Chef Vusumuzi Ndlovu has been announced the winner of the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 Africa and Middle East semi-final, and will advance to the global finals round to take place in June, 2018, in Milan, Italy.
With his dish titled Isicupho, Sous Chef Vusumuzi from The Saxon Hotel Villas and SPA finished ahead of nine other local semi-finalists, all hand-selected by ALMA, the international educational and training centre for Italian cuisine.
jury member Sascha Triemer, vice president, Food & Beverage – Atlantis, The Palm said: “We are very pleased to see a fierce competition put up by the semifinalists. While cooking in a challenging environment, the chefs employed interesting variances of techniques and ingredients; and played well with textures and combinations. They also demonstrated higher levels of creativity, which is reflective in the inspiration behind selecting their dishes. Congratulations to Chef Vusumuzi on representing the region at the final event, and to the semifinalists who competed with exceptional attributes.”
“San Pellegrino Young Chef Award provides young chefs with a great platform for exchanging ideas and sharing knowledge. Undoubtedly, exposing young chefs to a competition of this caliber is crucial for their professional growth in a highly competitive F&B industry.”
“I’m proud of what I have achieved in Dubai. I couldn’t have achieved all of that without the great minds around me. As much as I’ll be representing the region, I’m representing all of these people too. So it’s a win for them too,” said Chef Vusumuzi.