Hurst Campus produces industry-ready graduates

Karen van Wyngaard

Celebrity chef Chris Erasmus of Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant in Franschhoek, and Tiaan van Greunen executive chef at Reubens at the Robertson Small Hotel, as well as entrepreneur Xoliswa Tyeya, the owner of Xsitefoods, are just three of many well-known and successful alumni who graduated here, at what was previously known as The Culinary Academy.

At the Hurst Campus in the Cape Winelands, gifted and capable young people are mentored and nurtured to become industry-ready graduates who are sought-after by local and international employers because of their sheer talent, as well as academic and practical excellence. Students may opt to complete The Hurst Campus three-year Diploma in Hospitality Management - a qualification in Good Food, Fine Wine and Hospitality Management; or the City and Guild two-year Diploma in Food Preparation and Pâtisserie. Part of the chef training is an in-depth internship geared to preparing them for the 'real world'.

With director Rebecca Hurst at the helm, The Hurst Campus has built rewarding long-term partnerships with respected restaurants and hotels in Cape Town and the Winelands, working together to hone the careers of the next generation of hospitality industry leaders. Apart from Chris Erasmus of Pierneef à La Motte, others who are keen to take on Hurst students every year are multi award-winning chef Margot Janse of Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek; Chef Michael Broughton of Terroir Restaurant in Stellenbosch, Christiaan Campbell executive chef of Delaire Graff Estate, and Peter Tempelhoff of The Cellars-Hohenort in Constantia.

Two young chefs to watch

Emma Watson (24) a qualified mechanical engineer, graduated as top student of the Class of 2012 when she completed her Advanced Food & Wine Chefs Diploma at The Hurst Campus in April 2013. She received both The Hurst Campus Award for 'All Round Academic Excellence', and for 'Achieving the Highest Overall Aggregate'. During her training she served her internship at The Cellars-Hohenort, where she worked at its two lauded restaurants, The Conservatory and The Greenhouse, until the end of January 2013. She says this learning experience throughout peak tourism season taught her how to stay alert during a 12-hour working day that started at 12 noon and ended at midnight. She credits her months of internship at the Cellars-Hohenort as a highlight of her student years, and has ended off her training on yet another high note with an offer of permanent employment as Commis Chef at The Greenhouse.

Graduate student Karen van Wyngaard (20) completed the 15-month Advanced Food & Wine Chef's Diploma course at The Hurst Campus in July 2012. She served her five-month internship at Le Quartier Français under the watchful eye of Chef Margot and Sous Chef Vanie Padayachee, and can truly claim to have been trained by the very best. Though tough and physically demanding, she cites her internship as the pivotal experience in realising the direction she would like to take with her career. She is currently completing her Hospitality Management Diploma before taking up her position as Commis Chef at Le Quartier Français in the second half of 2014.

Rebecca Hurst says these are two young female chefs to watch: "I'm delighted to send Emma and Karen on their way and I believe the South African hospitality industry is richer for having people of this calibre in our ranks."