Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine Graduation 2025: A Celebration of Excellence
The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands lit up this July as the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine (JCSFW) celebrated the graduation of its 18-month and three-year culinary cohorts. Families, industry partners, and the culinary heavyweight, Chef Liam Tomlin, joined Chef Jackie Cameron and her team to applaud a year of remarkable achievement, real-world growth, and world-class standards.
“The best school in the country” - from those who would know
Our guest speaker Chef Liam Tomlin (Chefs Warehouse) praised the calibre of JCSFW graduates, calling them among the most sought-after in the industry thanks to a culture of excellence, attention to detail, and serious investment in top-tier equipment. Parents echoed the sentiment, highlighting the school’s rigorous standards and outstanding sponsor support. Students spoke about mentorship that “gives you Chef Jackie’s name”, and the responsibility that comes with it.
Top honours: international internship at a Michelin-starred restaurant
Gerhard Blome was named Culinary Equipment Student of the Year 2025, receiving a Weber kettle braai and a three-month internship at Restaurant JAN in Nice France, including visa, return airfare, accommodation, and a monthly stipend. The voucher was personally signed by Stefan Gutstadt, Managing Director at Culinary Equipment Company, and Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, the first South African chef to earn a Michelin star. It’s a life-changing launchpad for a young chef whose goal is to open a restaurant in Europe.
Other stand-out awards recognised excellence in wine, hygiene and kitchen management, practical placements, pastry, determination, improvement and exam performance, reflecting the breadth of skills students master at JCSFW
Why the industry rates Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine graduates
Intensive, recognised programmes
Choose between an 18-month professional chef course or an extended three-year track that blends foundational mastery with real workplace exposure. Graduates are trained to arrive in professional kitchens ready to contribute from day one.
Small classes, big mentorship
The school caps intake to keep classes small and mentorship personal. Students work directly with Chef Jackie and visiting specialists, from cake-decorating legend Pam Alty to coffee training with Terbodore Coffee Roasters.Equipment that sets the standard
Learners train in industry-grade kitchens featuring a DEFY patisserie kitchen, a dedicated Charvet training kitchen, a demonstration kitchen, a student kitchen, and a wine cellar. Through our partnerships and on-campus activations with leading brands including ELBA and Charvet, students work with professional cookers, and tools aligned to top-restaurant standards.Real-world service
Students prep and serve for public-facing events such as the Hilton Arts Festival, the school’s Dining Etiquette sessions, and High Tea pastry service, building confidence under pressure and refining both back and front-of-house skills.A holistic culinary education
From classic techniques, butchery and fish, to pâtisserie, cake icing, costing, menu planning, hygiene, kitchen management and plating for social, our 360° curriculum shapes chefs who think like professionals.Sustainability and stewardship
Students garden, practice no-waste cooking and learn to creatively repurpose ingredients; skills today’s kitchens value as much as flavour and speed.
The partners who power possibility
We’re proud to collaborate long-term with Culinary Equipment Company, ELBA, DEFY, Oryx, Homewood, Wonderbag, Weber, WSET, Terbodore, and more. Their ongoing investment, from prizes and product training to professional-grade gear and on-campus activations, exposes our students to the standards and expectations of leading kitchens and cellars.
Study in the KZN Midlands. Work anywhere.
Hilton’s fresh air and focused pace create an ideal training environment; with mountains, meanders and producers on our doorstep, and Cape Winelands tours built into the programme’s wine education. It’s a beautiful place to learn the craft, and a powerful springboard to national and international kitchens.
Enrol for 2026 (fees frozen at 2025 rates)
“To celebrate 10 years, and more than 100 graduates thriving in hospitality in South Africa and abroad, we’re freezing 2026 tuition and accommodation at 2025 levels. If you’re serious about excellence and ready to be pushed, mentored, and equipped for real kitchens, apply now for our 18-month Professional Chef Course or three-year track. I can’t wait to welcome you to Hilton and help you build a career you’re proud of.”
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The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands lit up this July as the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine (JCSFW) celebrated the graduation of its 18-month and three-year culinary cohorts. Families, industry partners, and the culinary heavyweight, Chef Liam Tomlin, joined Chef Jackie Cameron and her team to applaud a year of remarkable achievement, real-world growth, and world-class standards.