Sun International partners with SACA for InfoChef Africa 2013

InfoChef is widely recognised as South Africa's premier culinary conference and it has been an important fixture on the local hospitality calendar for over 20 years. InfoChef brings together both young and experienced chefs from the across the country, and for the first time ever, SACA has expanded the conference to include delegates from across the African continent. Delegates will be accommodated at Sun International's new business hotel in Sandton, The Maslow and the hotel will also host the InfoChef Gala dinner on 4 September.

InfoChef Africa takes place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec from 3-4 September. The conference provides an important networking element plus there will be culinary demonstrations, exhibitions from some of Africa's most renowned chefs, workshops and competitions.

"The development of young chefs across our group is one of our key focus areas and Sun International will sponsor thirty trainee chefs to attend the InfoChef Africa Career Day taking place on 3 September. Career Day is an integral part of the conference as it gives high school learners, interested in exploring a career in food and hospitality, insider knowledge of the industry. Eager delegates will learn about working in hotels, find out what the day-to-day life of a chef entails plus there are also hands-on cooking demos," says Alison McKie, group manager: Hotel, F&B and Leisure Marketing

Introducing the African Culinary Cup

Another new and exciting aspect of the conference is the introduction of the first ever African Culinary Cup. This culinary competition is a platform for young chefs from all over Africa to compete in a professional environment, allowing them an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities. Participants of the Culinary Cup will also be accommodated at The Maslow Hotel.

Only national associations that belong to the World Association of Chefs Societies, or have a letter from the WACS Continental Director endorsing their application, are able to participate in the African Culinary Cup with one National Junior Culinary Team per nation. Each national culinary team will consist of four team members all under the age of 25. The challenge will be for the participants to produce a three-course menu from a mystery basket of ingredients.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to further enhance our partnership with SACA. Sun International is a training provider with the National Youth Chef Training Programme which provides us with an excellent platform to contribute to socio economic development," explains Executive Chef of The Palace of the Lost City, Nicholas Froneman. "Over the last two years our chefs have grown significantly; they've entered a few culinary competitions and even won some, which makes us extremely proud. It is solid proof that we are on the right path to developing young and up-and-coming chefs."

For more, go to www.saca.co.za/infochef_africa