Chefs Cheri Speelman and Catherine Eybers focused on feeding the needs of those who could be also be trained to become culinary professionals or SMME owners, during the 2023 gala evening fundraiser, Gourmets and Gourmands at Carpe Diem School in George.
Cooking is much more than making food easier to eat, digest or to ensure its safety or making it keep longer. Cooking food for good is the art of feeding people with appetising and palatable satisfaction. This is a definite reason for the François Ferreira Academy (FFA) in George to pick up on the feeding of people in need.
The 14th annual Gourmets and Gourmands gala evening fundraiser at the Carpe Diem School at the end of August offered the ideal platform to once again, joyfully, contribute the outstanding heart of a chef culinary expertise of the François Ferreira Academy to support a school in need.
“In feeding the talent of our hand-selected learners we are contributing towards feeding the hunger of those in need,” says Catherine Eybers, campus manager at the Academy.
She adds the training of funded students at FFA can have an impact on the economical strain. “Unemployed people can either become employed and in need of food or they can end up joining the SMME world. We choose the latter.”
At François Ferreira Academy we are feeding the potential new talented students, including the unemployed, to in-still skills with students to enable them to even consider starting their own small business, which again can end up feeding someone else.
Gourmets and Gourmands
The late Chef François Ferreira was one of the founders of this annual gala evening intended to raise funds to assist learners in need at Carpe Diem. The event is bringing restaurants and their crews under one roof to raise funds for differently abled learners. This shows that as Chefs you don’t just have to contribute to feeding the stomach, there are so many different levels in the community that you can add to contributing.
Gourmets and Gourmands 2023 took place on Saturday 26 August. All tables have been reserved to contribute to the Carpe Diem cause. The gala launch aptly included a toast to the life of François Ferreira.
Since FFA is valued by the George community as the Best of George tertiary institute in 2023 the Academy is gratefully contributing towards the delivery of exceptional newly qualified chefs with pure culinary hearts to take their rightful place in the preparation of world-class food for gourmets and gourmands alike.
There has always been a firm belief within the campus that you should give back to the community that feeds your talent and feeds your inspiration to create a plate of food, says Chef Catherine.
“With that in mind François Ferreira Academy still believes that they should get involved in feeding the community in whatever way is required. This is what is important in terms of cooking for the good of the community.
Feed the need
So many chefs in South Africa have stepped in when it was needed – either during the pandemic or during community crisis – to assist with using their talent to ensure that people are fed. This might include developing a feeding sock that is a balanced meal at a nominal fee. Whether for poverty relief, the elderly, students, campers or just those who wish to prepare a great and quick meal, food socks are the perfect pantry item. Food Socks is a perfect meal for all sectors of South Africa.
So with whatever type of foodie you identify you may already encircle the end of Winter 2024 for the next Gourmets and Gourmands in George, in remembrance of Chef François and a real gastronomic culture in support of the Carpe Diem School. Visit www.francoisferreira.com for chef training info.
