A Michelin starred chef, Michel Husser, from France held a culinary masterclass with a selected group of Consumer Sciences Food and Nutrition students from the Durban University of Technology DUT at the Rendezvous Restaurant, Steve Biko campus in Durban recently.

This exciting experience was made possible by the Alliance Française de Durban in collaboration with the Consumer Sciences Food and Nutrition Department at DUT. It was supported by the Alsace Association in South Africa, the French Institute of South Africa IFAS and the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi.

DUT students and staff with Michelin starred Chef Michel Husser after the masterclass.

During the session, the established restaurateur of Le Cerf Restaurant shared the preparation of his signature dish with students, providing hands on insights into professional culinary techniques. He emphasised that the philosophy behind his culinary approach centres on local ingredients, carefully seasoned to create meals that are both flavourful and healthy.

Chef Husser, who has over 45 years of experience, described the DUT masterclass as an interesting challenge for him since he had not prepared the ingredients himself and was unfamiliar with the kitchen, equipment, and team he would be working with. He revealed that he was excited to be at DUT as it was his first time visiting South Africa.

Describing his dish, Chef Husser referred to it as “Fleischnacka ,” an old, well known French recipe made up mainly of meat, vegetables, eggs and dough rolled into the shape of a snail. He advised the students to always be curious, motivated, creative and happy when preparing dishes. He said they should aspire to become the best cooks who will prepare dishes that make people happy.

Ms Sarah M’bodji, Director of Alliance Française de Durban, a French language and cultural centre in Durban, shared that their mission is to promote French language and cultural exchanges between France and South Africa.

“The purpose of the masterclass was to create a moment of exchange between Michelin starred French chef Michel Husser and DUT students. It was an exchange because he presented a recipe from his region, Alsace. The students could discover more about his region, the recipe, the ingredients and the way he works. He had a beautiful surprise in discovering meals prepared by DUT students and tasting delicious local specialties,” shared Ms M’bodji.

She further described the experience as a wonderful one, saying Chef Husser was dynamic in the way he presented his dish and created a practical masterclass that encouraged student participation in preparing the dish. She highlighted the prevalence of French culinary terminology and France’s longstanding expertise in the culinary arts. She further noted that the global Alliance Française network, comprising 829 institutions across 135 countries, possesses specialized expertise in teaching French for tourism and hospitality, including the Alliance Française de Durban.

The Fleischnacka dish which was prepared by Chef Michel Husser.

Ms Amanda Ngcamu, an Advanced Diploma in Consumer Sciences Food and Nutrition student at DUT, said they were excited to present traditional meals they had prepared for Chef Husser to taste. She was happy to taste Chef Husser’s dish and to get an opportunity to share the kitchen with him. A key takeaway from the masterclass for Ngcamu was that mistakes do happen in the kitchen, but chefs must find ways to correct them and continue with the dish. She shared that when she was rolling the dough she made mistakes but was able to quickly fix them.

Sharing similar sentiments, Mr Aphiwe Manyaku, known as Chef Manyaku, a third year Consumer Sciences Food and Nutrition student, said it was an honour to enjoy the French cuisine that Chef Husser prepared for them. He hopes to see him again in the future as he wishes to visit France one day and cook with world renowned chefs. He expressed his appreciation to Chef Husser for sharing his experience and cooking techniques with them.

Head of Department of Consumer Sciences Food and Nutrition at DUT, Professor Ashika Naicker, said it was an honour to have a Michelin starred chef among them. She said the masterclass was a wonderful experience and a strong collaboration between the Alliance Française de Durban and her department. From this experience, she indicated that the students learnt a lot of new skills and got to engage and cook with Chef Husser.

“They have offered to collaborate and take two students on six month internships in France,” shared Prof Naicker. Additionally, she mentioned that Chef Husser has humble beginnings and they appreciate him for taking his time to share one of his traditional dishes and all the techniques he has gained over the years. She expressed her sincere thanks to the Alsace Association for welcoming her department to visit their region, stating they are planning to take the invitation forward and ensure that their students get to visit France to learn more culinary arts skills.

Pictured: DUT students cooking with renowned French Chef Michel Husser.

Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini

Simangele Zuma