The next issue of the classy, fun and informative At Home With Hirsch’s magazine that I’m in the process
of putting together, will feature some ideas and advice from some of South Africa’s most respected people in the appliance and culinary industry. One of them, the lovely Jackie Cameron, who was recently voted by South African Tourism as one of the Top ten Young South African Chefs. She is also a top selling cookery book Author, with her book Jackie Cameron Cooks At Home being voted by Exclusive Books as the highest selling cookbook in the country.
I popped up to meet with Jackie for a chat recently, at her beautifully situated School of Food And Wine, that nestles on a cosy corner in the Worlds View area on the way up to Hilton in Pietermaritzburg.
She opened the school in April last year, after fifteen years in the catering industry – twelve of which were spent at the award winning Hartford House (under her guidance, the HH restaurant achieved national Top 10 status four times). Students were busy preparing the most mouth watering selection of snacks, under Jackie’s guidance, for a function later in the day.
Weber and Elba, two suppliers that have had a long association with the Hirsch’s, have sponsored equipment for the school, and are very much in evidence in the kitchen and patio. Jackie has huge respect for both companies and loves their product. “When Weber heard that I was opening a cooking school and was looking for outdoor cooking appliances, they literally – within a day – sent down a truck full of their latest braai’s. Braaing is very much the South African Way of life, and cooking on the braai is part of the course. There is so much that one can do on a braai that people don’t know about” she said. And Elba? “In my own kitchen, and the kitchen the students utilise, I use Elba gas. I love the brand! Their stoves are ideal for a family kitchen.” Jackie told us. Elba’s Ramola Makan who Jackie has known and worked with for years, is the person she goes to for advice on spices.
The Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine is one of the most recently opened cookery schools in the country. Jackie, who received her accreditation as a teacher in 2009 is passionate about passing on her knowledge to young people who want to make all things culinary, their career. The school is also the perfect venue for team building cooking events, and a variety of functions . It is in in the perfect setting, with the perfect host and teacher!