How chef schools have evolved to cope with the pandemic

With education in turmoil due to the pandemic, how can a budding chef be confident about their health and safety when it comes to the selection of a training facility?

To give potential trainees peace of mind, we spoke to a handful of chef school owners and principles to find out how their facilities and courses have evolved to become Covid compliant:

Laurica Kok of The International Hotel School: With campuses in the big cities around the country – Joburg, Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban – the schools have a theoretical online programme with assessments and all the campuses are open with the Covid-19 protocols in place.

Chef Stephen Billingham of HTA School of Culinary Art, Joburg: Very strict levels of hygiene and safety had always been in place at the school, and these have been enhanced following Covid-19 protocols. The theory aspect of the courses have been developed into interactive online videos by the staff. The school has implemented a unique colour coding system where the numbers are limited for practical classes and students work in allocated “hubs”.

Queen Lebogang Lekotoko of NDS Chefs Academy, Vereeniging: The school has introduced a blended learning programme, with theory conducted online via Zoom and students attending practical classes with all the Covid-19 protocols in place at the academy.

Louise Oldham of Chefs Training & Innovation Academy: If required, the school has developed an online portal for theory classes, but all campuses - Centurion, Durban, Nelspruit and Stellenbosch - are now open for theory and practical training in smaller groups.

Chef Jackie Cameron of the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine, KZN Midlands: The school only takes a maximum of 15 students per year, so social distancing was easy to implement. During hard lockdown, students completed the culinary arts and pastry theory modules online.