• RCL FOODS, in collaboration with the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs), is excited to announce that entries for the RCL FOODS Young Chefs & Bakers Challenge 2023 have opened. The challenge combines both the Young Chef and Young Baker categories. The competition is a unique platform for full-time culinary students in South Africa to showcase their talent.

    The combined competition encourages aspiring chefs and bakers to demonstrate their skills in both fields. Entrants will compete in teams of two by entering their creative recipes using RCL FOODS, Rainbow, Siqalo Foods, and LiveKindly products, among others. Successful participants will go on to compete in the semi-finals and a grand national final.

    Brad Kavanagh, RCL FOODS’ Head Chef, highlighted the importance of this event, “By creating a platform for young chefs and bakers to showcase their talent, we are fostering culinary expertise in our industry and establishing a positive, sustainable impact.”

    Prizes and competition dates

    The competition is open to legal residents of South Africa, aged between 18 and 27 years, who are enrolled with a professional institution or in a service (traineeship) programme focusing on Culinary Arts or a Professional Cookery programme. 

    Entrants chosen for the semi-finals, which take place in KZN, Gauteng, and Cape Town on 14 September 2023, will have the opportunity to exhibit their culinary skills in a more extensive format. Teams will be tasked with crafting a bread course, a restaurant main course, and a dessert,  to showcase the full spectrum of their cooking and baking skills.

    The competition will conclude in an exciting finale where the participants’ culinary talents will take centre stage on 12 October 2023, as the best three teams from each regional cluster compete based on various criteria. An esteemed panel of judges from SA Chefs will adjudicate the entries. 

     “The competition offers a tremendous opportunity for the participants to make a name in the industry and pave the way for a successful culinary career,” comments Chef Lesley Jacobs, Competitions Director of SA Chefs. 

     

    RCL Foods Young Chefs Competition Winners 2022, Nicole Bowes and Matthew Maree from Silwood School of Cookery with James Khoza (President of SA Chefs Association), Stewart Jones (customer marketing executive, RCL FOODS) and Brad Kavanagh (Head Chef, RCL FOODS)

    Cash prizes await the winning teams, with R30,000 for the first place, R20,000 for the second, and R15,000 for the third place, split equally between the team participants.

    The competition closes at 23:59 on July 31, 2023. For further details about the competition rules, prizes, and to download entry forms, please visit the RCL FOODS website.

     

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    Published by Strategic Public Relations

    Feature Image: Pexels/ Klaus Nielsen