Congratulations Sandy dos Santos
Sandy dos Santos, graduate of Prue Leith Chefs Academy, December 2008 was part of the Radisson Blu Hotel team that won the Team of Four Category in the Unilever Chef of the Year competition in Durban last weekend.
The Team of Four category is particularly important as it reflects how chefs operate in the workplace, with managers, waiting staff and chefs having to communicate and understand each other’s functions. Unilever Foodsolutions is looking to grow this category.
The team from the Radisson Blu Hotel in Port Elizabeth took first place and the R20 000 prize, Compass in Durban came second and won R12 000 and Western Province Caterers in Cape Town came third and won R8 000.
Radisson Blu presented a starter of exotic Thai chicken, stuffed calamari on fragrant couscous, teriyaki prawns on grilled sweet potato and marinated vegetable salad; main course of barbecue pork fillet medallions on apple pear rosti, roulade of chicken, sautéed mange tout, pumpkin puree and tomato onion sauce; and chocolate brandy mousse, macadamia semi freddo and strawberry mint salsa for dessert.
The Team of Four judges were Mervyn Davies (Sublime Catering), Wynand Schoeman (HLM Sibaya) and Jackie Cameron (Hertford House).
Prue Leith Chefs Academy is very proud of Sandy and we hope that it encourages more of our students to enter into competitions around South Africa.
It is a growth experience for any student or young chef to compete in culinary competitions. You learn your limitations and areas of strength not only in the preparation of the food but also in your character.
The training for a competition instills discipline, better time management and an opportunity to create. This can only contribute to making you a better chef.
