South Africa
Abubaker Bagaria-Sandton Sun
Abubaker attended the Florida Park High School, and has an Advanced Diploma in Hotel Management as a well as a two-year Diploma in Culinary Arts from the HTA School of Culinary Art in Randburg.
No stranger to competitions, Abubaker won the 2007 McCain Tribute to Good Taste competition, the 2008 Goldcrest Young Chef of the Year and the Directors Award for 2009 at the HTA School of Culinary Art. He has also participated in the 2007 Global Chefs Challenge in Dubai as Chef Bertus Basson’s commis chef, and in the 2009 Bocuse d’Or as Chef Diane Kay’s commis chef.
Just recently qualified from HTA, Abubaker has had experience at Browns of Rivonia, Ten Bompass, the Michelangelo Hotel and Southern Sun Hotels, and is currently working under Chef James Khoza at the Sandton Sun.
What is your philosophy on food?
Food must be treated with respect and love, so cook it to the best of your ability because food nourishes your soul
What inspired you to become a chef?
My mother
Globally, which chef do you admire?
Svierge Vierre
If you couldn’t be a chef, what profession would you ideally take up?
Boxing
Other than food and cooking, what inspires you?
Patients who survive cancer
What was your worst culinary catastrophe?
Cooking pork in a mystery basket competition – I couldn’t taste my food!
What is your fondest memory in a kitchen?
Making tomato bredie with my dad 3 months before he passed away
What do you eat for breakfast?
Toasted chicken mayonnaise with cheese
What dish would you cook to seduce someone?
Baked yellowtail with mango and avocado salsa
What do you never cook?
Pork
What is the one dish you find hard to get right?
Terrines
In your opinion, who is the most famous person you have cooked for?
Svierge Vierra
Gas or induction?
Gas
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury
Traditional or trendy?
Trendy
Summer or Winter?
Winter
Comedy or drama?
Comedy
Ice-cream or sorbet?
Ice-cream
Thomas Keller or Heston Blumenthal?
Thomas Keller
Who is your most influential historical figure?
The Prophet Mohammed
