Young chefs win Michelin star posting
TWO local chefs selected as the winners of the Chefs Who Share The Art of Giving will have an opportunity to work in a Michelin-star restaurant and visit the headquarters of Moët & Chandon in Épernay, France.
The top awards went to Anand Bhana and Lee-andra Govender.
Describing her experience of the competition, Govender of Krugersdorp said: “Having such an opportunity is about knowledge and also gaining experience, while doing the tasks at hand. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to meet with other international chefs, while also learning a few things from each other. I feel blessed to have landed this position and enjoyed everything,” she said.
In the process of entering the competition, she had to prepare her own canapé which included the profiterole, a French pastry ball which she filled with pumpkin mousse, sealing her dessert menu with coffee jelly, with 32 percent dulcey ganache juice.
Govender said in the competition they had to prepare meals for 36 people within two hours.
Among other food preparations she regarded as “pleasant” was when she took part of a veggie box initiative, where they cooked for 400 pupils from an underprivileged school.
Another top winner Bhana, 26, from Pretoria, said: “The fact that I had the opportunity to participate in a big competition like this made me feel excited and grateful.
“Working in different kitchens with different equipment was the only challenge I faced, but I enjoyed the food preparations and working with other chefs too. The experience was more than fun.”
As part of his canapé preparation, he prepared wonton pastry and also made Asian broth.
The cooking event gave young chefs the opportunity to compete in a battle while learning from others.
They were required to prepare modern and flavourful meals in order to qualify for the finals, which saw seven of them from different restaurants.
The two, who were announced as winners at the charity gala by SWISS International Air Lines ambassador and chef, Reto Mathis and Lentswe Bhengu, will be jetting off to Europe next year.