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Capsicum Culinary Studio’s 21st Anniversary Challenge: 63 finalists vie for 21 prestigious bursaries in thrilling cook-offs nationwide!

It’s the Capsicum Culinaire Challenge Cook-Off Competition … with 21 bursaries up for grabs.

In October last year, to mark its 21st anniversary, Capsicum Culinary Studio, South Africa’s premier culinary school, announced it would award 21 prestigious bursaries as part of its Capsicum Culinaire Challenge competition.

Aspiring chefs were invited to visit the Capsicum Culinary Studio website and submit a video showcasing their culinary prowess. The video had to demonstrate the entire cooking process—from ingredient selection to the final presentation—while highlighting the contestant’s technical skills, creativity, and attention to plating.

Entrants were also asked to submit a brief introduction explaining their choice of dish, the ingredients used, and why it reflected their culinary abilities, along with a personal motivation for why they deserved a bursary.



With over 550 entries pouring in, the judges faced the tough task of narrowing the field down to just 63 finalists. These lucky few will compete in live cook-offs at Capsicum’s seven campuses across South Africa on Saturday, January 18.

According to Capsicum Culinary Studio MD, Renee Hill: “The cook-offs will begin at 9:00am at our campuses in Boksburg, Cape Town, Durban, Nelson Mandela Bay, Pretoria, Rosebank (Johannesburg), and Ruimsig. Finalists will have three hours to prepare their dish.”

“Each campus will feature a mystery box, with ingredients that finalists will only discover on the day—adding an exciting twist to the competition.



“The Capsicum Culinaire Challenge cook-offs are officially endorsed by the SA Chefs Association, and chefs from the Association will serve as judges. The 21 bursary winners will be revealed live during the competition,” says Hill.

The prizes include a one-year Professional Chef Programme, a one-year Professional Patisserie Programme, and a six-month Foundational Cookery Programme.

Hill also invites the public to join the live cook-offs, with an opportunity to learn more about Capsicum’s culinary programmes. For those unable to attend on January 18, Capsicum is hosting registration evenings at all campuses on Tuesday, January 28 from 18:00 to 20:00, with additional registration sessions available in February.

The full registration schedule includes:

  • Saturday, February 1, 09:00–12:00
  • Sunday, February 2, 09:00–12:00
  • Wednesday, February 5, 18:00–20:00
  • Friday, February 7, 18:00–20:00
  • Saturday, February 8, 09:00–12:00

For more information, contact 086 111 2433 or email chef@capsicumcooking.co.za.


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