CTH celebrates the winners of inaugural Chef Skills Competition in South Africa

Hosted in partnership with the South African Chefs Association at InfoChef Gauteng 2025, the competition showcased the next generation of culinary leaders. Over two days, young chefs from South Africa and beyond poured their creativity, skill and determination into every dish. From daring flavour pairings to refined plating, the competition was a vibrant celebration of passion and talent.

Meet the winners

🥇 1st Place: Lesedi Morudi & Unami Binda – Capsicum Culinary Studio, Rosebank

Lesedi and Unami wowed the judges with their innovation and teamwork, proving themselves worthy champions of this historic event. For Unami in particular, the victory capped an extraordinary year: she was also crowned Young Chef of the Year 2025 and took runner-up at the South African Pastry Championships. She is now currently completing her Work Integrated Learning at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff.

🥈 2nd Place: Chloe Fourie & Jesse Robson – The Swiss Hotel School South Africa

Chloe and Jesse impressed with their flair and technical mastery, securing a well-deserved silver and cementing their place as rising stars in the culinary scene.

🥉 3rd Place: Suhayfa Junade & Ennie Makhubela – Limpopo Chefs Academy

With their bronze-winning performance, Suhayfa and Ennie showcased incredible creativity and promise — demonstrating that Limpopo’s culinary talent is one to watch.

Also competing with exceptional spirit and culinary creativity were our finalists from:

• Boswa Culinary Institute of Botswana
• Capsicum Culinary Studio, Pretoria

The competition wasn’t just about winning medals — it was about pushing boundaries and building a community of young chefs ready to shape the future of food. From the electric atmosphere of the cook-off to the heartfelt camaraderie among competitors, this inaugural event set a high bar for the years to come.

CTH Business Development Manager Kobus Thiart, who personally visited the winners at Capsicum Culinary Studio, captured the spirit perfectly:

What a privilege to personally visit Capsicum Culinary Studio Rosebank to celebrate the incredible achievements of Unami Binda and Lesedi Morudi – the winners of the very first CTH Chef Skills Competition, INFOCHEF Gauteng 2025 (The South African Chefs Association). A big thank you to Capsicum Culinary Studio for nurturing such outstanding talent, and to CTH (Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality) for continuously creating opportunities that inspire and empower learners to thrive globally. The future of hospitality and culinary excellence is in safe hands with young professionals like Unami and Lesedi leading the way.

This is just the beginning. With the overwhelming success of its first edition, the CTH Chef Skills Competition – Mzansi promises to become a staple in the Southern African culinary calendar. It’s not only a platform for celebrating excellence but also a springboard for young chefs to gain global recognition.

To every contestant, judge, facilitator and partner: thank you for making history with us. You didn’t just participate — you inspired.

Here’s to the next generation of culinary stars. The journey has only just begun.