Two young chefs named runners-up in culinary competition

After months of planning, preparation and practise, the RCL Foods young chef & baker challenge grand finale on October 12 in Umhlanga was a display of South Africa's culinary excellence, where 18 top chefs under the age of 25 competed for coveted titles.

It was an intense day of competition in which the chefs, in teams of two, were required to prepare a starter, main course and dessert from a mystery basket of ingredients. The three winning teams were selected by a panel of SA Chefs Association judges.

Winners Catherine Sainsbury and Robert Zituta from Silwood School of Cookery in Cape Town won R30,000. Ammaara Sulaiman from Greenwood Park and Lalana Santana Pillay from Verulam in Durban — final-year students at Capsicum Culinary Studio — were second, taking home R20,000. Marna Brandt and Macaela Ntuli from Chefs Training & Innovation Academy in Gauteng walked away with R15,000 in third place. 

We spoke to the runners-up whose menu comprised a vegetarian sausage croquette with pickled radish, crispy fried onions and a herb mayo for starters; beef en croute with roasted red pepper purée and a red wine and rosemary jus with grilled zucchini for main; and a “pot plant” white chocolate basket with inside layers of vanilla sponge, lemon curd, passion fruit gel and avocado mousse topped with a dark chocolate tree branch for dessert.

Sulaiman said her interest in cooking started when she was seven years old helping her aunt cook and watching cooking shows on TV. Since then, it has been her dream to be a chef.

Said Pillay: “From a young age I was interested in baking and I’ve always enjoyed eating food so I decided to pursue my dreams of making delicious food a career and chose to do my training at Capsicum. My time at the school has been the best. I’ve got to experience many different activities and engage with different chefs and students.”

Five things always in your fridge or pantry

Ammaara: Noodles, chillies, fruit, yoghurt and cheese.

Lalana: Samyang Buldak spicy noodles, eggs, chillies, flour and sugar.

What would be your last meal?

A: My last meal would be chicken curry or spicy ramen noodles.

L: I have three and I can’t choose. Probably mutton curry or chicken curry and rice and steak and mashed potatoes.

What do you not eat?

A: Offal.

L: I eat anything.

If you had to cook dinner for five famous people, who would they be and what would you prepare?

A: Actors Ed Westwick, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford, Blake Lively and Michelle Trachtenberg.

L: Albert Einstein, Nelson Mandela, Zayn Malik, Florence Nightingale and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Both would cook the three-course meal they made in the finals.

Favourite kitchen utensil and why?

A: I don't have a favourite utensil as they are all are important.

L: My chef’s knife, it’s special to me.

Favourite celebrity cook?

A: Rachael Ray

L: Gordon Ramsay.