Chania Morritt-Smith (Showcook), Nkululeko Mateke (Chef), Winemaker Hanri Ferreira, Likhona Yam (Pastry), Carina Gous (GM Kleine Zalze), Ntando Vilakazi (Beverage) and Mentors Marike Gerricke (Pastry Chef, The Silo) and Bianca Schreuder (Hot Chef, The Silo).
In the kitchens and service spaces of South Africa’s leading hotels, a quiet but powerful transformation is taking place. It is not just about food on plates or Cape wine in glasses, but about confidence, opportunity and the shaping of futures. At the centre of this movement stands the Reaching for Young Stars programme, a dynamic initiative that has, since 2009, become one of the hospitality industry’s most influential platforms for nurturing young talent.
And this year Kleine Zalze Wines, the award-winning winery in Stellenbosch, will for the 5th year once again be partnering with Showcook.com, organisers of the Reaching For Young Stars Competition (formerly known as the Inter Hotel Challenge), to ensure the entrants have the level of wine knowledge and insight to complement their culinary and service prowess.
Hosted in 2026 by Taj Cape Town, the programme continues to shine a spotlight on the Western Cape’s growing role as a global hospitality destination. As tourism expands and international interest in South Africa intensifies, the need for highly skilled, confident hospitality professionals has never been greater. Reaching for Young Stars answers this need by creating a structured pathway for aspiring chefs, bakers, beverage specialists and service professionals to develop both technically and personally.
Organised by Showcook.com in partnership with renowned culinary authority Annette Kesler, the programme goes beyond competition. It is a carefully designed developmental journey, drawing students from leading culinary academies including the Cape Town Hotel School, Capsicum Culinary Studio, the International Hotel School and the innovative Silo Internship Initiative, among others. These institutions nominate their most promising students – young people who show not only skill, but commitment, curiosity and ambition.
According to Chania Morritt-Smith of Showcook.com, the programme’s importance lies in the life-changing opportunities it creates. “This year, we are offering amazing programmes for the winners of the TAJ Cape Town Reaching for Young Stars. These will shape their careers, equipping them to step into their chosen roles within the ever-evolving hospitality industry,” she explains.
Those opportunities are substantial. Winners in the hot kitchen and pastry chef categories, for example, earn the chance to undertake a three-month professional placement in France – an experience that exposes them to world-class culinary standards and international working environments. Other awards include advanced training opportunities, industry certifications and mentorship programmes that strengthen professional skills and broaden career horizons.
Yet beyond the impressive prizes, the real transformation happens during the journey itself. Workshops form the backbone of the programme, offering students hands-on training and exposure to seasoned industry professionals. From kitchen skills to beverage service and sustainability awareness, participants are introduced to the rigour and discipline demanded by the hospitality profession.
For this year’s Reaching for the Young Stars, Kleine Zalze Wines has partnered with the team from The Silo Hotel in the V&A Waterfront, whose internship initiative continues to nurture emerging talent. The Silo team, comprising Ntando Vilakazi, Likhona Yam and Khanyisani Mlotshwa, recently visited Kleine Zalze Wines’ cellar for a true wine immersion, courtesy of winemaker Hanri Visser. After Hanri took the team through the winemaking process in Kleine Zalze’s new state-of-the-art cellar, Ntando, Likhona and Khanyisani were given the opportunity to taste the winery’s range of premium wines, from old vineyard Chenin Blanc, cool-climate Grenache, iconic Stellenboch Cabernet Sauvignon and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc.
“Wine is an inseparable part of the culinary world, and it is of the utmost importance that the wine industry gets involved with burgeoning chefs and wine stewards from the beginning of their careers,” says Carina Gous, GM of Kleine Zalze Wines. “The better the chefs and the entire hospitality culinary component understand wine, the better informed they are in offering the customer a superior experience. And as all culinary students and professionals know – or should know – an elevated customer experience leads to better business for the well-being of all concerned. The Reaching for the Young Stars initiative allows Kleine Zalze to partner with dynamic, ambitious young chefs and wine service staff in elevating their wine knowledge and appreciation which will inspire them in incorporating wine and the ethos of the marriage of wine and food in their respective culinary offerings.”
\With the winning team of this year’s Reaching for the Young Stars competition to be revealed at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town on 11 June, the next step is for The Silo troika to prepare their entry meal paired with Kleine Zalze Wines.
“As the beverage guy, I will make the suggestions to my team’s dishes, but it is a collaborative effort,” says Ntando. “After tasting the excellent Kleine Zalze red and white wines, Likhona and Khanyisani will no doubt also use their newly acquired wine palates to create dishes worthy of these wines, and like everyone, I just can’t wait to get to work on the final pairings. The culinary world is hard work; this is one of the first lessons we learn. But thanks for initiatives like Reaching for the Young Stars and support from Klein Zalze Wines, it is a lot of delicious fun, too.”