HTA In-Service Apprentice Chef of the Year Competition 2016

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Now in its tenth year, the HTA In-Service Apprentice Chef of the Year Competition sponsored this year for the first time by Dürsots was conceptualized by Stephen Billingham of HTA School of Culinary in 2006 with the first competition held in 2007.

Dürsots’s involvement in this year’s competition is to further invest in the Culinary Youth of South Africa and to reach a broader and wider variety of Chefs and students currently working in industry.

Eight recently qualified Young Apprentice Chefs were selected to take part in the competition representing their Training Establishments. These finalists are: William Jurie van Heusden (Protea Hotel Balalaika); Munyaradzi Mutindivari (RoyalMnandi Food Service Solutions); Tyrone Wilmot (Four Season, The Westcliff Hotel); Mpho Khuzwayo (Protea Hotel Midrand); Marché Sansovini (Hilton Hotel Sandton); Johan Vosloo (Oxbow Country Estate); Ané Isabel Botha (Protea Hotel Wanderers) and Sabrina Goodall (Protea Parktonian All Suits Hotel).

The main objective of the competition, other than that of the educational and fun component offered through competitions, is to expose young chefs, the next generation of industry leaders, to a wide range of quality Dürsots Products and to allow them to incorporate them into 4 or 5 star Cuisine.

The winner was announced at the Cocktail Event held after the competition. This was attended by approximately 80 influential industry members, family members as well as other sponsors.

Selection of Finalists
The finalists are industry based students who completed their final Block Release in 2015 from the Chef Apprenticeship Programme at HTA. They were chosen as semi-finalists for this competition based on their overall performance and marks practically and theoretically over a total of 3 years. Following a cook-off held in April at HTA, the eight finalists were selected.

Judging Panel
The panel comprised of the following Chefs as Tasting Judges: Zöe Maseko (Winner 2015); Chef Manfred Muellers (Honorary Life President of the South African Chef’s Association); Chef David Keir (Group Executive Chef –Fedics), Chef Adrian Vigus-Brown (Head Chef African Pride Melrose Arch Hotel & SA Chefs Young Chefs Chairman), Raynor Damons (Executive Chef The Crowne Plaza Rosebank) and Chef Kabelo Segone (HTA Head of Department & Vice President of the South African Chefs Association) of HTA acted as the Kitchen Judge.

Cocktail Event and Winner Announcement
Each finalist was awarded with a Dürsots’s embroidered Chef Jacket and apron from Chefworks, a MIC branded commemorative plate and framed HTA certificate and medal. Other gifts included a cheese hamper from KEE Ingredients, a professional Chef’s Knife from Sharp Edge Sharp Shooter, a Snappy Chef knife set , SAB cooler bag and Wilkinson Sword Carving set and a Sir Fruit branded apron. Each finalist will also receive a copy of Billy Gallagher’s book: Lettuce and a Lady’s Breast. The winner walked away with a 49-piece Royal Porcelain dinner service as well as a Snappy Chef induction stove, along with the prestigious tile of young Chef of the Year.

The winner of this year’s competition was Tyrone Wilmot with Ané Botha in second place and in third place Jurie van Heusden.

Headline Sponsor:
Dürsots

Competition Background
Date: 19 May 2016
Time: 15:00
Venue: HTA School of Culinary Art
Number of Finalists: 8
Number of Judges: 6
Number of Guests: +- 80

Contributing Sponsors:
MIC
Chef Works
Snappy Chef
Food Boys
Sir Fruit
KEE Ingredients
South African Breweries
The Hospitality Solutions Company
Turn ‘n Slice
Sharp Edge, Sharp Shooter

Outcome
The event has always been a great success as it was well supported and the media coverage will no doubt assisted in achieving our goals, namely:

Embrace and Celebrate the Talent of home grown young South African Chefs
Provide Media Coverage for both Dürsots and HTA School of Culinary Art
Exposure of Dürsots Products to Industry Partners, and how they can be incorporated in up market cuisine
To Allow recently graduated Chefs to put their skills to the test
Assist young chef in profiling themselves and our industry

Conclusion
In conclusion, the annual HTA In-Service Chef of the Year Competition, has clearly established itself on South Africa’s Culinary Calendar and we look forward to hosting the competition for the 11^th time next year.

Thank you to all the sponsors and industry guests for your help in making this year’s event a success.