New chefs' school aims to provide affordable and accessible culinary education
Kayla-Ann Osborn, an award-winning South African chef from KwaZulu-Natal who made an impact on the South African culinary scene at an unusually young age, is making a carefully thought-out move to address the shortage of skilled culinary professionals and the high cost of education in the field.
Osborn is launching Kayla Osborn Culinary School in her hometown of Pennington, KwaZulu-Natal, with its first intake scheduled for 2026. This new school is poised to provide a much-needed solution by offering affordable and accessible culinary education.
She told TGIFood this week, when asked if her school would be more affordable for those who cannot afford most chefs' schools: 'Yes, we are much more competitive for a much more comprehensive education. The most important part is all the mandatory inservice training is done in my restaurants. So students are not at the mercy of bad inservice training establishments.'
The cost is 'about R120,000' a year per student, Osborn said, and this includes accommodation on site and in a secure housing estate. The three-year course 'includes the trade test', she added.
'It's 300 metres from the restaurants and the accommodation is above the main teaching kitchen. As much as my focus has always been fine dining, moving into the world of owning businesses I've realised we need to be teaching skills that help students start small businesses from home. Because the reality is that not many students have the money to open a restaurant and if they do, they probably shouldn't.'
Osborn added: 'There's a lot of focus on developing skills to build small businesses from home. [To] start stimulating the local economies without huge startup costs and to encourage artisan products into circulation.'
Kayla-Ann Osborn is a celebrated figure in the culinary world, with a remarkable career that includes an impressive stint as Executive Chef at Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch. After honing her skills at 1000 Hills Chef School, she became Executive Chef at Chef's Table in 2017.
She has since returned to her roots on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, where she owns and operates three successful restaurants in Pennington, including The Pennington Pantry, Kayla-Ann's restaurant, and The Italian Club.
Her passion for the industry and her desire to give back are the driving forces behind this new venture.
Osborn says: 'Culinary education is not just about cooking; it's about creating opportunities and empowering individuals to live their dreams.'
The school's philosophy is built around a hands-on approach and mentorship from acclaimed South African chefs. Aspiring students can look forward to a comprehensive training experience that goes beyond the basics.
The curriculum is designed to cover a wide range of skills, from fine dining techniques to wood-fired cooking. Kayla-Ann's programme emphasises artisan trades like cheese making, sourdough baking, and gelato production, ensuring students gain a diverse and practical skill set.
The school will also offer training in a production kitchen and a commercial shelf product kitchen, preparing students for the real-world demands of the industry. The certified courses include a professional chef qualification, WSET Level 1 Award in Wines, Highfield Diplomas in various culinary areas, and even basic business and finance skills for those who dream of starting their own ventures.
The launch of the school comes at a crucial time for South Africa, which faces a high unemployment rate and a limited number of trade schools. By creating opportunities in hospitality, the school aims to positively affect the industry as a whole.
The school promises to tackle the barriers that many young, aspiring chefs face — the steep cost of quality education and the lack of accessible, certified training. Kayla Osborn Culinary School is dedicated to nurturing talent and providing the tools necessary for success, helping a new generation of chefs find their place in the culinary world.
For those interested in applying, email a motivational letter and your contact details to [email protected]. The team will then schedule interviews to discuss your culinary aspirations. DM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Did Elon Musk snub handshake to Ramaphosa?
A clip of Elon Musk seemingly snubbing a handshake from President Cyril Ramaphosa has gone viral. But is it all it seems for the Pretoria-born billionaire who has accused the South African government of promoting 'openly racist laws'? On the X app, a short clip of President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to the White House resurfaced. In May, the president visited the Oval Office alongside a delegation, where he met with US President Donald Trump. In the video, Ramaphosa shakes the hands of US officials, whilst Elon Musk laughs and looks on. 'Elon Musk doesn't touch k******. This is embarrassing 💔', read a X post. However, a community note quickly corrected the fake news by posting the full clip of Elon shaking the president's hand. Last year, the two men met to discuss the potential operation of Elon Musk's internet satellite service, Starlink, in the country. In images posted by the president, Musk was seen smiling while shaking his hand. South Africa is one of a few African countries that has not granted Elon Musk's internet satellite service, Starlink, a licence to operate. According to the world's richest man, this is a result of 'racist laws', which require his company to adhere to a 30% local ownership mandate. The Pretoria-born billionaire is referring to the transformative legislation, Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which he has reportedly rejected. According to reports, Starlink, which falls under SpaceX, could effectively bypass the law with its plans to invest over R2 billion in the country. Business Day reports that the company would finance infrastructure to support the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is made up of 16 countries. Could Starlink operate in South Africa without adehering to transformative legislation? Images via X: @starlink In May, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi gazetted a policy direction for his department on Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs), which are considered 'alternatives' to transformative legislation. Without mentioning Starlink or Elon Musk, the minister claimed that the policy would 'attract investment,' specifically in operating licensing. The minister revealed that current legislation for foreign investments 'did not allow companies to contribute to transformation goals in ways other than traditional ownership'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
South African banks face scrutiny over political account closures
SA's big banks' trade policies in the spotlight Image: IOL Regulators have been warned against approaching complaints about South African banks in the same way as US president Donald Trump, who this week issued an executive order after accusing financial institutions of unacceptably restricting law-abiding individuals and businesses' access to banking services based on political or religious beliefs. Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industries Workers Union of SA (Giwusa), an affiliate of the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), said Giwusa would not support merely implementing moves similar to Trump's as the situation required the same interventions but for different reasons. Sebei said moves against the banks for being reactionary and assaulting human rights must be supported. "We also know that banks are not accountable in this country, there are political parties, trade unions, community organisations whose bank accounts were closed without an adequate explanation," he said. Sebei described banks as untransformed and that there is not much to look into as far as the banking industry and its conduct are concerned as many South Africans have suffered a lot. He said even Giwusa recently had a dispute with one of the country's major banks, which gave some members access to the union's accounts without authorisation and there were no adequate explanations. According to Sebei, companies perceived to be close to certain public figures have had their bank accounts closed without explanation. "When they close bank accounts, they are effectively condemning workers in those companies to unemployment, retrenchments and job losses. You cannot destroy a company to punish the owners," he said. Sebei said the idea that private banking institutions can take political decisions is extremely dangerous and that is why this should be strongly regulated. In addition, he said the law already provides for instances where there is suspicion of misuse of banking facilities by a client that is able to be reported to the authorities as provided for in the Financial Intelligence Commission Act. Sebei added that the current laws can be implemented without jeopardising jobs and the livelihoods of workers. "Financial services are a lubricant by which the economy is working, it has enormous power in society and in the economy that can destroy not only individuals but also companies and whole industries. These people are wielding enormous public power that has been privatised into institutions that are guided by profiteering and nothing else and want to exercise this power without transparency, accountability and even pass political judgment and that for me is deeply troubling," he said.
The South African
7 hours ago
- The South African
Shauwn Mkhize's Royal AM ordered to repay R27 million sponsorship
Royal AM Football Club will be required to repay all funds received from a controversial R27 million sponsorship deal with the Msunduzi Municipality, following a High Court ruling declaring the agreement unlawful. The judgment comes just weeks after the municipality moved to cancel the three-year sponsorship agreement, which had sparked public outrage. The football club is owned by Durban businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize and her son, Andile Mpisane. Local ratepayers and civil society groups, who have long opposed the deal, have welcomed the court's decision as a victory for transparency and accountability. 'We've been against the sponsorship from the start,' said Anthony Waldhausen, CEO of the Msunduzi Association of Residents, Ratepayers and Civics (MARRC). 'Now, we're looking forward to the municipality taking steps to recover the money owed. That funding should be redirected to urgently needed service delivery.' The sponsorship was originally pitched as a strategic investment in sports development and brand exposure. However, critics slammed it as irresponsible spending in a municipality grappling with service delivery challenges and financial strain. Calls have also intensified to broaden the investigation into the origins and motivations behind the deal, with demands for greater oversight of municipal finances. The court's ruling now compels the Msunduzi Municipality to initiate processes to recover the full R27 million from Royal AM. It remains to be seen whether the club will comply voluntarily or if further legal action will be required. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
