The FIFA World Cup in North America is dominating sports coverage – also in Namibian media. Yet Namibia is not even participating. On the other side, hardly any Namibian knows about the Global Chefs Challenge, a world championship for chefs, which took place in Wales. Although Namibia won bronze there...
...and this despite a handicap for the Namibian team, as Namibian.org learned from the Namibian Chefs Association (NCA) Namibian chef Elizabeth Puleni Taati Isai had to do without her wll-ccordinated assistant, who had not received a visa.
But let's start from the beginning. Isai qualified for the final of the Global Chefs Challenge in May last year. The organiser of the biennial competition, which includes regional semi-final events, is the World Association of Chefs Societies (WorldChefs) of which the NCA is also a member.
In the semi-final for the Middle East and Africa region in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Isai took first place. This made the then 24-year-old one of the 15 regional finalists. It's worth noting: in the senior category.
The Global Chefs Challenge final took place in mid-May in Newport, Wales, as part of the WorldChefs Congress. According to the organiser's website, 950 chefs and industry professionals participated.
No visa for Isai's assistant
Chef Elizabeth Isai (25) and her mentors from the Namibian Chefs Association (NCA), Exco member Ralf Herrgott and President Curt Burns (right), with neck pillows for the flight to the Global Chefs Challenge in Wales. Photo: Post on the NCA Facebook page
Curt Burns (NCA President) and Ralf Herrgott (ExCo member, WorldChefs Education Committee and WorldChefs Academy Representative) travelled from Namibia. "We were there to exchange information with other chefs about global trends," Herrgott explained. Of course, supporting Elizabeth Isai was also a key part of their trip.
Which proved necessary. Isai's assistant could not travel with them: her visa application was rejected, even though it was practically identical to Isai's. "We could have reapplied," Herrgott explained. "But despite the increased costs for the urgent application, approval would not have been guaranteed."
So the Namibian team had no choice but to find someone to step in. An experienced chef from Australia, around 50 years old, agreed to help. "Still a big disadvantage for Isai," Herrgott explained, "because he was obviously unfamiliar with the steps involved in preparing the four courses."
The competition organisers had specified the ingredients and shared them with all the finalists in November. Each participant had to create their own menu consisting of a starter, intermediate course, main course and dessert.
This posed a challenge for the Namibian team, as some of the required ingredients are common in Europe but difficult to obtain in Namibia. And then it was a matter of creating a connection to her homeland with additional, local ingredients.
Naturally, Isai received help from her mentors at the NCA in composing her four-course menu. The Namibian touch was provided by mieliepap parmesan croquettes and a spicy Omakunde salad. Mieliepap is maize porridge, a Namibian staple food, and Omakunde is a type of bean found in northern Namibia.
Chef Isai wins bronze – also for Namibia
Focused on creating culinary delights with a Namibian touch: Namibian chef Elizabeth Isai (25) at the Global Chefs Challenge in Wales. Photo: Ralf Herrgott / WorldChefs
Isai had already presented her menu at an 'Evening at the Chef's Table: A Gala of Culinary Excellence' at the end of March. Sort of a dress rehearsal. The event also served to raise funds for Isai's participation (see report on Namibian.org). Herrgott: "You have to budget about N$ 200,000 per participant."
Thus, Isai and her assistant were a well-coordinated team, which was crucial given the time constraints of a competition. "Isai had to give the Australian chef a lot of instructions," Herrgott explains. "She finished the twelve plates per course on time, but with more composure, she certainly could have scored even more points."
Namibian chef Elizabeth Isai (25) at the Global Chefs Challenge in Wales with her bronze medal menu. Photo: Ralf Herrgott / WorldChefs
Considering this, the 70.9 points the judges awarded Isai (see results on WorldChefs.com) are all the more impressive. This earned her a bronze medal, as did six of her competitors, including those from Portugal, Australia, and the USA. Isai was also the only woman among the 15 finalists.
Even more important than the medal, however, were the experiences gained. Says Herrgott: "Not only Elizabeth, but also Curt and I learned a great deal at the competition and congress. The teams from some countries had prepared more intensively, and we were able to pick up a few things from them."
Namibia has also benefited, as one of the 15 finalists in the Global Chefs Challenge, one of the world's most prestigious culinary competitions. "Competing at the international level is a major step for Namibia," concludes Ralf Herrgott, delighted with Elizabeth Isai's success.
Namibia on the international culinary stage at the Global Chefs Challenge in Wales: Namibian chef Elizabeth Isai (25) with her stand-in assistant from Australia. Photo: Ralf Herrgott / WorldChefs
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