Dalise Stynfaard, aspiring pastry chef, has been selected to join the four-person team that will be representing The Table Bay hotel at the prestigious Cape Legends Inter Hotel Challenge, often dubbed the “Hotel Oscars”.
This is the first time Stynfaard will be participating, and will be competing against other respected hotels from around the Western Cape.
Leading up to the regional event on 30 March, the teams will be taking part in several workshops, in order to sharpen their knives and hone their skills.
The finalists from the regional event will go onto compete against teams from across the country in the final national challenge, which will be taking place in June.
“It is a great honour for me to be chosen as part of the team. I am excited about competing against other pastry chefs and look forward to networking and learning through this process. In this line of work, constantly learning must be a focus. I always embrace every opportunity to learn from the people I meet. This competition is a meeting of minds and I am keen to absorb as much information and ideas as I can,” says Stynfaard.
Stynfaard, who grew up in the Western Cape, has always taken a keen interest in baking and confectionary.
“It has been my lifelong dream to be a pastry chef. I wasn’t attracted to this field, I was born into it. Desserts are so versatile and there are endless opportunities to be creative with ingredients and combinations. Each creation tells a story, whether it’s a heart-warming pudding or a beautiful piece of edible art. With pastries and confectionary, you are only limited by your imagination,” says Stynfaard, who completed her training at the Chef Training and Innovation Academy.
During Stynfaard’s time at The Table Bay, she has become entrenched into the supportive culture at the hotel. She describes the team as a family and says she has come to appreciate the value of teamwork.
To other young people keen to pursue a career in the specialized field of confectionary and pastries she has this advice:
“Follow your dream and use every opportunity to learn. Keep your head down, go for it, and prove everyone wrong.”
The other team members representing The Table Bay in the competition include Jonathon Wakefield (Sommelier candidate), Bradley Solomons (Concierge candidate) and Kurt de Wet (Chef candidate).
