Catering Academy

What is so special about the Prue Leith Chef’s Academy? The college is not rated as the finest catering academy in South Africa by top chefs in the country without just cause. One of our key philosophies is that if we are still doing the same thing we did six months ago, then we are going backwards. This excellent catering academy has trained world-class chefs who have gone on to work in many famous kitchens all round the world including Jamie Oliver’s, the Roux brothers and Gordon Ramsay’s. We continually monitor our training methods in order to guarantee that our students get the best possible culinary education. In order to ensure that the Academy is always on top of what the catering industry demands, a board of purposefully selected advisors has been put together to ensure that these standards are maintained and exceeded. Their opinion and advice is regularly sought after.

That is not all that is so special though. Prue Leith Chefs’ Academy is the only catering academy in the country that can boast its own fine dining restaurant right there on the premises. The practical work carried out by students is both in the kitchen and the restaurant. It is in the latter that, at some time during their eighteen-month course, they will get experience in every position.

They plan menus, prepare and cook food in both hot and cold kitchens, they serve at table, work at front of house, wine waiter and Maitre d’Hotel. They even manage stock and learn about the bookkeeping side of the business from a qualified accountant. The diploma that successful graduates of the catering academy are awarded is based on the classical French method, but includes guest lecturers who cover subjects like sushi, bush cooking, and Thai and Japanese cooking. The Prue Leith Diploma is without doubt one of the best qualifications a catering graduate can have, and it guarantees a successful future career.