Published in the Berea Mail, June 2011
THE Ikusasa School of Cooking has a wonderful programme that is offering 10 disadvantaged school leavers the opportunity to learn valuable and in-depth culinary skills in a one year programme.
The Ikusasa School Cooking is a relatively new charity that opened in January 2010. The students are from various children’s homes in and around Durban.
This qualification would usually cost R100 000 a year. However, Sundru Pillay, chairperson of the social responsibility programme of the South African Chaînes des Rôtisseurs Foundation Trust and a member of the International Foundation, rallied together friends in the hospitality industry to raise money to put 10 students through the course.
Students Ronel Applegreen, Vukani Khwela, Brandon Hamilton, Nokuphiwa Mthethwa, Mlekeleli Xaba, Sasha Otto, Sandile Nzuza, Princess Ngcobo, Nicky Mahomet and Simone Pillay are happy to be chosen to do the course. © Berea Mail
The students are following a City and Guilds based qualification, fully administered by the International Hotel School (IHS) – a qualification which will not only provide the students with the necessary theory to work in the hospitality industry, but also with the strong likelihood that they will be placed in jobs on completion of the course.
Recently matriculated 18-year-old Simone Pillay as well as Sasha Otto, Ronel Applegreen, Nikki Mahomet , Princess Ngcobo, Phiwe Mthethwa, Sandile Mzuza, Mlekeleli Xaba and Vakani Khwela are the students chosen to do this course.
I’m really intrested in this course simply because I have a passion for cooking & one of my biggest goals is to open my own hotel by the age of 30
That’s a fantastic goal to have. Any goal can be achieved with hard work and determination. Good luck with achieving it – hopefully you will come back and let us know how it is going.