chef

Image credit: Pexels/Malidate Van

South African chefs to boost tourism by specialising in traditional cuisine, says minister

Deputy minister Elizabeth Thabethe addressed the graduates of the Ndikhoya Dinaledi Services (NDS) Chefs Academy at the Maccauvlei campus in Vereeniging.

chef

Image credit: Pexels/Malidate Van

The Deputy Minister took the opportunity to encourage the graduating class while also discussing The National Youth Chefs Training Programme that is rolling out in conjunction with The South African Chefs Association.

During the address, Thabethe discussed the unique opportunities afforded to graduates with more and more people visiting our shores. In addition, the high standard of training given by our training institutions would provide graduates with every opportunity to work abroad where South African chefs are in demand.

There are also plenty of opportunities available on the home front.  We are in need of more fresh-faced chefs in South Africa – young talent to breathe life into our local cuisine. Minister Thabethe stressed:

“The National Youth Chefs Training Programme (NYCTP) that we are rolling out in partnership with the South African Chefs Association (SACA) and the hospitality industry offers our young people and in particular unemployed graduates a second chance and international exposure.”

The National Department of Tourism has allocated over R103m to implement National Youth Chefs Training Programme between 2017 and 2022.

Thabethe left the graduates with food for thought and encouraged them to avoid the common pitfalls that leave youth dependent on welfare. She urged them to instead make good use of the opportunities they have been given, and to make their families proud:

“Your parents have supported and believed in you. Now is the time, to spread out your wings and soar like an eagle. It is time to change the norms in the food industry, it is time to practice what the chef kept on saying, ‘When it comes to food preparation, you can break the rules’ It is time to be that extraordinary person in the industry of Hospitality and create those extraordinary dishes or experiences for exceptional people. The world has become an oyster and requires brave young people with great passion to serve and the tenacity to work hard.”

The mother of one of the top Achiever Award winners, Susan Moropoli, added that the programme opened doors for children to grow and develop, which in turn, would benefit South Africa. A graduate and mother-of-two, Pontsho Mogoiwa, said she loves food and seeing “the expression on people’s faces when they eat well-prepared tasty dishes.”

She is currently on work placement at the Three Rivers Lodge.

Read: South Africa’s Job Summit aims to lower the 52% youth unemployment rate