Taking traditional SA cuisine to the world

Talented chef Xolisa Kalipa has landed the chance of a lifetime – to introduce authentic South African flavours to the world through working for Qatar Airways.

The 22-year-old from Daveyton in Ekurhuleni is among nearly 50 newly appointed recruits who have recently joined the multi-award-winning airline’s catering company, retail and hospitality subsidiaries in Doha, Qatar.

Kalipa is placed with the Qatar Aircraft Catering Company and Qatar Duty-Free, which operate from the world-renowned Hamad International Airport. The kitchen prepares 200,000 meals a day, including about 60 different international cuisines.

Kalipa weathered the heat of the airline’s recruitment process, beating hundreds of other graduates from the Capsicum Culinary Studio’s six campuses in SA, from where she graduated as a professional chef in July last year.

“I served as a commis chef [a novice chef who works to support a chef de partie in a commercial kitchen] in Doha during the Fifa World Cup in 2022,” she said. “I wanted to work there again, so when the opportunity to work for Qatar Airways arose, I jumped at it. I hope to bring popular traditional South African cuisine to the rest of the world one day.”

Kalipa describes herself as strong, courageous and driven to succeed. She also enjoys her family’s unwavering support. “I grew up in a household of 10 people, including my grandparents and my mother. I am a twin with two younger siblings. My strict grandparents always taught us the value of education and hard work.”

Kalipa’s culinary journey began early. She baked for her family when still in primary school and grew up watching cooking shows for cooking tips. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is still her role model and inspiration.

She understands that things aren’t always easy in the kitchen.“I’ve learnt to persevere in the face of mishaps and setbacks. This industry is not for the faint-hearted. You must be strong. It’s important to know how to satisfy the customers’ needs while also allowing an emotional space for their criticism, as this helps us improve our skills and grow into our careers,” she said.

Qatar Airways’ chief people officer Antonio Schulthess is excited about the new recruits: “Recruiting candidates from around the world, as is the case with our partnership with Capsicum Culinary Studio, is part of our ongoing commitment to finding the best talent globally and empowering our personnel to build fulfilling careers with the world’s best airline.”

The significance of the culinary opportunity with Qatar Airways is not lost on Thulisile Mgidi, Capsicum Culinary Studio’s customer experience and career centre manager. “These young chefs are learning invaluable skills from the best of the best,” she said. – Vuk'Uzenzele