Students of the Amy Foundation’s hospitality culinary programme were left inspired by a hands-on cooking demonstration by a professional chef.

The event at the foundation’s hospitality training kitchen in Sybrand Park, on Thursday October 17, provided students with practical first-hand experience of the hospitality industry. The event was held in celebration of International Chefs Day.

“Many of us in the industry come from humble beginnings,” chef George Jardine told the students. “I left school at 15 without any formal qualifications, but the kitchen taught me everything.”

He said he wanted to show the students that gourmet cooking was not as complicated as it seemed.

“With a little know-how, anyone can create something incredible,” he said.

The Amy Foundation offers a three-month hospitality culinary programme that combines practical and theoretical training. The entry-level training focuses on kitchen orientation, hygiene and safety, food groups, and basic cooking methods.

Started in 2014, they have trained 1 334 students in the hospitality programme and have placed around 311 students in internships since 2022.

Xola Heshula, 22, from Khayelitsha, joined the Amy Foundation in September after hearing about it from her cousin, who had previously joined. She said she had found Mr Jardine’s demonstration fascinating.

“Hearing his story about how he became a chef was truly inspiring, and I hope to one day start my own culinary business,” she said.

Another student, Kuhle Gwonya, 24, of Philippi, said: "I was thrilled to learn how to make risotto with chicken stock. It was an exciting experience, and I can’t wait to try making it again.“

Amy Foundation spokesperson Michelle Bagley said: “Culinary education equips participants with practical skills that boost confidence, foster creativity, and instill a sense of achievement essential for personal and professional development. Through our hospitality programme, they gain skills that can lead to employment or even starting a business.”

Hospitality culinary programme students Xola Heshula and Kuhle Gwonya.

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Chef inspires culinary students