BOTHA’S Hill resident Emmah Moloi is one of six culinary students from KwaZulu-Natal who will participate in the RCL Foods Young Chef and Baker Challenge.
The chefs are all under the age of 25 and will be competing for a share of R65 000 in prize money. Moloi attends the 1000 Hills Chef School.
Also read: Masterchef winner shares her scrumptious hot cross bun recipe
“I am pursuing the Level 3 Advanced Supervisory – City and Guilds course. I have nine weeks remaining until I qualify,” she said.
Moloi shares her thoughts about the competition and how she is preparing for it.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the culinary arts?
Growing up, food has always been a source of joy and connection within my family. During family gatherings, I witnessed how good food brought people closer together. The act of making food with love and serving it to others has always inspired me. Food, to me, is not just sustenance; it’s therapy.
Can you share a bit about the dishes you prepared during the semi-finals and how you incorporated RCL Foods, Rainbow, Siqalo Foods, or LiveKindly ingredients into your creations?
For our flavoured buns, the other chefs and I used Supreme cake flour and sugar and Marvello bake to create our apple and oat buns. Our main course featured a plant-based croquette served with Nola lemon-and-herb mayonnaise. In our dessert, we used Meadowland Delight for the mousse, and our components included lemon curd and caramel sauce made with Selati castor sugar.
What was the most unexpected aspect of competing in the semi-finals, and how did you tackle it?
The most unexpected aspect was the challenging mystery basket with ingredients that required out-of-the-box thinking. We had to tap into our creative thinking skills and find solutions quickly due to the time-sensitive nature of the competition. We encountered obstacles like spilling the filling for our main course and our truffles not setting for dessert, but we persevered and overcame these challenges.
How are you preparing for the national finals?
Since being selected as finalists, the other students and I have been practising diligently. We’re also researching how to incorporate the compulsory ingredients into our dishes.
The national finals promise to be an intense culinary competition. What are your expectations, and how do you plan to tackle any challenges that may come your way?
We anticipate tough competition and strict judges at the National Finals, but we also view it as a valuable learning experience. Constructive criticism is expected, and above all, we want to have fun and work as a team to create outstanding meals. Time management is currently a challenge, but we’re working on improving our efficiency and speed in the kitchen.
Every chef and baker has a go-to kitchen tool that they can’t live without. What’s yours, and how does it enhance your culinary creations?
My go-to kitchen tool is my set of knives. They are like extensions of my hand, and I see them as essential for precision in my work. The precise and delicate cuts they allow me to make showcase the artistry of being a chef. For baking, I rely on a Kenwood Mixer, which saves time and is versatile.
If you could prepare a meal for anyone in the world, a living or historical figure, who would it be, and what dish would you serve to impress them?
I would prepare a meal for my late grandparents who didn’t have the chance to witness my success. I would serve them Italiano Brachiole, a traditional Italian dish made of thinly sliced steak stuffed with Italian herbs, two kinds of cheese, prosciutto and breadcrumbs. It’s a cosy and comforting meal that reminds me of the love and care they gave me.
For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
