Mentored by The Westin Cape Town, Chef De Partie Jody Africa entered this year’s Cape Legends Inter Hotel Challenge and walked away with the ‘Most Creative Chef’ award as well as the ‘Best Dessert’ award, as awarded by Lancewood.
In its third year running, the Cape Legends Inter Hotel Challenge had 25 hotels nationally take part from the Cape, Gauteng, Port Elizabeth and KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the prestigious competition is to promote skills development in the hospitality industry and to highlight young talent, as each Chef is mentored by their respective hotel.
“We are so proud of Jody, and it has been an absolute privilege to watch him grow from a young Commis Chef into an outstanding (and now award winning) asset to the hotel,” says Grant Cullingworth, executive chef of The Westin Cape Town.
“The Cape Legends initiate is a personal way for us as a hotel, not only to uplift and enhance job creation but also for us to pass on a legacy and a tradition.”
Jody started his career in retail as an operations assistant at Woolworths before completing his diploma in professional cookery at Northlink College. He pursued his passion for food which was accidently given to him thanks to his moms objectionable cooking, and in 2009 he was employed as Commis Chef at The Westin Cape Town. In 2011 he was transferred 
to the ON19 restaurant (formerly Westin Executive Club) where Chris Mare, Chef de Cuisine at The Westin Cape Town has taken Jody under his wing and taught him the intricacies of fine dining.
In 2012 Jody was promoted to Demi Chef De Partie and shortly afterwards, worked his way up to Chef De Partie in 2014.
