Skills showcase draws record entries Food by Empact held its 2026 Culinary Exchange at the Red Roman Shed at Emperors Palace, bringing together chefs, baristas, suppliers, clients and internal teams for the annual competition. The event set new records for chef entries, supplier participation and client attendance, with more than 100 clients and approximately 400 Empact managers present throughout the day.
Chef competition format emphasizes mentorship Nine regional finalists competed in the Chef's Competition, each paired with an assistant chef—a pairing Empact uses to build emerging culinary talent into future executive chef roles. Competitors had three hours to prepare three courses. The starter and main course came from a mystery basket, while the dessert—an Apple Charlotte with chocolate crémeux, Maldon salt, olive oil and a sugar dome—tested precision and technical skill. All competitors were required to use fire to prepare at least one dish element while minimizing food waste. Executive Chef Bevan Cornelius, assisted by Leticia Dywili from Netcare Kuils River in Cape Town, won first place and a R15,000 prize plus a Rational knife set. Their menu featured prawn arancini with lemon aioli and seared duck breast with smoked mashed potato, sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, duck-fat potato skins and blueberry jus. Rynhard van de Westhuizen and assistant Thabo Masekela from Vodacom Gauteng took second place (R10,000) with seabass roulade filled with dill and prawn on beurre blanc, and coal-fired duck breast with honey-butter sweet potato and blueberry and beetroot purée. Gedaffi Cezula and Portia Khenkebe from the Mercedes-Benz plant in East London placed third (R5,000) with pan-seared seabass and flame-grilled duck.
Barista competition reflects months of preparation Tebisa Juca, Unit Barista at Akeso Parktown, won the Barista Competition. Six finalists selected from hundreds of entries each prepared two cappuccinos with latte art, demonstrated correct extraction, discussed tasting notes and created a signature drink. Kuben Moodley, Managing Director of Food by Empact, noted that finalists "do not arrive at the final by chance. They have come through months of preparation and selection to earn their place."
Supplier showcase becomes central platform More than 100 suppliers created interactive stands where guests sampled products and spoke directly with businesses providing ingredients, products and services across Empact's operations. Moodley said the showcase reflects Empact's view of suppliers as partners rather than vendors: "Our suppliers contribute directly to the service we are able to deliver to clients. They bring ideas, products, technical expertise and solutions into our business, and this event gives them the platform they deserve." Empact Group CEO Alan Quinn told guests that the competition had grown substantially since its introduction six years ago. "This competition gives people across our kitchens the opportunity to step forward and show what they can do," Quinn said. "Not everyone who enters starts out as a chef. We have cooks and team members who are given the chance to create, compete and demonstrate their ability. What they produce when that opportunity is placed in front of them says a great deal about the talent within our business."
Why It Matters
The Culinary Exchange illustrates how large foodservice operators are structuring internal talent development and supplier relationships around visible, competitive benchmarks. The pairing of executive and assistant chefs, combined with months of regional qualifying rounds, signals an intentional pipeline approach to kitchen leadership—a model other contract caterers may observe as labor challenges persist across the sector.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
