Chef 3: Vusi Ngobese

A passionate Sous Chef who worked his way up from scullery to kitchen floor, Vusi Ngobese won’t trade his job at Hluhluwe Protea Hotel for anything.

The unmarried 38-year-old from Hluhluwe has been a chef for almost seven years and owes his career to those who went before him.

Grateful to previous hotel staff willing to train him, Vusi says without them he would not hold the position he does today.

He doesn’t follow any particular culinary trends, but knows what he likes cooking and tries to perfect each dish he puts together.

A penchant for seafood, Vusi loves cooking any fish dish, whether calamari, prawns or a tastefully grilled fillet of line fish.

Despite working for a hotel chain, he is given some leeway in the kitchen, which he uses to best dress the dishes he cooks.

Cooking aside, one of Vusi’s responsibilities is running the staff vegetable garden, another task he truly enjoys.

On the quality and hygiene side, he and the rest of the kitchen staff’s satisfaction score currently sits at 92%, one of the highest in the hotel industry.

Given Hluhluwe’s location, with a Big 5 game reserve on its doorstep, the hotel regularly hosts international guests who are eager to taste the culinary delights South Africa has to offer. Braais in the boma are a huge hit and Vusi loves cooking these homegrown meals for visitors.

Gearing up for DICE Zululand Chef of the Year, he has a special prawn starter up his sleeve, the details of which he chose not to divulge.

He is sure the judges will be impressed with this dish, which is his own creation and has become his specialty.