What is an artisan chef and how do you become one?

Warning: Trying to access array offset on false in /home/sachejbk/public_html/wp-content/plugins/elementor-pro/modules/dynamic-tags/tags/post-featured-image.php on line 39

Elsu Gericke, Head of Education and Development at SA Chefs, looks at what being an artisan chef means and how you can become one.

The road to become a chef has never been an easy one. Every chef out there has at one point or another thought about throwing in the apron and doing something else. But becoming a chef, and being a chef and cooking is not only a job but a calling, and day after day we put on our whites and get back behind the stoves and chopping boards and create, and inspire, and nourish our customers, our friends, and our families.

On 31 August 2012 the Government Gazette, No 35625, announced that Chef is now a registered trade. But what does that mean?

The trade route is not new to the culinary profession. I remember when I was a culinary student, many years ago, this quote was pasted up on the notice board, “there are two ways to become a chef, one is to go find a job, start at the bottom, and work your way up. Or you could go to culinary school, then find a job, start at the bottom, and work your way up”.

What is an artisan?

So maybe we need to take a step even further back and see what the definition of an Artisan is, especially in the South African context.

The Oxford Dictionary defines an Artisan as “a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.” I think all chefs and aspiring chefs will agree that using that definition a chef is indeed an artisan.

So, what are the rules according to our legislation for an occupation to be considered at Trade? To find this answer we look to the same Gazette for an explanation. The Gazette defines the criteria that will be used by NAMB (National Artisans Moderation Body) to classify occupations as trades as:

An occupation where in a qualified person applies a high level of practical skills supported and re-enforced by underpinning and applied knowledge to:

Manufacture, produce, service, install or maintain tangible goods, products, or equipment in and engineering or and/or or technical work environment
Uses tools and equipment to perform his/her duties
Measure and do fault finding on process, manufacturing, production and/or technical machinery and equipment to apply corrective or repair actions
Apply and adhere to all relevant health, safety, and environmental legislation
Has an accumulative learning period covering knowledge, practical and workplace learning that is equivalent to three or more years.

Becoming an artisan chef

Now that we have covered what the legislation says, lets look at what it means for the chefs and chefs-to-be of the hospitality industry.

There are two routes a young or practicing chef can follow to obtain your Red Seal trade certificate and the right to call yourself an artisan chef.

The first is, as expected, enrolling for a full-time course of three years with a culinary skills development provider, accredited by the QCTO to offer the Chef qualification. You will be expected to fulfill the requirements of the QCTO Occupational Qualification Chef, and this could lead to you being found competent to gain access to the Trade Test. This is the route that young aspirant chefs will take to kick of their career in the culinary industry.

Practicing chefs will follow the ARPL (Artisan Recognition for Prior Learning) route.

The entry requirements for practicing chefs who wish to obtain their Occupational Chef Qualification is:

At least 19 Years of age
Three years work experience as a chef in the kitchen

The key to obtaining your Occupational qualification Chef through ARPL is to have evidence to prove competency against all the outcomes in the qualification.

Once you apply to an assessment center you will be guided through the whole process by assessors and the assessment centre.

Chefs wishing to embark on this route are encouraged to contact an accredited assessment centre in their area and find out more about the ARPL process.