Vengatass is currently one of the chefs in the South African National Culinary Team, who will be competing at the 2016 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) Culinary Olympics, from October 22 to 25, in Erfurt, Germany, for one of the most prestigious accolades in the culinary world.
His role in the team sees him in charge of the cold starter in the hot kitchen, and the tapas (a variety of small, savoury Spanish dishes) items on the five-course festive menu for the cold table.
He shares the responsibilities on the tapas and five-course festive menu with Kristin Hellemann.
Vengatass, who was born in Actonville, grew up around women who mastered the art of flavours, which influenced his love for cooking.
He said his grandmother, Violet Moonsamy, and the women around who he grew up led to the cooking bug biting him.
“They had a mystic understanding of flavour which, I now believe, has been passed down through my blood line,” said Vengatass.
The chef, who currently lives in Cape Town, studied hotel management at the Swiss Hotel School, but his love for cooking saw him undertaking a self-study programme to become a chef.
Some of his fondest memories of Benoni are of fishing at the lakes.
“We never really caught any fish, but the idea of venturing out on our own was good enough,” he said.
He added that they used to jump off the swings into the lakes.
For him, the simple things stood out, such as climbing the mine dumps and making potjiekos (which he always ended up making).
Asked what it means to him to be part of the culinary team, he said: “It means the world to me, what bigger honour is there than to represent your country on a global stage?
“All my pride and passion can now be put to the test; I believe it is one of the greatest achievements for any chef.”
The 30-year-old chef has a number of awards to his name, including Unilever Chef of the Year 2011, Unilever Chef of the Year Creative Canapés in 2012 and Master of Time 2013 and 2014.
Vengatass believes that winning many local competitions and competing in an international competition has put him in good stead to compete in Germany.
“I have been very fortunate to excel in my career, which has led to me being noticed by the right people,” he said.
“I was then asked to go for trials, and the rest is history.”
He currently works as a sous chef at The Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town.
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