As women increasingly make their presence felt, the days of male-dominated kitchens are a thing of the past. There are more female chefs making waves in the industry more than ever before, and the numbers show no signs of slowing down. So, with August marking National Women’s Month, we couldn’t imagine not saluting some of our very own South African female chefs that have paved the way for other women in the industry.
A Multi-Award Winner and World’s Best Female Chef in 2017
The talent on our local shores is mind-blowing! South Africa is fortunate to have the cream-of-the-culinary-crop putting together menus at all the hottest spots in each province. Take Chef Chantel Dartnall, for instance. Chef-patron of Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient, Chantel has earned many local and international awards. Besides receiving the accolade as the world’s best female chef at The Best Chef Lady Awards in 2017, Chantel has also won the “Eat Out Top 10” restaurants awards multiple times.
Blending Cheffing with Food Styling and Videography
With her fingers in food styling, catering, and videography, as well as the experience of working on yachts as both a sous chef and a head chef, Chef Jess van Dyk is another example of the talent on our shores. Chef van Dyk swiftly worked through the ranks to Head Chef at La Colombe in Cape Town. After getting La Colombe on the list as one of the best restaurants in the world by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, she moved on as Head Chef at the critically acclaimed Protégé in Franschhoek.
Bringing Pizzazz and Flavour to the Table
Bringing pizzazz and flavour to the table is none other than Chef Kayla-Ann Osborn at The Chef’s Table in Durban. It’s not every day you get your restaurant rated as one of the best in the country. That was the case for Kayla-Ann Osborn who earned The Chef’s Table a spot as the 15th top restaurant in South Africa by the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Award.
Going from JAN’s Pâtissier to Head Chef of Gåte
Last but not least, we would like to solute Chef Nicole Loubser, a Namibian who went from Michelin-starred JAN pâtissier to head chef at Gåte’s in Stellenbosch. A strong, confident, and poised chef, Chef Loubser represents what it means to rank her own needs last by conquering obstacles under high pressure, working long hours, and getting a few cuts and burns in the kitchen – all part of the day in the culinary world.
Join the Ranks of Inspiring Female Chefs
At Chefs Training & Innovation Academy, we enjoy encouraging our students to shine with inspiration. Offering a top-quality culinary academic platform where aspiring foodies turn into industry-ready professionals, we have campuses in Centurion, Stellenbosch, Durban, and Nelspruit. We also offer online courses. Be sure to contact us if you have been inspired to join the league of extraordinary female chefs who are taking the world by storm. With our help, you can not only gain the much-needed practical industry experience required but to do so at one of these high-end establishments which, better still, afford you the chance to learn from these remarkable women who are all leaders in the industry – a privilege granted to only a handful of culinary students.