The Diamond Works

The Reaching for Young Stars, now in its 16th year, fosters and promotes entrepreneurship among students, demonstrating their abilities and ultimately earning recognition leading to career advancement beyond graduation. With the valuable support of committed partners, Showcook offers exceptional opportunities to winners not only in the United States and France but also within South Africa’s leading hotels. In these establishments, industry experts willingly share their knowledge and expertise to nurture and cultivate the young South African talent, catering to the demands of our crucial and thriving tourism industry.

It is our great pleasure to announce that this year, the Reaching for Young Stars will be welcomed to our new home at the distinctive Fairmont Managed Hotel, Cape Grace, which is part of Accor. Accor is a French multinational hospitality company that owns, manages, and franchises hotels, resorts, and vacation properties. It is the largest hospitality company in Europe and the sixth largest worldwide, operating in 5,445 locations across more than 110 countries. See more…Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality

Cape Grace’s General Manager, Leon Meyer, has met the students this year at the Skills Exchange Development Workshop, generously hosted in March, by CTIA – Chefs Training & Innovation Academy at their swish new campus in Stellenbosch. See more… Skills Share Programme

Meet The Chefs, the Pastry Chefs & Bakers and Beverage & Barista Students entering!

The Cape Grace Reaching for Young Stars, in association with Century City Conference Centre & Hotels, is a pinnacle platform for budding chefs to demonstrate their culinary prowess and vie for esteemed recognition within the hospitality industry. The annual competition continues to elevate young talents, providing them with opportunities to make their mark on the global stage. The winners will be announced on Thursday 13th June 2024 at the Century City Conference Centre.

The Inter-Hotel Challenge, now in its twelfth year with 26 top hotels on board from Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town in the Western Cape, The Palace of the Lost City in the Northern Province, Marriott Johannesburg Hotel Melrose Arch in Gauteng and Beverly Hills in KwaZulu-Natal and many more focuses on the vital role that mentorship plays for the next generation in hospitality in South Africa, broadening horizons and providing inspiration for career growth. The young men and women we meet as candidates throughout the Challenge go on to become mainstays in South Africa‘s hospitality industry.

Hospitality is the backbone of tourism and tourism is a core industry of South Africa. We need to sustain the high standards by which we are known around the globe.

Our mentorship programme has the passionate commitment of the hotels, their management, sommeliers, executive chefs, farmers, food producers and educators across the disciplines.

The Challenge builds specialist skills across the hospitality industry while exposing winners to international practice in their area of expertise.

These skills offer greater economic opportunity and inclusion. Better-trained hospitality and tourism service staff continue to senior positions, allowing for new entrants. To date, an approximate total of 2000 candidates have been exposed to specialty training provided by the Challenge.

Through consulting with adventure providers and establishments within the tourism industry we are forging partnerships that promote accessibility for all abilities.