SESAME seeds . . . chicken . . . flour . . . eggs . . . mince . . . potatoes . . . <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some 20 aspiring young chefs from King\u2019s College in Jeffreys Bay donned their school uniforms for an apron and pots and pans \u2013 ready to slice and dice their way to culinary glory at the school\u2019s recent sizzling hot Masterchef competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apart from one learner, the majority have only been cooking since the beginning of the year \u2013 let alone making a meal from scratch under pressure and within a specific time limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contestants were required to prepare a mouth-watering meal of their choice for the first elimination rounds \u2013 all given the same main ingredients to cook with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The top nine chefs, determined through a blind-tasting test, then had to produce a range of fantastic dishes, while the top five finalists had to cook mince dishes using the skills they learned at school \u2013 inclu-ding mince stew and mince with a mayonnaise dressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some even cooked their own flat bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The final three contestants were given a mystery dish \u2013 containing chicken wings, sesame seeds and coriander \u2013 to concoct in the final round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The challenge was not new to them, as they had made sticky chicken wings with sesame seeds in their home economics class earlier the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No recipe was supplied and an open pantry was at their disposal for all three rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Overall winner<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One dish stood out from the field \u2013 Ts\u00e9ama Morolong\u2019s simple, yet delicious, mince stew with egg and a delicious sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n The winner was chosen by a \u201cThe creativity these learners have shown is awesome,\u201d says home economics and hospitality teacher, Catherine Calitz. \u201cIt\u2019s amazing how professional, how organised and how calm they are. Even when the electricity tripped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2019It was so rewarding to see the passion and skill on display \u2013 they took in absolutely everything they were shown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe finished products were delicious and the standard amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proud King\u2019s College Principal Soria Swart, says, \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlthough the idea of the Masterchef competition was to demonstrate what a career in catering and hospitality could offer, values and skills taught at school \u2013 including social, life and organisational skills \u2013 were also at the forefront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTheir tables were clean and neat throughout the competition; they interacted with their fellow contestants, judges and audience members and passed the test of time and stress management with flying colours \u2013 all while cooking a winning dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is these principles and values that will guide and motivate them in life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next year, the competition will be an inter-schools event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Vocational Training<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n But where did they learn to cook like professionals? <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the school\u2019s newly established hands-on Vocational Training (VT) programme \u2013 a first for primary schools in South Africa, if not the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The programme consists of three legs: home economics (cooking), needlework and technical work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe introduced the VT programme at the beginning of the year to accommodate and uplift learners who are not performing academically,\u201d says King\u2019s College Principal Soria Swart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut this does not mean they do not have immense potential. Their skills just lie elsewhere \u2013 more on the practical side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTake for example Morolong who won the Masterchef competition. Had he been left in the main acade-mic stream, we would have lost him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis once depressed and underperforming learner, who struggles academically, is now a proud, loyal and devoted learner \u2013 all thanks to the VT programme, especially home economics.\u201d\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Swart, the VT programme not only boosts learners\u2019 self-worth and confidence, but also equips them with valuable skills to become successful entrepreneurs \u2013 whether it is in the hospitality or restaurant industry, or carpentry and fashion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt King\u2019s College we strive to produce learners who are valuable assets to the world \u2013 if not the planet,\u201d says Swart. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SESAME seeds . . . chicken . . . flour . . . eggs . . . mince . . . 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panel of independent judges who scored each chef according to set criteria: appearance, texture, consistency, tenderness, flavour, temperature and cleanliness of their work station<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n