World Class Chef School

The Career Advantages of Training at SA’s Leading Chefs’ School

Does being a great chef depend solely on your talent, innovative and creative abilities, and the acuity of your discerning palate? Not really, not unless you have been exceptionally fortunate, although these characteristics are definitely important. There are undoubtedly a few great achievers in the catering industry who were simply born to become chefs of note, irrespective of training, but they are in the minority, especially in today’s competitive climate. Most successful, highly acclaimed masters of the culinary arts began their careers by first studying hard and qualifying at a good chefs’ school, before working even harder at their craft, experimenting, innovating and learning from others in the industry, before eventually becoming a top or well-known chef.

No Shortcut

There is no shortcut or quick fix, and you should be aware that your entry into the culinary world will in all likelihood be preceded by the reputation of the chefs’ school that you attended, because this industry is one in which the word spreads. People talk shop and others listen.

Reputation

Many a success story is built on a firm foundation, first acquiring a sound, credible reputation. Word-of-mouth recommendations have immense power to influence or sway perception – which is people’s reality – more often than not. It takes years to acquire a great reputation and very little time to lose or destroy it. When selecting a cooking academy at which to study, it would be wise to choose one that is endorsed by peers within the industry, because it will open doors for you for the rest of your professional life, not to mention initially, at the time when you are just getting started. We are delighted that our Centurion-based chefs’ school is regarded by the hospitality industry as the leading educational institute of its kind in South Africa. In fact, numerous prospective employers freely state that only graduates from our academy will be considered when they advertise a vacancy.

Prue Leith Chefs’ Academy

Prue Leith is a name that is synonymous with all things pertaining to food, fine dining and culinary excellence. Understandably, our leading South African chefs’ academy is immeasurably proud to carry Prue’s name, be closely and personally associated with her, and have her as our school’s patron.

A Few Salient Points to Consider

• Our training facility is the only one in the country with its own fine dining restaurant that is ranked amongst the top dining establishments in SA. Learners gain invaluable practical experience here, cooking for and serving paying customers who usually have to make their reservations well in advance, due to the restaurant’s popularity amongst discerning diners.
• Although the chefs’ school is City & Guilds-approved, students benefit from training that surpasses stipulated requirements.
• Classes are kept to manageable sizes, with student-to-lecturer ratios of lower than 20:1. There are no queues for work stations or equipment, whilst lecturers’ attention is not overwhelmed.
• We are constantly innovating; consider our partnership with Discovery Vitality HealthyFood Studio and Woolworths. For this exciting programme, we have jointly established a new teaching and tasting kitchen at Discovery’s campus in Sandton.

Enrol at Prue Leith’s chef school to get a head start in your new, chosen career field.