Empact Group a purpose-led, 100% South African-owned company which keeps their company ethos at the heart of everything they do, values and applauds their staff as a matter of course. The chefs in the group’s foodservice division are the heart and soul of the kitchens they operate around the country. This year the Top 6 chefs from their foodservice operations around South Africa – two each from KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Gauteng – competed in a cook-off to see who would emerge as the winner of The Final Cut 2023, an annual Empact Group competition for their foodservice chefs.
The cook-off took place at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on the 20th of April 2023. Chefs were required to create a dish using a mystery box of ingredients as well as replicate a dish demonstrated by guest chef and judge, Andre Bezuidenhout.
After an intense cook-off, Chad Esau the Empact Group Catering Manager was declared the winner. The winning dishes, all exuded quality, freshness, nutrition, creativity and most importantly, flavo – everything Empact Group is known for at their foodservice sites.
The prizes included:
1st Prize – R25 000 holiday voucher
2nd Prize – Block set of German knives
3rd Prize – Le Creuset casserole dish
The finalists were selected by virtue of their entries to compete in the heats leading up to The Final Cut chefs showcase. Chefs were required to create a starter and main course for the judges making use of a mystery pantry. Each heat was judged by external accomplished chefs within the food industry.
All competitors showcased amazing skills and endurance, hallmarks of Empact Group’s team of chefs, coupled with their creativity which resulted in a number of unique and delicious dishes presented to the panel of South African Chefs Association-accredited judges namely:
• Elsu Gericke – Head: Professional Body & Skills Development for the South African Chefs Association
• Shaun Potgieter – Chef and representative Rational Africa and Head of Culinary at Food Service
• Andre Bezuidenhout – Chef de Cuisine at Emperors Palace
According to Hanno de Lange, General Manager of Empact Group’s Centre of Excellence, the brief to the chefs was to incorporate their take on global trends in the foodservice industry. Their culinary creations needed to stand at the forefront of menu innovation, demonstrating what’s hot in modern food. In addition to exuding quality and freshness, being nutritious, convenient to prepare, appealing to the eye and delectable to the palate; the innovative dishes had to inspire a plethora of tantalizing tastes and sensory stimuli – all qualities for which Empact Group is so well-known in the foodservice sector.
This culinary talent showcase allowing their chefs to learn and grown bears testimony to Empact Group’s ethos: Doing right by you! A corporate philosophy which is extended to not only their clients but their staff too.
For more information about Empact Group’s service offering contact:
Email: info@empactgroup.co.za
Tel: 011 209 2400
Website: www.empactgroup.co.za
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