The Sheraton Pretoria Hotel's Chefs Heats Up The Kitchen
Online, September 30, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Eminent for being South Africa's leading culinary competition, the Unilever Foodsolutions Chef of the Year contest is designed to showcase South Africa's most talented chefs. This year the heat was back on in the kitchen as chefs from all over South Africa were selected to represent their regions in the Senior, Junior and Team categories of this competition. The chefs who qualified during the regional cook-offs were challenged to sharpen their knives in preparation for the Mystery Basket National Finals held at the Unilever Head Office in La Lucia, Durban on 17 September 2010. This year Team Sheraton from the luxurious 5-star Sheraton Pretoria Hotel - situated within the heart of South Africa's dazzling capital city with sweeping views of the magnificent Union Buildings - represented Johannesburg as one of six teams competing in the Team category. And seizing every opportunity Team Sheraton most surely proofed that they too can hold their own amongst the best culinary talent in South Africa triumphing as the winners for this specific category.
During the Mystery Basket National Finals, competitors only had half an hour to create an award winning menu and three hours to prepare and present an innovative starter, a main course and a dessert to six judges. It all had to come together with an exceptional table setting to impress each judge. The competitors were scored on taste, the number of Unilever products used and the novel use of these products, originality of the recipes, the degree of difficulty and skills required, fusion and flavours, portion size and naturally the table presentation.
Team Sheraton, with the majority being trainee chefs, all underwent training at the HTA School of Culinary Art, one of South Africa's premier chef schools. This award winning team consisted of Jan Louis van der Skyff (team manager), Adrian Vigus Brown (junior chef), Jonathan Roos (senior chef) and Alexios Manikas, the waitron responsible for the astounding table presentation and impeccable service delivery. The winning menu comprised of a starter of pan fried spicy calamari tubes stuffed with Thai tomato and beetroot, and Tikka roast prawn tail set on a red onion couscous, a main of red kidney bean and corn chicken roulade with BBQ braised pork fillet with sweet potato fondant, Yorkshire pudding, seasonal vegetables accompanied with a red wine and onion jus, and a dessert of Macadamia nut chocolate mousse set on a rum crumble with wild berry fruit pudding and fruit salsa - a feast fit for kings.
Chef Johann Roos, the Executive Head Chef at the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel, who accompanied his team during the finals in Durban and who supported them throughout this prominent competition in preparation for the big day has committed his entire career to train young chefs, assisting and encouraging them to reach their true potential. "It is fantastic to see that such young talent in this industry is provided with the opportunity show South Africa what they are capable of accomplishing. It is an absolute honour to have these award winning chefs preparing exceptional cuisine at the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel proving that we present our guests with only the best culinary expertise and service delivery".
At the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel we offer our guests with more than a room with a view, we provide them the complete package, from exceptional services and state-of-the-art facilities to a gastronomic journey at our top restaurants.
Being first is better when shared.