Alumnus: Kevin Reed

Cape Town bornn Kevin Reed attended an agricultural school that was big on sport and outdoor life, two things he is still passionate about besides food. After matric he was not sure what he wanted to do with his life, so decided to travel overseas. It was in the UK where he found work in a hotel kitchen washing dishes and, when the opportunity arose, frying a fish or two. “I loved it and soaked up everything I could and knew I had found my calling.”

After returning home, he enrolled at Capsicum for a Diploma in Food Preparation and Cooking, worked hard and entered every competition he could to challenge himself and improve his skills. One of those competitions was the One&Only Reaching for Young Stars competition in which he was awarded Most Promising Young Chef of the Year. His prize? A six-month work experience stint at Winslow's Tavern in Massachusetts in the US, where he impressed the restaurant owners so much that they asked him to stay on for a further nine months. “I worked 14 hours a day and not a minute went by where I did not love it.” Kevin came back to South Africa in 2020 and was offered a job under Chris Erasmus at Foliage restaurant (now closed) where he worked for three years, before moving on to become Sous Chef at the Robertson Small Hotel. Kevin now works as a personal chef through Chef and Guests, an online platform where people can hire a chef and enjoy a fine dining experience in the comfort of their own homes.

But a little bird tells us he might find himself back in the US sometime in the near future!