za www.artsonmain.info www.hallmarkhouse.co.za www.adjaye.com www.curiocitybackpackers.com www.timeanchor.co.za

MARKET ON MAIN

books, vintage pieces, homemade shoes and jewellery to fabric, clothing and décor is for sale; hair and nail salons; hidden courtyards and green spaces; office space ranges from the traditional to shared hubs. It is a photographer’s and film scout’s dream and the hum of chatter, music, coffee grinders, cooking, birds, people and cars is intoxicating. “The main reason people come to Maboneng is purely because of the neighbourhood that has been created and the energy that comes with it. When people walk the streets they can see and feed off the energy via our street art, landscaping, people sitting on

the sidewalks, etc.” Nyiko says. “Given that the neighbourhood is diverse, it actually appeals to different people and different kind of experiences. We have amazing galleries and art for tourists and art lovers. There’s a food market that caters for the foodies, we have entertainment venues that easily cater for people who enjoy good music and a chilled environment. Within the neighbourhood, we have a theatre and a bioscope that can easily appeal to people seeking different forms of entertainment.” The major challenge of Maboneng is no one teaches you how to build a neighbourhood;

you just need to get into it and trust your instincts, he notes. Propertuity’s vision is to build a neighbourhood with the right amount of people living in it to create the right kind of energy. For businesses in the precinct, they enjoy being surrounded by similar small and emerging businesses with a shared goal. Some enterprises which started with a food stall at Market on Main on Sundays, for example, have migrated to restaurants open daily within the precinct. Maboneng is a great hub for small businesses that are keen to have a physical presence, Nyiko adds.

SPOTLIGHT

LOVE OF CULTURES, FLAVOURS AND PEOPLE: HEARING SOMEONE ENJOYED A DISH I PREPARED AND SEEING PEOPLE’S POSITIVE REACTIONS TO MY OFFERING IS HEART-WARMING AND I LIVE FOR THAT. HALLMARK HOUSE

Affordable, accessible residential accommodation circles the precinct and there is a choice of the likes of Hallmark House or award-winning Curiocity Backpackers and Twelve Decades Johannesburg Art Hotel within. Founding director of Curiocity and Twelve Decades, Bheki Dube, says Curiocity opened in 2013 and his strategy started off organically. “After the opening, the idea became bigger than I had anticipated. I started thinking that one could take this model beyond and become a leading African hostel chain,” he says. He has since opened a Curiocity in Durban. He is looking at possibly two more properties locally and one in Mozambique, and is keen to collaborate with entrepreneurs in Africa that are equally passionate about hospitality. “We bring people in critical mass to the precinct and models like this provide a platform for urban exploration. We are a gateway for Maboneng and eventually the inner city. More than just a bed, it becomes a full-on experience” Hallmark House is a 15-storey property developed by Propertuity’s Jonathan Liebmann and architect Sir David Adjaye as an upmarket lifestyle space in the heart of Maboneng. Newmark Hotels, Reserves and Lodges has been awarded the contract for the hotel that forms part of the development, which opened earlier this year. Hotel manager Robert Chifunyise

says, “The rate at which Maboneng precinct has developed since 2008 is solid proof that there’s a thirst for more world-class regeneration of residential, retail and commercial space in Johannesburg’s CBD. Hallmark House will be meeting that need, and more. The transformation of Hallmark House is an opportunity to apply fresh thinking to urban communities.” He says the precinct is all about connectivity with easy connection to the Johannesburg CBD, Gautrain station, airports, Rea Vaya bus services, highways and Ellis Park Stadium, to name a few city landmarks. The property is positioning itself as an art hotel, Robert notes. “Based on the culture that surrounds Hallmark House in the greater Maboneng area, our clientele will be predominantly made up of artists, designers and architects, as well as corporate clients looking for something different and the international leisure market. Décor was informed by the architecture of the building and the brief from the developer. The interiors reflect a sophisticated African aesthetic, pairing vintage pieces with new pieces and a lot of custom-designed pieces by Malica Design, explains Robert. Chef Euglid Maroga says he makes unpretentious good food and “love” best describes his style of cooking: “Love of

cultures, flavours and people: Hearing someone enjoyed a dish I prepared and seeing people’s positive reactions to my offering is heart-warming and I live for that. “I’m inspired by different flavours, by music and rich cultures. When I cook paella I listen to Cesária Évora. Her voice takes me there, to Cape Verde: I can taste the ocean breeze and that guides me in preparing the meal. A steak, an all-American take on a dish, maybe John Coltrane, maybe the Rat Pack. Music is a great cooking aid and inspiration for me.” The hotel seeks to add to what already exists in Maboneng and supports the precinct. The region and surrounds inspire the food and beverage offering, with gin and rum sourced from nearby Time Anchor Distillery. Time Anchor is Johannesburg CBD’s own distillery producing small batch artisanal spirits in the Aerial Empire Building, also on Sivewright Avenue. It is owned by Warrick Brown and Shanna-Rae Wilby. The tasting experience offered to the public is a sit-down, taste and discuss format taking about 90 minutes, says Shanna-Rae. “People attending the tasting will arrive and be seated, an introduction to Time Anchor Distillery will happen followed by tasting of up to three of our craft gins. This is followed by a craft cocktail or G&T being served and a further discussion and explanation of the fascinating world of craft distilleries,” she explains.

SPOTLIGHT

Hallmark House hotel’s restaurant opened mid-May for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The bar is also open to the public with a second jazz bar on the lower ground floor is opening in July. Conferencing facilities will also open in July and a rooftop venue, bar, gym and spa will launch in September. JHB Culinary and Pastry School has been in Maboneng from the start. The school offers short courses, edutainment classes and full-time City & Guilds diploma courses in patisserie and culinary arts. The premises also features catering kitchens, dining and events space as well as Cinnamon coffee shop. Owners and husband-andwife team Kelvin and Jarlyne Joel started out small in 2012 with 12 students and have since moved to larger premises and expanded their offering. They now have around 90 students, a thriving confectionery business supplying retailers and restaurants as well as Cinnamon, high teas and chef’s table dining experiences, and plans for further expansion of events space (rooftop) and training facilities. Kelvin says Maboneng has a “home-grown” feel thanks to the old, repurposed “industrial chic” buildings. They know and are passionate about the region, its history, current offering and future plans. Jarlyne gave me the grand tour of the Maboneng precinct and says she is a proud ambassador of the entrepreneurial and start-

JARLYNE AND KELVIN JOEL - JHB CULINARY AND PASTRY SCHOOL FOUNDERS AND OWNERS

JHB CULINARY AND PASTRY SCHOOL – CHEFS IN TRAINING

FRESH SEABASS

up activities in the area, including their own. Kelvin is a trained chef specialising in pastry and Jarlyne was in insurance before they made the leap to open a chefs’ training school. The school’s location in Johannesburg’s CBD is easily accessible by a single taxi and student accommodation in the area is an added convenience. Students man the stand at Market on Main on Sundays and gain further work experience at the various establishments in the vicinity as well as the greater hospitality industry. The experiential side of working in hospitality added to their theoretical and practical training is essential, says Kelvin, to ensure graduates are skilled, productive and employable. Jarlyne says being in Maboneng

also encourages students to explore the world of entrepreneurship, witnessing the hard work and dedication it takes to run an independent business. Their baked goods are also much in demand by the local community, retailers and tourists. Kelvin says working in the pastry kitchen is like life and business: there are so many variables and sometimes things go wrong, but how you identify the problem and fix it is the recipe for success. “We are both from Johannesburg and love being part of the growth of the city, contributing to the positive changes taking place and creating opportunities for others,” say the Joels.

SPOTLIGHT

BECOME A MEMBER OF

THE SOUTH AFRICAN CHEFS ASSOCIATION Chefs and hospitality professionals, if you are not yet a member, join SA Chefs today to enjoy a world of wonderful career development and networking opportunities.

THE BENEFITS: Networking: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only what you know, but who you know. Our regional events, such as InfoChef, help you to network with fellow chefs, assisting you in finding career opportunities and advice on your career. Job Opportunities: Our job forum on the SACA website allows you to advertise yourself to prospective employers. Competitions: We represent some of the most prestigious competitions, both locally and internationally - only SA Chefs members are allowed to enter these competitions, and they are an amazing way of raising your profile, gaining experience and meeting new people. The Magazine: Our bi-monthly magazine, SA Chef is packed with information on the industry, trends and news. As a member, you will receive the magazine delivered to you free of charge. Skills Training: Our Tsogo Sun Centre for Culinary

Excellence Skills Kitchen, based at our national head office in Johannesburg, is the perfect place to enhance your skills, with courses such as knife skills, pastry, food costing and molecular gastronomy. Members receive a 10% discount on these courses. Trade Events: SA Chefs often have complimentary tickets to trade events such as the Good Food and Wine Show, Hostex and Grand Designs Live. Demonstrations: There are opportunities for members to demonstrate at SA Chefsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; events such as the Rand Show, Hostex, InfoChef and Grand Designs Live. Overseas Promotions: SACA regularly sends its members overseas to take part in international food promotions. Judging: SA Chefs-accredited judges are often used for culinary competitions, including Goldcrest Young Chef of the year, Unilever Chef of the year and the Shoprite Checkers Boerewors Competition.

Competitions and Judging Workshops are held regularly. Discounts: Use your SA Chefsbranded Makro card to receive regular discounts off ingredients and catering equipment at Makro outlets across the country. We also offer regular discounts off beautiful PanMacmillan cookbooks by top chefs across the globe. World Association of Chefs Societies: As a member of SA Chefs, you are automatically a member of the global network of chefs - World Association of Chefs. Certification and Designation Programme: This is an important benefit offered to practicing professional and fellow members. Please email certifiction@saca.co.za for more details.

GET IN TOUCH For more information about Membership to the South Africa Chefs Association, please email membership@saca.co.za or call our Membership Coordinator on (011) 482 7250.

SPOTLIGHT

DESCRIPTION OF MEMBERS Type of Membership

Description

Annual Membership fee

Duration

Academy of Chefs

Been a continuous member for 20 years and nominated by the AOC.

None

Lifetime

Fellow Member

Been a continuous member for 10 years, discretion of the president.

R295,00

1 Year

Honorary Member

Awarded by the discretion of the president.

None

Lifetime

Patron

They are patrons of the Association.

Negotiable

1 Year

Junior Membership

Is for trainees and students in the industry, students and members whose careers are based on practical rather than academic or structured foundations. This grade is available for two years at which point the individual is automatically upgraded to an Intermediate Member. Junior members do not have voting rights.

R165,00

2 Years

Youth Membership

Is for junior/commis chefs as well as trainees / in service training within a recognised programme. This is an annual membership from which you are upgraded to a professional member. Intermediate members have voting rights.

R165,00

1 Year

Professional Membership

For practising chefs, hotel school graduates who have been in the industry for more than 3 years and persons directly involved in the hotel, hospitality and catering industry. They should hold a position of responsibility and have followed a recognised training course or have been a Junior and Intermediate member. Professional members may use the SACA logo on Chef Jackets indicating their membership. Logos may not be used on business stationary or cards unless they join as Corporate Members. Professional members have voting rights.

R295,00

1 Year

Associate Membership

Is for those who are not chefs, but are associated to the cheffing, cooking, catering industry.

R295,00

1 Year

Corporate Membership

Is open to all suppliers of goods and services within the industry, restaurants and hotels. Corporate members will have their details posted on our website, along with a link to their website and may use our logo - upon approval by head office.

R3750,00

1 Year

Training Provider Membership

Is open to all cookery schools, training institutions and colleges within the industry. Training Provider members will have their details posted on our website, along with a link to their website and may use our logo - upon approval by head office.

R3250,00

1 Year

SPOTLIGHT

FOOD & HOSPITALITY AFRICA POWERED BY HOSTEX

The first edition of SA Chef magazine, the official voice of the South African Chefs Association, was launched at Hostex 2017, adding further celebrations to an already buzzing event. Masterclasses, celebrity demos and competitions at the SACA stand drew crowds throughout the three day event.

WENDY NAVARRA, COLEEN TAPSON AND LANCE GIBBONS OF SA CHEF MAGAZINE, ALONGSIDE STEPHEN BILLINGHAM, SA CHEFS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, AND THOMAS OVERBECK, GENERAL MANAGER

SPOTLIGHT

as well as the launch of our brandnew SA Chef magazine, which has the industry raving with its fresh and exciting content.

he various competitions and events run by The South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs) form an integral part of both the association and South Africa’s culinary industry as a whole. SA Chefs’ events are another driving force in creating brand awareness, celebrating culinary arts, representing and promoting members, sponsors and patron partners. In May 2017, SA Chefs hosted a stand at the Food and Hospitality Africa at the Gallagher Convention Centre, where professional cooking competitions such as the City & Guilds Student skills challenge (won by International Hotel School) ,

Lucky Star – 7 colours Innovations competition for Junior Chefs (won by Chef Tsholofelo Mavikane of HTA School of Culinary Art), Excella and Fatti’s & Moni’s – Head to Head President’s Cup (won by Chef Jonathan Roos of the Sandton Sun), and various cooking demonstrations by the industry’s most talented chefs took place. The main attractions and highlights on the SA Chefs stand were a demonstration by industry icon and celebrity Chef – Reuben Riffel, who had the stand and walk ways packed to capacity with everyone wanting a taste of his signature dishes; the Brian Montgomery Award – won by Latoya Layove from Capital Hotel School;

The success of the SA Chefs stand could not have been a reality, had it not been for the following partners: • Specialised Events • Mac Brothers • Don’t Waste Another Drop • KES Imports • Fishermans Deli • Braeside • Snappy Chef • Sir Fruit • Continental China • Turn ‘n Slice • Checkers Food Services • Avanti Coffee • Nestle • Excella Oil • Lucky Star • Fatti’s and Moni’s • Tiger Brands • Tramontina Knives With such an incredible execution of the 2017 SA Chefs Skillery, we look forward to hosting a bigger and exciting show in 2018.

IMAGES COURTESY OF FOOD & HOSPITALITY AFRICA | POWERED BY HOSTEX (EXCEPT FOR MAIN IMAGE)

CROSSWORD

CULINARY CROSSWORD Solve the clues below to complete this delicious crossword. 1 3

6 7

9 10

12 13

HORIZONTAL

VERTICAL

3. Stephen ___ , President of the SA Chefs Assocation

1. A pub that specialises in serving high-quality cuisine

6. Produced without the use of chemical fertilisers,

2. The art, study or practice of cooking

pesticides, or other chemicals 7. Bitter and sour in taste; used to describe cooking apples, grapefruit, pomegranate molasses, gooseberries 8. Chef that assists the head chef in the day to day running of the kitchen 11. The food of the gods in Greek and Roman mythology 13. Leaders in the supply and manufacture of catering equipment 16. A rich cold dessert made with whipped cream, eggs, and fruit

4. A food movement that connects food producers and consumers in the same geographical region to develop self-reliance, resilience and economy 5. The term for a large bottle of wine, equivalent to six standard 750 ml bottles Asparagus

9. The base for many sauces, made by combining butter and flour over heat Baby Tomatoes Basil

10. (adj.) Sugary, syrupy or excessively sweet

P DEC

Beetroot

FEB

Broad Beans

AUG

Broccoli

AUG

Brussel Sprouts

APR

DEC

Cauliflower Celery

Chillies

20. Country where the 2016 IKA Culinary Olympics took place

18. The restaurant owned by David Higgs in our Issue 01 feature

Cucumber

MAY

FEB

Chervil Corriander

J /J

Chayote

APR

MAY

AUG

Cos Lettuce

MAR DEC

Fennel

DEC

Figs

DEC

JAN

Early Soft Fruit

JAN

Iceberg Lettuce

DEC

APR

Jerusalem Artichokes

MAY

Kale

J /J

Leeks

J /J

Lettuce

J /J

OCT

Lemon Grass

OCT

Lemon Verbena

NOV

Marrows Malabar Spinach

NOV

Horizontal 3: Billingham; 6: organic; 7: amarine; 8: sous; 11: ambrosia; 13: Mac Brothers; 16: parfait; 19: artisanal; 20: Germany Verti cal 1: gastropub; 2: cookery; 4: Local; 5: Jeroboam; 9: roux; 10: saccharine; 12: Unilever; 14: Tsogo Sun; 15: searing; 17: Hostex; 18: Marble Green Beans

J /J

15. A technique used where the surface of the food is cooked at high temperature 17. Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest food, drink and hospitality trade show

J /J

14. Hospitality group encompassing more than 100 hotel properties

19. Made in a traditional or non-mechanised way

SEP

Cabbage Carrots

until a caramelised crust forms

APR

Brinjal

12. One of the largest international food services in the world providing products and services for the professional kitchen

NOV MAR

JAN

DEC

JAN

Mint

MAR

Mizuna

MAR

SEP MAY

QUIZ

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Prove that you’re a culinary genius by acing this ﬁendish quiz.

1. What is burrata? a) A butter and garlic sauce from Veneto b) A whey butter from Le Marche c) Decadent mozzarella with cream from Puglia 2. Which writer reputedly said, “The only way to eat well in England is to have breakfast three times a day”? a) Somerset Maugham b) George Bernard Shaw c) Oscar Wilde 3. What do you wrap in bacon to make devils on horseback? a) jalapeño b) dates c) oysters 4. Which is higher in potassium? a) avocado b) banana 5. What is cous cous made of? a) rice b) maize c) semolina 6. How many flowers does it take to produce one pound of dried saffron? a) 300 b) 4 000 c) 70 000 7. What prominent spice gives biltong its unique flavour?

Nasturtium Leaves

OCT

a) paprika

Pak Choi

J /J

Parsnips

Parsley

J /J

JAN

Peas

Peaches

b) coriander

9. When was the ﬁrst Michelin guide published?

c) cumin

a) 1920

AUG

JAN

Pearl Onions

MAR

Peppers

NOV

FEB

Plums

DEC

Pumpkin Flowers

8. Which of these foods, if bought nonorganic, typically has DEC

Radish

APR

Red Cabbage

J /J

SEP

MAY

Rocket

J /J

SEP

Rosemary

J /J

b) onions

Rose Geranium MAR

OCT

c) potatoes

Salad Everything

NOV

MAY

b) orchid c) lily

MAR

Sorrel

OCT

Answers 1: c, 2: a, 3: b, 4: a, 5: c, 6: c, 7:b, 8:a, 9:c, 10:b

Spinach

MAY

Spring Onions

NOV

Squash

FEB

Tamarillo

MAY

Tatsoi

J /J

Tarragon

APR

OCT

JAN

DEC

FEB

Turnips

Watercress

DEC

d) bell peppers

Shelled Beans

Tomatillo

a) crocus

MAY

Salad

Tomato

10. Which flower is the vanilla pod from?

a) apples

Romanesque

Snake Beans

c) 1900

the most amount of pesticide?

FEB

Rhubarb

Sage

b) 1955

J /J MAY

EVENTS TO DIARISE

JULY

GREAT JAPAN BEER FESTIVAL 14 – 16 Osaka, Japan

AUGUST

NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL BAKERY EXPO 1 Lagos, Nigeria

INTERNATIONAL FOOD WORLD 15 – 21 Chennai, India

AVIANA AFRICA 6–7 Nairobi, Kenya

FOODPRO 16 – 19 Sydney, Australia

CARIB FOOD & HOSPITALITY 6–8 Bridgetown, Barbados

NUTRACON 17 – 20 Rancho Palos Verdes, USA

UGANDA HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS EXPO 4–6 Kampala, Uganda

CHINA INTERNATIONAL IMPORT FOOD EXPO 8 – 10 Beijing, China

SPECIALITY AND FINE FOOD ASIA 18 – 20 Suntec, Singapore

PRO FOOD PRO PACK 4–6 Colombo, Sri Lanka

SPECIALITY CHOCOLATE ASIA 18 – 20 Suntec, Singapore

MALASIA INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE 9 – 11 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

THE CONCESSION AND HOSPITALITY EXPO 11 – 14 Scottsdale, USA CHINA BEVTEK 12 – 14 Shanghai, China PROPAK CHINA 12 – 14 Shanghai, China PALMTECH EXPO 12 – 14 Enugu, Nigeria

RESTAURANT, PUB AND BAR ASIA 18 – 20 Suntec, Singapore FOOD INGREDIENTS SOUTH AMERICA 22 – 24 Sao Paolo, Brazil THE FRESNO FOOD EXPO 26 – 27 Fresno, USA

NIGERIA AGROFOOD 13 – 15 Lagos, Nigeria

THE INTERNATIONAL BULK WINE AND SPIRITS SHOW 26 – 17 San Francisco, USA

FOOD AND TECHNOLOGY EXPO INDIA 14 – 16 New Delhi, India

GOOD FOOD AND WINE SHOW JOBURG 28 – 30 Johannesburg, South Africa

CONFITEXPO 1–4 Guadalajara, Mexico FOOD HOSPITALITY WORLD GOA 3–5 Goa Velha, India

VIETFOOD AND PRO+PACK 9 – 12 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

EVENTS TO DIARISE

FARMER EXPO 17 – 20 Debrecen, Hungary FOOD EXPO 17 – 21 Hong Kong, China SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FROZEN AND CHILLED FOOD EXPOSITION 19 – 21 Shanghai, China DRINKS / НАПИТКИ 24 – 26 Sochi, Russia WESTERN FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY EXPO 27 – 29 Los Angeles, USA

SEPTEMBER SPECIALTY AND FINE FOOD FAIR 3–5 London, United Kingdom RIGA FOOD 6–9 Riga, Latvia WORLDFOOD ISTANBUL 7 – 10 Istanbul, Turkey SANA 8 – 11 Bologna, Italy BAKEPOL 9 – 12 Lublin, Poland DRINKTEC 11 – 15 Munich, Germany WORLDFOOD MOSCOW 11 – 14 Moscow, Russia

INTERNATIONAL FOODSERVICE INDIA 14 – 16 Mumbai, India PRINT PACK KENYA TRADE SHOW 15 – 17 Nairobi, Kenya FOOD AND HOTEL KENYA 15 – 17 Nairobi, Kenya FOOD ISTANBUL 20 – 23 Istanbul, Turkey FOODBEXT 25 – 27 Abuja, Nigeria IFE AMERICAS 26 – 29 Miami, USA FOOD TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT AND EXPO 27 – 28 Mexico City, Mexico

NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO EAST 13 – 16 Baltimore, USA

FOODAGRO 22 – 24 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

THE LAST WORD

TIPPING POINT It’s always very amusing to listen to someone trying to defend the indefensible. The more they try to justify their position, the more ridiculous their arguments become. I think it’s called the Nkandla Syndrome. Eventually, I suspect they feel a little bit like a mouse caught in a never-ending treadmill desperately looking for some way to get off.

favourite topic of discussion that crops up every three or four months in the local media is the subject of tipping and service charges in restaurants, and I love it. It starts quietly enough when a diner in a city restaurant questions whether he is expected to leave a tip, or was it not necessary, since there is a 10% service charge. He reasons that the service charge meant a charge for the service he had nominally received. “No” protests the waiter “We don’t get the service charge”. The bemused customer invariably enquires of the restaurateur exactly what the service charge was for, if not for service rendered. Then all hell breaks loose, calls to talk radio stations, protestations from restaurateurs that the only way they can earn a crust is to have customers subsidise their wage bills, staff training and staff transport. Even a local official of the organisation representing the restaurateurs has in the past had his own preposterous take on the situation “Well, it’s OK to charge a 10% service charge to cover these extra costs but maybe it would be a good idea to share it with the waiter, perhaps 5% for the restaurateur and 5% for the waiter.” I heard one restaurateur phone in to my local radio station and claim that 10% to 15% is appropriate, but if there’s any doubt, you can of course discreetly confer with the restaurant manager.

I’m confused – should I discreetly ask how much of the restaurant’s staffing cost it would be appropriate for me to contribute towards? Are these people all bloody loopy? Let’s be perfectly honest here, the tip is a bribe! That’s how it came about. English gentry would slip a shilling to serving wenches to get their drinks a little bit quicker. It’s morphed nowadays from a bribe to an “implied bribe”, in other words, you look after me and I’ll look after you — nudge, nudge, wink wink. Well I’m getting really tired of this guilt tripping or guilt tipping that restaurant owners tell me is part of eating out culture and the whole logic of it makes no sense whatsoever. Why should a waiter who carries the plates get a tip but not the chef who prepares the food? Why expect me to hand you money if I sit at a table but not if I go into Burger King? Maybe if I go into Burger King and sit down I am expected to leave a tip, no-one’s told me that yet! I’ve seen some good and some great performances in the theatre but strangely enough I’m never confronted by actors in the foyer as I leave, palms extended and beaming “Didn’t we do well this evening?” What makes the restaurant business any different from any other? Sure, we’ve got a lot of space cadets but it’s not rocket science - establish your costs including labour, put your mark up on and if you can’t get the concept of service charge out of your skull

BRIAN MCCUNE

then add it into your calculations and make your profit. Don’t involve the customer in your dubious accounting practices. Charge a straight price with no additional hidden costs and let the market decide, with their feet, whether they want to make you rich or not. Next thing you know, the bloody doctor will have a glass of coloured water on his desk with a decrepit label saying ‘Tips’, the person at the supermarket checkout will be adding a 10% service charge to your bill and even the bloody traffic cop will be demanding a gratuity when he stops you for a speeding ticket - oh hang on, they already do that! Brian owns the Food Biz, a Cape Town based food consultancy, and instead of working spends his time telling other people how to work. Contact him at www.thefood.biz, foodwizard@ iafrica.com, 0824929239

W E N

For s oppor ampling tunit ies, plea se c all Alic e 072 on 4

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