Catering Training Centurion

Time and Place for Top Catering Training

South Africa’s leading professional chef’s academy, which bears the name of its esteemed patron, Prue Leith CBE, is situated in Centurion, conveniently located near Pretoria and not far from Johannesburg and other Gauteng towns, cities and suburbs. Centurion is also easily accessible from a network of modern highways.

Centurion’s Past

The up and coming, now sought-after area known as Centurion, has had a few name changes and began its modern history as a settlement called Lyttelton Township in 1904. Thus it remained until 1967, but was extended by the incorporation of Doornkloof and the farming community of Irene during 1964.

After the assassination of the then Prime Minister, Hendrik Verwoerd, Lyttelton was renamed Verwoerdburg; a name which many South Africans subsequently found offensive, because of its association with the apartheid regime. In mid-June, 1995, Centurion came into being by means of another name change.

Many centuries earlier, as from about 1200 AD, the area was occupied by indigenous African people, who were already engaged in growing crops, herding cattle, making earthenware vessels and smelting iron.

During the Anglo-Boer War, the occupying British forces established one of their concentration camps for women, children and elderly Boers in Irene, after which this particular camp was named. One of the area’s first schools, known as Irene Primary School, operated within the Irene Concentration Camp.

South Africa’s Premier Catering Training Institute

Prue Leith Chefs Academy is not only Centurion’s premier catering training facility; it is also the leading institute of its kind in South Africa, consistently supplying the local and international hospitality industry’s restaurants with outstanding, enthusiastic, well-trained graduates, who are equipped to be productive team members in any professional kitchen .

Prue Leith’s reputation amongst our peers is such that many of them insist upon Prue Leith training when recruiting new or additional chefs for their own organisations. However, we’ll never become complacent. When and wherever we identify a new need, trend, opportunity or possible improvement, our curricula are modified accordingly.

Major decisions are typically made in consultation with Prue. She possesses a wealth of first-hand, local and international knowledge and comprehensive experience in the extensive field of culinary arts, training and qualified evaluation of everything that pertains to fine dining, food preparation and premium service.

On Campus

• Well stocked specialised library, where learners are encouraged to read, research and expand their knowledge. An invaluable source of inspiration and new ideas, which is also equipped with foremost culinary magazines and subject specific DVDs – all they need to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of food.
• Training kitchen, featuring 20 cooking stations for students in their first Commis semester, fully equipped according to its purpose.
• Principal or main kitchen, comprising Hot, Cold and Pastry divisions, for second Commis semester learners. Equipment is modern and of top quality.
• An air conditioned lecture room, seating up to 40 students, learning the theoretical aspects of curricula.
• Although not strictly part of the campus, our well-known exclusive restaurant is also located on site in Centurion. Here, all elements of professional catering, fine dining and service in real time, for our guests, discerning fine dining, paying diners.

Whilst we’re immensely gratified that we’ve established such a recognised, reputable catering training academy in Centurion, it’s hardly surprising that our proud reputation precedes us and our confident graduates in the hospitality field.