South African team show off skills at IKA Culinary Olympics

“South Africa’s participation in this globally acclaimed culinary event has firmly placed the country on the culinary world stage, which should be celebrated by all South Africans.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Stuttgart | Updated: 21-02-2020 18:23 IST | Created: 21-02-2020 18:22 IST
South African team show off skills at IKA Culinary Olympics
The Chef’s Table entailed seven different dishes for 12 people, while the Restaurant of Nations entailed a three-course menu for 110 people.
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Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has congratulated South Africa’s Culinary Olympics Team, which showed off their skills at the 25th IKA Culinary Olympics.

“South Africa’s participation in this globally acclaimed culinary event has firmly placed the country on the culinary world stage, which should be celebrated by all South Africans.

“We congratulate them for a job well done and are proud of their achievements, as they showed off their culinary abilities and the highest level of dedication in this renowned competition, under the auspices of the SA Chefs Association (SACA),” said Kubayi-Ngubane on Friday.

The team participated in the international culinary arts competition in Stuttgart, Germany, this week.

The Springbok squad, as they are affectionately known, competed in two categories, namely the Chef’s Table and the Restaurant of Nations.

The Chef’s Table entailed seven different dishes for 12 people, while the Restaurant of Nations entailed a three-course menu for 110 people.

The team, which scooped three bronze medals after competing with 2 000 chefs from 70 countries, will return to South African soil tomorrow.

National Youth Training Programme

The department was thrilled that one of its graduates in the National Youth Training Programme (NYCTP), Sifiso Chiziane, formed part of the 2020 culinary team.

“We partnered with the South African Chefs Association in training the youth through NYCTP. Chiziane is one of more than 2 400 youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have been given life-changing opportunities through the programme. I hope this serves as motivation to other young chefs in our sector,” said the Minister.

Chiziane is currently employed at the Johannesburg-based African Pride Restaurant in Melrose Arch and works under the mentorship of Chef Adrian Vigus-Brown.

Over the past 40 years, SACA has scooped bronze, silver and gold medals for the country at the Culinary Olympics, placing South Africa firmly at the forefront of culinary global standards.

The department has encouraged the public to welcome home the team at OR Tambo International Airport.

The team scheduled to land at the airport at 8:45 am. 

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)

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