Durban chef cooks way to a win
FOR the second year running, a young Durban chef from the Beverly Hills hotel has scooped the country’s prestigious Distell Hotel Challenge.
For Phoenix resident, Eugene Ramcharan, 22, it was unexpected, but the double shifts and experimenting with recipes over the past nine months have been worth it. “The hard work does pay off,” he said after being named the winner at a gala dinner in Cape Town last weekend.
The competition has been dubbed the Oscars of the South African hospitality industry.
Each participating hotel – 18 four- and five-star hotels entered, five from the Tsogo Sun group, which includes the Beverly Hills – nominated a young candidate chef and wine steward.
The young chefs had to present a menu using sponsors’ products, this year it was Woodview Wagyu beef and Lancewood Cheese, and had to prepare the meal in three hours and present it to a panel of judges, all industry experts.
Then starts a nine-month process, involving seminars and mentorships, experimenting with dishes and a dryrun fine dining evening at the hotel where guests could give their feedback.
Ramcharan said cooking had always been a passion.
“My roots are in the kitchen,” he said. “I was involved from a young age. My mother and grandmother are good cooks. Even my dad is a good cook. He would often make supper for us.
“At about 10 years old I started with the breakfast stuff, and slowly progressed to trying new recipes. It is a natural passion.”
After school he enrolled at the Capsicum culinary school in uMhlanga and excelled, landing an internship at the Beverly Hills.
He is part of the team that works under executive sous chef Sandi Richmond at the hotel’s prestigious Sugar Club restaurant.
Ramcharan said his ulitmate goal was to own his own restaurant: “To produce your own food on your own plate.”
In the meantime he is committed to honing his skills and making the most of the opportunity. He said food culture in Durban was growing and was often “underlooked”.
“Durban has some unique food influences. What chef doesn’t love to play around with spices?”
When not working double shifts, you’ll find him in the gym, or at the movies where he confessed to mixing his popcorn with chocolate. For a midnight snack, there’s nothing better than a grilled cheese sandwich, “the perfect comfort food”.
Last year young chef Rucita Naidoo, also from the Beverly Hills, won the Distell Challenge.
Ramcharan wins a threeweek visit to Dubai with The Marriott Ritz-Carlton Hotel and its flagship JW Marriott Marquis, where he will experience fine dining and largescale catering.
Hotel general manager, John de Canha was all praise: “The mentorship programme is extremely powerful and Eugene has worked tirelessly with our executive chef Tony Kocke and Richmond. Dedication, focus and passion has paid off.’’