On 26 January Level 2 in Professional Cookery student Jo-Ann De Villiers took part in a hotly-contested District Final of the Rotary Young Chef competition. Jo-Ann was matched against nine of the best young chefs in the district.
Contestants were tasked to creat a healthy three-course meal for two people within a strict budget and time limit to replicate the conditions they can expect working in a professional kitchen.
Thanks to her excellent planning and organisational skills and ability to work in a demanding real-life environment, Jo-Ann’s menu shone through to win the competition, and she now progresses to the regional finals in March.
The toughest part of the competition? Time management. This was Jo-Ann’s first taste of competition so working under such stringent times and conditions was a challenge, but she’s looking forward to tackling the next stage with confidence!
Jo-Ann joined the College after her GCSEs, with her passion for cooking and family background in catering driving her aspirations to prepare for a career in the industry.
Lecturer Anthony Hopkin said
“We’re incredibly proud of all of our students, who test their skills in competitions like this throughout their studies. Working against the clock, to a budget, and in a busy kitchen environment is exactly what we’re preparing our students to do in their chosen careers, so these competitions are great learning experiences.
Congratulations to Jo-Ann, who thoroughly deserved the win. We’re delighted to see her progress and have no doubt that she’ll produce another high-quality menu in the regional final”.
Interested in studying Hospitality and Catering? Check out our study programmes and apply now to start in September 2019.
