SOUTH AFRICAN CHEFS ACADEMY
Highly respected with a wealth of experience.

Award winning South Africa chef and icon in the industry, Garth Stroebel together with Paul Hartmann form a formidable team at the South African Chefs Academy, both have a wealth of experience and are highly respected. The uniqueness of the academy’s training program lies in its customisation base and specialised training for chefs by chefs renowned for their passion and knowledge of their craft.

 

In addition the Academy has exposure to a vast network of international culinary experts and exchange opportunities with top hotels around the world. Their graduates are well equipped to build a successful career both in South Africa and abroad.

 

Cape Town, Observatory is the home of the South African Chefs Academy where their excellent campus has superbly equipped spacious kitchens with natural light, a comprehensive library, lecture rooms and computer rooms, a boardroom and dinning room, in the style of a chefs table. This offers guests and clients the opportunity to host events at the Academy and to allow students to gain valuable experience in restaurant style meal service.

 

Students are guided through practical craft and theory classes from kitchen organisation and hierarchy, to menu planning and modern presentation techniques, theory of food, purchasing, control and costing, nutrition, dietetics and safety are included. 

 

Students are expected, at all times, to wear uniforms according to the Academy’s dress code, which means pristine and spotless. At the Academy, Garth and Paul inculcate all the values, discipline and code of behaviour that will be expected of them in their future careers.

 

Garth authoritatively demonstrates to the students during one
of the many practicals. Here he talks about pasta, how to make 
saffron, spinach and tomato ravioli with a seafood filling. 

 

Garth’s pointers on the making of successful pasta:

When cutting the fresh pasta into strips, don’t pull the knife along, stretching the pasta dough. Water gives a delicate bind, however use very little and see that surplus flour is dusted off. The secret in making successful pasta is to use the lowest number on the pasta machine. Arrange the strongest pasta in the centre to secure the filling, the plain pasta. The softer, flavoured pastas can be used on the sides. 

 

Make sure that the air is pressed out between the filling and the pasta. Always season generously as, while cooking, the flavour gets diluted. Poach pasta until soft in boiling water, when the cooking has been completed the ravioli will rise.

 

During the briefing with Garth on the class completed, this is the time for summing up, asking pertinent questions and resolving queries.

 

The fragrant double volume pastry kitchen is the domain 
of Samantha Waring who conducts the pastry diploma.

 

A real strength at the Academy as this is a highly specialised field. Pastry Chefs are in demand in top kitchens worldwide, as this is an area of great skills and where there is a shortage. Samantha is highly qualified to teach this specifically tailored program, which follows the City & Guilds International Guidelines. 

 

A pastry class in progress… 

Today the accent is on crisp apple fritters dusted with icing sugar, high rising soufflés, golden spun sugar and the making of a refreshing apple granite. Samantha explains that the gentle flavourful Golden Delicious were used for the apple fritters while a tart Granny Smith is best for the granite. Pink Lady and Royal Gala are excellent eating apples. Both apples and pears are divided into those that are best for cooking and baking and those that are perfect for eating. (See Tru-Cape’s Rich Bounty of Apples and Pears Inspire & Recipes)

 

Samantha explains the technique in making a high rising soufflé.

 

Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry and slowly add in the castor sugar. Fold the egg whites into the purée mixture. Butter and sugar the moulds. Place the mixture in ramekins. Prepare a slight ridge around each ramekin to allow the soufflés to rise evenly. Place on a thin baking tray and bake at 190°C for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove and dust with icing sugar before swiftly serving. (See Reaching For Young Stars).

 

Granite is similar to a sorbet except that it isn’t churned. Once frozen it is scraped to form granules.

 

Fledgling pastry chefs at work…

 

The famous French tart tatin has an innovative touch with lacy spun sugar and is served with a quenelle of creamy vanilla ice cream topped by a fragile crisp dried apple. Students learn to make every single item from scratch using the purist and finest ingredients.  

 

The minimum requirement for entry is a Matric Grade 12 Certificate. Applicants will be required to complete an interview and a practical entrance test. For further enquiries contact the school direct. There is a minimum of 1200 training hours per year. The training received will equip students for Commis positions in five-star establishments and for international exchange opportunities.

 

The course content and syllabus follows the City & Guilds International, who also accredits the qualification at the Academy. Students have weekly examinations in both theory and practical aspects. There is constant monitoring and assessment as well as regular monthly reports for parents available on the Academy’s website on a confidential basis, outlining each students progress, conduct, attendance, year mark and assessment of abilities. Their final practical will be adjudicated by independent examiners, recognised as leaders in their field by the executors of the Academy. 

 

For students who are eligible there is an advanced third semester of a further six months, this will consist of practical experience at five-star establishments and a compilation of a thesis type project or assignment. During this course students will receive tuition on subjects from modern culinary techniques to ingredient combining and food science. On completion they are equipped to enter the City & Guilds International Advanced Diploma. 

 

Among the many valuable subjects students will study include:

TUITION (Theoretical components)
Kitchen Organisation, Management and Hierarchy
Introduction to Labour Law
Equipment and Product Identification
Knife Drill
First Aid and Occupational Safety
Kitchen and Menu Terminology (French and German)
Introduction to Hazard Analysis, Critical Control Points
Menu Planning and Modern Presentation Techniques
Principals of Taste
Wine and Food Pairing and Wine Appreciation
Theory of Food, Food Production and Volume Catering 
Procurement, Storage and Handling of Food Products
Purchasing and Costing

TRAINING (Practical experience)
Practical Cookery and Techniques
Hot Kitchen
À là Carte
Cold Food Preparation
Pastry and Confectionary
Bread and Yeast Products

There is constant monitoring and assessment

Essentially, the training that they receive will equip them with commis positions in five-star hotels. There is 65% practical training and hands-on training every day. A minimum of 1200 training hours per year. The students receive a maximum of 200 days of practical hands-on experience and the ten month course is divided into four semesters. 

 

SOUTH AFRICAN CHEFS ACADEMY 
Black River Park, Link Road, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town
Tel: +27 (21) 447-3168 Fax: +27 (21) 447-3167
E-mail: info@sachefsacademy.com
http://www.sachefsacademy.com/ 

Production SHOWCOOK.COM
Photography Franz Lauinger
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