Junior chef de partie Tlali Masakala served up a delectably nutty risotto and a sublime, light minestrone on 30 May.
Masakala was certainly happy that attendees enjoyed his food. But he was looking forward to Monday.
This young chef received the prestigious City and Guild Gold Medal for Excellence earlier last month. He was also the only South African to achieve this distinction, and one of only 95 students receiving this accolade internationally.
The City and Guilds Medal for Excellence is a global initiative which recognises the achievements of learners, lecturers and trainers from across all City and Guilds programmes and occupations in 169 countries. It’s a celebration of individuals who have achieved results by producing exceptional work.
Part of Masakala’s prize was a trip to London to attend the City and Guilds Lions Awards there on 5 June.
“I’m leaving Monday, I’m really looking forward to it,” Masakala told Northcliff Melville Times.
This isn’t Masakala’s first taste of a top award or his first time overseas. Last year, this University of Johannesburg graduate won the Nestlé Professional Golden Chef’s Hat Award with his team member Liezl Bruce.
“Our prize was a week in Singapore,” Masakala recounted. “We had four days of cooking and three days of fun there.”
Masakala was accepted into the National Youth Chefs Training Programme in 2011. This initiative aims to equip young, unemployed people with the skills to become chefs.
The hectic pace in a professional kitchen isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but Masakala loves it. “If you love something, it’s easy,” he laughed.
“I’d like to meet Gordon Ramsay,” he admitted, contemplating London and its array of cooking celebrities.
“But if you asked me who my cooking hero is, it’s my sous-chef here at the school. It’s all the chefs I work with, they inspire me.”
