Chef Andiswa's Unforgettable Experience at the Oxford Food Symposium
Chef Andiswa's Unforgettable Experience at the Oxford Food Symposium
“One of my very dear dreams in life have been made possible through Andiswa Mqedlana, who has met one of my all time favourite and super inspiring genius’ Harold McGee!”
Thank you to the Oxford Food Symposium for awarding Chef Andiswa with this Young Chefs Grant, with the support of Harold McGee, in 2020 and honouring your word in that she will one day get to this life-changing event. This would have been immediate but Covid made things a little more complicated!
When Andiswa arrived home she messaged me “I would like to say a HUGE thank you for putting me forward for the Oxford Food Symposium it was an unbelievable experience thank you for always seeing something in me.”
A few words from Andiswa about her time in London at Oxford University:
“My Experience as a Young Chef…to try and articulate the feeling of being afforded a young chef's grant to attend the Oxford Food Symposium, it goes beyond words just to be recognised in that particular space and to be invited to share a space with such intellectual guests, it was an honour to say the least.
At first I couldn't fully comprehend what receiving a grant of this magnitude meant, I felt it validated that I am on the correct path, and there was more beyond my horizons. It became very clear to me that I could not be fixated on a curated career path, but have to find my own voice in the culinary space.
As a young Chef exposure is an integral part of your growth and gaining as much knowledge comes highly recommended and that is exactly what the Symposium did for me, I have not only gained a stamp in my passport but met the most amazing four companions, people who have changed the way we see food and the ever changing conversations around food. I count myself privileged having gained this experience.”
Well done Andiswa you deserve every opportunity that comes your way, keep shining!
Also, thank you Elba Cookers and Ramola Makan for supporting Andiswa and seeing, even before she started my course, that a star was in the making!
(The Oxford Symposium on food and Cookery is the oldest and most preeminent conference on food history)
