Aspiring Grade 11 and 12 chefs from the Overberg competed in a competition for the title of the annual Aspiring Chef of the Year.
Hosted by Warwick’s Chef School and Hermanus Core Catering Supplies, the cook-off took place on Thursday 4 July.
“Learners were challenged to enter a ‘Meatless-Monday’ recipe, within an allocated budget, together with the photo of the dish and the completed food-costing sheet,” a statement from Warwick’s Chef School said.
“From all the entries 10 finalists were selected this year who had the opportunity to cook and present their dish at the cook-off, [an event that] took place at the Warwick’s Chef School in the Hemel-en-Aarde Village Centre.” The finalists who competed were Zoe van der Werf from Overberg High School (pumpkin and spicy baby spinach lasagna), Rourke Neethling from Curro Hermanus (ratatouille with stuffed mushroom in phyllo), Abbi Romburgh from Curro Hermanus (vegetarian butter “chicken” with Naan and cucumber raita), Nina van der Werf from Overberg High School (vegetable potstickers), Siseko Mlana from Zwelihle (soya mince and yellow maize meal pie on spinach and cherry tomatoes), Danielle Lindes from Curro Hermanus (crispy sweet potato gnocchi with roasted cherry tomatoes and home made feta).
Also, Belinda Vermeulen from Swellendam High School (chickpea lasagne), Frank Swingler from Curro Hermanus (spiced lentil and sweet potato cakes with avocado cream and pickled red onions), Ayana-Leigh Clarke from Overberg High School (ratatouille and dinner rolls) and Khanya Mkhapeni from Qhayiya High School (polenta pizza with home made tomato relish, spinach mushrooms and bocconcini cheese).
All the finalists were spoiled for choice by Continental South Africa, who offered a wide range of its crockery from which the finalists could select a favourite plate or bowl to present their entry dish on.
The four judges – chef Kevin Warwick (Warwick’s Chef School), chef Eleanor Coetzee (Creation Wines), chef Annabell Kapot (Feedem Catering) and Carina van der Merwe (Core Catering Supplies Hermanus – main sponsor) – were very impressed with the skills shown by all the finalists.
The winner was Belinda from Swellendam who walked away with a Robot Coupe Powermix (sponsored by BCE and Core Catering Hermanus), a 12-piece Grunter Knife Set (sponsored by BCE and Core Catering Hermanus), a Continental Dinner set from its Rustic Range and a cooking workshop voucher from Christine Capendale.
Khanya from Qhayiya High came second and walked away with a Continental Dinner set from their Rustic Range, a Avanti Pasta Machine sponsored by Core Catering Hermanus, a bread and vegetable knife sponsored by Tramontina, a seasoning injector and baker’s spatula sponsored by Core Catering and a cookbook by Christine Capendale.
Third place went to Abbi from Curro Hermanus, who was the lucky winner of a digital precision thermometer sponsored by Core Catering, a garlic press sponsored by Core Catering, a precision batter dispenser sponsored by Core Catering, a cheese board, a gripline paring knife, luxury napkins and a cookbook by Christine Capendale.
The Overberg Aspiring Chef of the Year Competition organiser thanked all the sponsors who contributed to the prizes as well as the goodie bags for all the finalists: Core Catering Hermanus; BCE Foodservice Equipment; Tramontina; Chef Works; Mountain Falls; Ina Paarman’s Kitchen; Christine Capendale; Office National; Benguela Cove; WP Packaging; Continental South Africa; Warwick’s Chef School; Van Blommestein Butchery; Elisabeth Hodgson Kitchen; Fry’s Family Foods; Creation Wines and Overstrand Municipality.
