The Singita Serengeti School of Cooking, Tanzania, Whisks up the Newest Culinary Talent
Singita continues to revolutionise safari dining in 2017 with the first graduating class of the Singita Serengeti School of Cooking in Singita Grumeti, Tanzania. The launch of the Singita Grumeti campus in 2016 follows the success of the Singita School of Cooking in South Africa, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2017.
As one of Singita’s most impactful conservation projects, the cooking schools offer a highly competitive, 18-month course (a 12 month course at the Singita School of Cooking in South Africa) that enrolls eight members of the local community annually to complete a foundation course in chef preparation. The course combines theory components with intensive practical training on the cooking school premises, in the staff village and the lodge kitchens. Not only do these cooking schools increase skills levels in local lodge and hotel kitchens, but also provide valuable employment opportunities for the families living in the surrounding communities. This aligns closely with Singita’s long-term community development initiatives, which assist those who live in and around Singita’s private concessions.
The Singita Serengeti School of Cooking’s very first graduates come from 21 local villages within the Bunda and Serengeti district of the Mara region, which neighbor the Singita Grumeti game reserves. These students joined with very limited knowledge of cooking, and the skills and knowledge they have attained have elevated them to a level where they can now cook for the most discerning clientele from all over the world at Singita’s renowned lodges.
Twenty-six-year-old, Yasinta Gabriel, took the prize for ‘Best Overall Student’ and, after cooking some world-class dishes, the traditional ugali is still her favorite dish. As a qualified chef, she is now more confident in her abilities and is inspired to continue learning so she can move up the ranks and eventually become a teacher at the Singita Serengeti School of Cooking.
Twenty-five-year-old Mrigo Thomas won the prize for ‘Best Pastry Student,’ and is now working as a Commis Chef at Singita Sasakwa Lodge in Singita Grumeti. He praises the school for teaching him ‘entrepreneurship, confidence, and the ability to earn a salary and provide not only for myself but also for my family.’
Singita Serengeti Executive Chef, Frank Louw, who has been with Singita for over 12 years comments on this unique and inspirational culinary project, “The Singita Serengeti School of Cooking was established to encourage the development of culinary skills and employment opportunities among local youth from 21 villages around our game reserves. We hope for the School to grow and generate enough funding to empower more young individuals within our local community with extraordinary skills in the culinary industry.”
The students graduated in February and were presented with their awards at a special ceremony in front of their tutors and family members. Graduates from the Singita Serengeti School of Cooking then gained a Professional Cookery qualification, after which they can commence work at a Commis Chef level within a Singita lodge kitchen, or any other lodge or hotel within Tanzania. Six of the students are now successfully employed in Singita Serengeti lodges.
Celebrating a Decade of Success at the Singita School of Cooking in Singita Kruger National Park,
South Africa
The Singita School of Cooking’s selection process is highly exclusive, with 150 applicants in 2015 for just nine positions. Each day, students have the task of preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner for 120 individuals working for Singita. The students’ level of expertise upon completion of the course is widely recognised, and a fresh new group of graduates has recently earned their NQF Level 4 Certificate in Professional Cookery. Since the School started, over 50 local students have been placed into professional chef positions.
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Note to Editors:
Singita
Singita is a conservation company preserving African wilderness for the past two decades. Through an exceptional safari experience with 12 award-winning lodges and camps across South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, Singita is able to partially fund the protection and preservation pristine land and existing wildlife populations, not to mention help create economic independence within local communities surrounding the reserves.
Travellers choose to stay at Singita because of the expansive space and beauty of the reserves, limited guest and vehicle numbers, extraordinarily consistent game viewing and the exceptional care that is taken of each guest during their stay. Guests leave a Singita safari being transformed for a lifetime and having made a contribution to the legacy of Africa.
Reservations can be made through the address below:
Singita, Tel: +27 21 683 3424,
Email: enquiries@singita.com, www.singita.com
Press Release
Contact: Singita Public Relations
E-mail: PR@singita.com