After the success of its cooking school in the Kruger National Park, Singita has announced that it has opened a second school in the Serengeti, Tanzania. The Serengeti School of Cooking, which opened in July, promises to give students the best education in the art of food (and wine).

As the hospitality and tourism industries in Tanzania continue to grow, so too does the demand for qualified chefs. The aim of the cooking school is not only to bridge this widening gap, but also to promote cheffing as a highly skilled occupation that offers great prospects for employment.

The course load will cover topics such as professional cookery, food production, catering, as well as communication skills, customer care and computer literacy. It will also offer practical training, with students getting the opportunity to put their knowledge to the test as members of the staff canteen and lodge kitchen teams.

Pioneering this exciting project is Singita Serengeti Executive Chef, Frank Louw, who has been with the company for nearly 10 years. “I’m eager to not only share my passion for food with the students, but do my bit to positively impact the lives of the communities within the Serengeti and surrounding Bunda districts”, Louw says. “I hope that what we’ve started here will make a real difference in the lives of the students and their families”.

Graduates from the Serengeti School of Cooking will gain a nationally recognised 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.

Singita Sasakwa Lodge, Tanzania

Along with environmental sustainability, the support and upliftment of local communities is a key part of Singita's role in preserving the wilderness areas of which it is a guardian. Other projects at Singita Grumeti in Tanzania include an Environmental Education Centre, a scholarship fund for local students and small business development programmes that teach agricultural skills.