Culinary academy to open doors to aspiring cooks
Chef Samkelo Mthiyane aims to equip and empower Bay students
After almost a decade of working in kitchens around the globe, Samkelo Mthiyane is back in the Bay to open his own culinary academy which has been accredited by the City and Guilds of London Institute.
Mthiyane, 34, said the initiative would change the tourism and hospitality sector of the metro while equipping and empowering aspiring cooks with the skill set to open their own businesses.
The Dream Finder Culinary Academy, based in Gqeberha, provides courses such as basic hygiene practices and health & principles (level 3&4) (Credits 150-245), basic introduction to food preparation certificate, advanced certificate in food preparation, introduction to baking, advanced baking certificate, and barista introduction.
The academy came about through a joint partnership with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, with the latter providing a venue for the academy and Seda offering business courses to run simultaneously with the cooking classes.
While online registration is open from April, the academy is set to open its doors in July.
“The industry has its own ups and downs and can be very harsh to young professionals, especially when it comes to compensation.
“So I sat for years and said, ‘what can I do differently’ .I knew I first had to establish my brand, Chef SA.
“With the academy being a lifelong dream, I worked very hard to get it to manifestation,” he said.
Mthiyane, who has been hosting Braai Master Festivals and Kota challenges in the Bay, said his aim was to offer something different from a textbook, a real-life experience of the industry to equip and skill aspiring chefs.
“With Dream Finder, we will guide the students while preparing them for the industry.
“I am all about equipping and uplifting my community and empowering those who are looking for the skill set with the education and the skills that I have acquired so far,” he said.
Mthiyane said the Eastern Cape was one of the worstpaying provinces in the hospitality sector, hence all professionals moved abroad or out of the province.
“This academy with Seda and the local municipality will reach new heights to give the best skills development in our field of expertise.
“This will be in line with international standards, unlike conventional training centres,” he said.
Mthiyane said there would be a leadership programme held in conjunction with Seda, through which students would be trained in business management.
“The main objective is to create jobs and give them a skill so they can open and run their own food business in the province,” he said.
“With technology advancing and because of the (Covid19) pandemic, we saw that it is best that we conform to an elearning platform, which means a student studies from the comfort of their own home.
“Dream Finder Culinary Academy will be taking applications from the beginning of April with limited numbers for on-site learning, but online is unlimited,” he said.
Mthiyane said practicals for the course would be done through online videos.
While Seda and the municipality confirmed their involvement in the academy, both opted not to comment further.