Thinking of becoming a chef? Start by asking these questions:
For a few hours during the recent July school holidays, we welcomed a new group of visitors.
Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners arrived at the ICA campus in Stellenbosch with a mixture of excitement, curiosity and (for some) a healthy dose of nerves.
Some had dreamed of becoming chefs for years, yet others were still exploring their options, wondering whether the culinary world might be the right place for them.
For one morning, they stepped into the world of the Institute of Culinary Arts.
They walked the same paths as our students; they spent time in the same training kitchens where practical skills are developed every day. They experienced the professional environment where lectures, demonstrations and hands-on learning come together to shape future chefs.
Most importantly, they had the opportunity to experience the ICA for themselves because no brochure, website or social media post can fully capture what it feels like to stand inside a professional training kitchen and imagine yourself there.
As the morning unfolded, conversations naturally began, and questions were asked. Many were questions that prospective applicants – and often their parents – quietly carry with them while trying to decide what comes after school.
Here are some of the questions we hear most often:
Q: Do I need to be able to cook well before I apply?
A: No.
In fact, some of our most successful graduates arrived at the ICA with very little to no cooking experience whatsoever.
What they did bring was curiosity. They wanted to learn, they were willing to listen, they were prepared to practise, to ask questions and to improve every day.
Technical skills can be taught. Professional habits are developed. Passion, commitment and perseverance, however, come from within.
At the ICA, students don’t arrive fully formed — they grow into confident culinary professionals through expert guidance, practical experience and a culture that encourages continuous learning.
Q: What if I make mistakes?
A: You will. Every chef does, and every lecturer has. Every award-winning ICA graduate made mistakes.
Professional kitchens are places of constant learning and mistakes are often the moments that teach us the most. At the ICA, students are challenged to strive for excellence, but they are equally encouraged to reflect, improve and begin again when something isn’t yet excellent.
Learning to respond positively to feedback is one of the most valuable skills a future chef can develop — not only in the kitchen, but throughout life.
Q: Do I need to be creative?
A: Creativity is often misunderstood.
Many people imagine that great chefs simply wake up inspired, effortlessly inventing beautiful dishes, but the reality is very different.
Creativity grows from knowledge. It develops through technique, curiosity, observation and practice.
The more students learn about ingredients, flavours, textures, cultures and culinary traditions, the more confidently they begin to create.
At the ICA, creativity is not expected on the first day. It is nurtured layer by layer.
Q: What if I’m shy?
A: The hospitality industry is built around people.
Whether leading a kitchen brigade, collaborating with colleagues or communicating with guests, confidence develops through experience.
Many students begin their journey quietly, preferring to observe before they speak, and that is perfectly acceptable.
Through teamwork, practical training, presentations and daily interaction, students gradually discover their own voice and develop the confidence needed to thrive in a professional environment.
Some of the strongest leaders are those who first learned how to listen.
Q: Will I really have good career opportunities?
A: The culinary world today offers more opportunities than ever before.
ICA graduates can be found leading restaurants, developing food products, writing cookbooks, presenting television programmes, managing wine estates, coordinating events, teaching, consulting, styling food for publications, running successful businesses and shaping the future of hospitality in countless other ways.
A culinary education is no longer limited to one career path.
It is the beginning of many possibilities.
Q: What is the ICA looking for in an applicant?
A: Perhaps this is the most important question of all.
We are not searching for perfection; we are looking for potential. For students who are curious, who are able to work hard when it is needed, who welcome constructive feedback and who understand that excellence is built one lesson, one practical, one service and one day at a time.
We value respect, professionalism, integrity, attention to detail and a willingness to learn because these are the qualities that cannot simply be taught from a textbook — they are cultivated through commitment and reinforced every day.
Experience It for Yourself
One of the greatest values of ICA events like Winter School workshops is giving prospective students the chance to picture themselves as part of the ICA community. To imagine attending lectures, working alongside fellow students, learning from experienced lecturers and growing in confidence with every practical session. For many, that first visit transformed an abstract dream into something that could potentially become real.
If you were unable to attend our Winter School this July, we warmly invite you to visit us at our next Open Day on Saturday, 12 September.
Come and explore the campus, meet our lecturers and students, experience our facilities and ask every question that’s on your mind.
Because choosing a chef school is about far more than selecting a place to study. It is about finding an environment where your potential is recognised, your character is developed, and your passion is nurtured. Sometimes, all it takes is one visit to discover where your own culinary journey could begin.
