PAGE VENUE STRAP NEWS
Thapelo Letsogo, Lindiwe Phiri and Lindiwe Masango.
Wine Stewards Nadia Sibanda, Sfundo Siyanda Zikalala, Njabulo Prince Zondo, Sandy Harper and Richard Mannafela.
Siyabonga Kunene, Gina Marziani and Shekinah Rushuicira.
Winners of 2023 Inter Hotel Challenge announced
“They’re smart, ambitious, and primed for success,” said Millicent Maroga, corporate affairs director for HEINEKEN Beverages, of the newest generation of Inter Hotel Challenge (IHC) winners.
I
t’s our view that when you show talent and determination, every effort should be made to help you get ahead,” she said, regarding the recent gala event at which the national winners were announced. “It’s a win-win all round. The challenge is structured to fast-track training in hotel and restaurant services. That raises hospitality standards, expands job creation, and promotes economic inclusion. It’s an opportunity for all the sponsors to cultivate brand ambassadors and it also helps South Africa to offer local and international tourists a world-class experience, enhancing the country’s competitiveness as a foremost travel destination.” HEINEKEN Beverages is the lead sponsor of the annual national competition that identifies potential hospitality talent and then provides preparatory training and mentorship for all participants. Among the other IHC sponsors are the National Youth Development Agency, Lancewood, KitchenAid, The Diamond Works Institute, and Avanti Coffee. For cheffing competitors using seafood, it was mandatory to choose from WWF/SASSI-approved options. This year, a total of 26 hotel chains and boutique establishments in the major metropoles and other top tourist destinations put forward their best and brightest for the challenge. As a condition of entry, they all had
to attend workshops in their respective fields, presented in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban by leading experts. Participants then competed across a variety of hotel and restaurant service categories, from wine stewards and mixologists to chefs and pastry chefs, bakers, baristas, concierges, and more. The judges, all seasoned professionals, many of whom have been IHC judges for several years, were unanimous in their praise of the standard of entries this year. Chania Morritt-Smith, co-founder of the IHC in 2012, said: “Across the board, standards have continued to rise year after year.” This year’s biggest prizes were awarded to the IHC’s top wine steward, chef, and pastry chef. They have all won travel opportunities outside South Africa. The 2023 IHC Wine Steward of the Year is Nkanyiso Zikhali of the KwaZulu-Natal boutique hotel, The Oyster Box. The one-time waiter and specialty wine shop assistant will be flying to Amsterdam, for a whirlwind exposure to the city’s fine dining milieu and wine retailing. He will be joining Margot Janse’s acclaimed SAAM restaurant, exploring the culture of the city, visiting museums, and learning more about the HEINEKEN brand. “The Netherlands is a key source of international tourists for our country. What better way than to experience how they pair
36 Business Events Africa December 2023
their wine and food at home and learn about the wines to which they are exposed. That will give Nkanyiso valuable context in building his career,” said Ms Maroga. His prize also includes bursaries from the Sommeliers’ Academy and South African Sommeliers Association (SASA). Cornelius Suthse of the Sun City Convention Centre took the title of Chef of the Year. Currently a commis chef, he hopes to see his career trajectory accelerated by his three-week internship at Swakopmund’s upmarket Strand Hotel, which is a popular Namibian tourist spot. Phathiswa Plaatjie of The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, along Cape Town’s Atlantic seaboard, is a pastry chef de partie. Her prize includes three weeks at Château de La Creuzette in Boussac, France. The Most Up & Coming Wine Steward and winner of The Wonga Award, was Londeka Mkhize of Durban’s Beverly Hills Hotel, who earned an International Hotel School online bursary worth R30,000. Wasseem Carrim, chief executive officer of the National Youth Development Agency, said tourism was a critical growth engine of the South African economy. “It provides quality and meaningful opportunities for young people, which is why we support the challenge with such pride.” www.businesseventsafrica.com
