Culinary Team South Africa announces Junior Team for 2012 Culinary Olympics

Image Caption:

Vusumuzi Ndlovu ,Keiron Reynolds ( Team Captain) , Jacques Swart , Justin Simpson, Natasha Fernandes, , Gontse Moyane, , Kgomotso Rasepae, Junior members of Culinary Team south Africa.

The South African Chefs Association, its board, as well as the Management and Sponsors of Culinary Team South Africa are proud to announce that after  competitive trials held recently the following seven members were selected as members of Junior Culinary Team South Africa:  Keiron Reynolds ( Team Captain) , Justin Simpson, Natasha Fernandes, Vusumuzi Ndlovu, Gontse Moyane, Jacques Swart, Kgomotso Rasepae .

These young chefs have been selected to join Culinary Team South Africa as Junior Members and are now ranked among the most talented group of chefs in the country, with one common goal “Olympic Gold”.  Culinary Team South Africa entered to compete internationally in the the oldest and most prestigious culinary competition in the world, the IKA Culinary Olympics 2012.

 

“We were very happy with the applications made and had a hard task in selecting 12 juniors to attend the trials”; said Bruce Burns, manager of Team South Africa. “On the day of the trials the competition was tough and we, as judges, were presented with excellent dishes.  After much deliberation, we made our choices and we are sure that these juniors will make South Africa proud.”

This young Team together with the 19 senior members are already working on perfecting their dishes for the Olympics at monthly 4 day training sessions. The IKA Culinary Olympics 2012 will be hosted in Erfurt, Germany.  Representing the chefs of South Africa and ranked 10th in the world, Culinary Team South Africa recently did them proud after they brought back seven silver medals in hot kitchen, seven silver medals in cold table, one silver in the individual showpiece section and three bronze medals in individual entries, from the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg.  

Major sponsor to Culinary Team South Africa, Unilever Food Solutions Vice President Africa, Middle East & Pakistan, Eelco Camminga says: “Inspiration is one of Unilever Food Solution’s core philosophies and we are both inspired by these young chefs and believe that they will go on to inspire others. We wish them great success as they begin their exciting journey into culinary competitions.”

South Africa first sent a team to participate in the Culinary Olympics in 1980, during which this group brought home five individual medals and won fourth place overall in the hot kitchen competition. Throughout the Culinary Team’s history, participants have been made up of renowned chefs such as Bill Gallagher, Heinz Brunner, Manfred Muelers, Bruce Burns, Andrew Atkinson, Garth Shnier, Paul Hartmann, David Higgs and Garth Stroebel.   

The history of the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung, better known as the Culinary Olympics, is dominated by the energetic and inspirational figure of Matthias Charl Banzer, founder of the IKA, who developed the IKA into the most prestigious food exhibition in the world. The IKA began in 1900 in Frankfurt, Germany and due to the depredations of World War I and II it did not take place every four years as it does today. Today over 50 countries compete for the title of Olympic Champion in Cooking. And it is at these Olympics where new trends are set.

It is every Chef’s dream to represent his or her country in Germany. The primary objective of this event is to unite the world through cooking.  It is a forum where masters and apprentice teams meet to exchange ideas and learn from each other.

END

ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN CHEFS ASSOCIATION.  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT  MICHELLE STRAUSS on 011 482 7250 OR send an email to communications@saca.co.za