Q&A with Chef MD

Capsicum Campus: Rosebank

Year started: 2018 -  2019

Why Capsicum? 

For me Capsicum has an outlook that presents itself as one of the best culinary schools in the country, with great facilities and brilliant Chef Lecturers like Chef Ewan who made me feel like I belong in the kitchen from day one. Although I started this career very late at age 37, Capsicum made it easy and comforting to align myself with my passion and made it fun to be around other aspiring and amazing fellow Chefs.

What do you currently do? 

I am currently operating as a Private Chef, running my own company called FAM Café Private Chefs & Co which is a registered professional private chef & catering services business that is based in Johannesburg. Through FAM Café, I offer the following services:

• Professional Private Chef Services - for intimate or private events

• Mobile Restaurant Services - where we set up a concept restaurant at any venue chosen by the client

• Online Cakery / Bakery – Supply of freshly baked goods.

• General Catering & Events Coordination – for big events like weddings, graduation celebrations etc.

How has your culinary journey been thus far?  

The journey has been an amazing one, so eye-opening to many prospects, possibilities and opportunities in the culinary world. I have since learned that as a Chef, I should not limit myself to food preparation and cooking, but I can also venture into other aspects of the food business or industry ranging from food production, food photography and styling amongst others, which is something that never crossed my mind because when I started this journey, because at the time, all I wanted to be was a Chef, but I have since been exposed to many of these interesting and exciting opportunities which have transformed me from being just a Chef but an Entrepreneur. I have linked up with networks in the beverage space, which is complementary to food e.g. Wine, Spirits etc.

  

What credentials did you earn through your culinary studies?  

I am now a certified Professional Chef with City & Guilds certification in food preparation & cooking which if given a chance and time permits, I’d love to study further and attain qualifications as a Food Technologist. I further went on to complete some of the online training courses offered by the World Chefs Academy.

What was your journey through Capsicum Culinary Studio like? Capsicum was tough I must say, the fact that you are fully engaged in assignments, tests, practicals etc at my age, made it a bit challenges to balance family life, work and school. There is very little room to play if you are serious about attaining your qualifications but what has helped me through is the fact that I am very passionate about food, about learning and discovering new techniques, ideas and creating new dishes.

When did you study with us? 

From 2018 to 2019

What did you like best about the education experience? 

The education experience was mostly practical, hands-on and very relevant to today’s trends in the culinary world. We were also fortunate to have a Chef Lecturer that was involved and interested in our learning and growth.

How did Capsicum ready you for industry?  

Part of our learning included industry placements wherein we were deployed or assigned to various high-level restaurant and hotels that gave us the real picture and experience of what the industry after graduation has in-store for us. The practicals in the class gave us the basic knowledge and skill that we were able to apply during industry placements

Is there a chef you admire the most? Who and why?

So many, Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, Thomas Keller, Anthony Bourdain, Jamie Oliver, Wolfgang Puck, Marco Pierrie White, and locally David Higgs, Chef Benny, Neil Anthony 

What is your favourite cuisine?  

I fell in love with French cuisine because that was the basis of our study in the field, but soon thereafter I discovered my passion for Asian cuisine because of it’s simplicity but packed with flavour in the UMAMI range. As a South African, I cannot leave out our traditional cuisine which for me presents a unique appeal to the world that has become too westernized. If more Chefs can explore more of our cuisine, they’d find very interesting and unique flavours that we can export to the world as our own.

How many different types of cuisine are you capable of producing? 

Since completing my studies I have ventured into many cuisine besides French and Asian, I can also do Italian, Mexican, Portuguese and most of African cuisine.

What is your favourite cuisine to cook? 

A combination of many cuisines with a touch of African flair, flavour and taste works wonders for me. To limit myself to one favourite would be unjust because I serve a very diverse group and South African population. 

What do you do to stay current on new trends?

I do research on different cooking styles and technique, many of which are publicized in various media and technological platforms like YouTube amongst others. I also assist or collaborate with different Chefs from different restaurants and hotels so that I stay relevant with knowledge and skills in cooking different foods using different styles. 

Describe two or three of the most interesting industry trends. 

Plant-based cuisine and fresh produce is for me by far the most interesting trend in ensuring that we tap into nature for food production as far as possible. Cooking with Cannabis (Marijuana) is also a trend that has caught my attention. Food technology and alternative healthy eating trends are also taking over because a lot of people have become health conscious and they want such consciousness to be evident in their food hence the rise of Vegan and Vegetarian dish trends which have no meat at all but are able to present meals that are filled with flavour and a lot of nutrients that our body needs. 

Through getting in to the culinary industry, did it help you in traveling and having a global career? Of course it helps, although I haven’t travelled much since attaining my qualification, the top two destinations in the global arena that I would want to explore is Russia for their beautiful pastry creations and of course France for their well renowned fine dining cuisine. 

What would be your advice to students who are currently studying towards becoming a Chef? Before anything else, you have to passionate about food and cooking. Because the industry is tough, very tough and if anything, the only thing that would make you survive and emerge as one of the best Chefs in this industry would be your passion. Without passion, you will see no purpose or relevance, hence others quit along the way because they soon realize how tough the industry is… there’s no mercy and sympathy… you get into that kitchen and do what has to be done, the right way and consistently over time.

Why should aspiring chefs study with Capsicum?

Capsicum is one of the best culinary school in SA, and they have good networks or partner hotels and restaurant that can expose you to top class cooking techniques and styles. Excellent facilities and brilliant Chef Lecturers that are highly experienced in the industry and they know their stuff.