Mzongwana, who was named the Most Promising Chef in the competition, spent the week being mentored by Zwelithini Tshuma, a sous chef at the Radisson Blu Gautrain hotel.
The young chef who works at Southern Sun Waterfront shared her extraordinary story on her rise as a chef. “I started out as a cleaner at a restaurant in 2007 but I was always curious about the dishes being prepared, so eventually I was trained and taken on as a chef,” she said.
“I eventually resigned and moved on to hotels because I realised that I would be able to get more exposure… and hotels offered all of that.”
Mzongwana added that the change had inspired her and gave her confidence in her abilities, something she was grateful for.
Tshuma, also a previous winner of the award, praised Mzongwana for her passion and enthusiasm during her week’s training at the Radisson.
“Since she’s been here, she has been attentive and has shown a keen interest in learning, which is a good thing,” he said.
He added that it was important to instil certain values in young chefs and teach them the tricks of the trade.
“My advice [to young chefs] would be to toughen up and to not take things personally because the hospitality industry is a tough one,” he said.
The challenge took place last year in Cape Town and included 25 hotels from across the country. As part of her prize, Mzongwana was awarded a R15 000 bursary and R3 000 cash.
Details: www.showcook.com
