Play with your Food
Food is a phenomenal medium for artists to work with. It took ju
st one dessert in the Pick ’n Pay School Chefs Competition to recently re-establish that fact at Prue Leith Chefs Academy.
A tomato filled with a dried fruit and nut mixture, served with smoked chocolate mousse was the dish that reminded chefs and students alike that we should play with our food! Lyticia Erasmus and Corli Stravast from Afrikaanse Hoërskool Kroonstad wowed both kitchen and tasting judges with this daring dessert and it won them the best dessert in the prestigious competition held at the Academy on 5 August.
Creativity seemed to be a central theme this year with chocolate showing up on main course plates and traditional main course items finding its way to dessert offerings.
The winning team tested the creative boundaries and really showed that simple isn’t always best. Cori-li Vermaak and Elizha Fick from Willow Ridge High School presented compilation plates for all three their courses. Combining challenging African flavours and presenting it in a fine dining style these two ladies really showed that African food is both elegant and packed with flavour. They were not only the overall winners but also scooped up the best main course price.
The classics were still very much respected and proved to be reliable with Devon du Plessis and Jarred Deeves from Benoni High walking away as winners in the starter section with a lovely cumin infused butternut soup garnished with chorizo and served with homemade rosemary bread.
This competition has highlighted that the culinary future of South Africa is very colourful and that we should be very excited about what is already being taught at school level. With passionate school teachers, inspiring suppliers and retailers like Pick ’n Pay and top-notch chef schools to bring it all together the future of South African kitchens is something to look forward to.
