A moment with
CHEF AMINA LEBELO THE ROAD TO CULINARY OPPORTUNITIES, KEY INDUSTRY LEARNINGS AND PLATING UNIQUE DISHES
M
y passion for food begun in 1983 when I was much younger and used to prepare meals for my close-knit family. I was taken by the taste, flavour, textures, and seasoning of food, which led to my desire of creating flavourful dishes that everyone enjoyed. When I left school in 1986, I had just completed my standard 9 and decided to rather seek for an internship or job so as to sustain myself and my younger sibling. Our parents died at a young age and left us in the care of my older sister. I started as an in-house trainee in 1986 at Riviera Sun International, going on to work in other Sun International properties for a year as a casual worker for months at Lesotho Sun, three months at Royal Swazi Sun, a further three months at Thabanchu Sun and the final quarter of the year spent at Wild Coast Sun. Thereafter, my journey would take me to joining a private hotel group in Bloemfontein as a Sous Chef. Several years down the line and after a few more moves across multiple hotel chains and private brands, I would then join the Tsogo Sun Group, one of South Africa’s leading hospitality chains. It is during my time at Tsogo Sun that I have enjoyed the most growth, working my way up the ladder to becoming a leader in the field.
28 |
travelessencemag.com
