May 2025 — Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa’s rising culinary stars wow with creativity and macadamia magic in Stellenbosch.
The 2025 Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition took place in the prestigious Institute of Culinary Arts (ICA) in Stellenbosch. This annual competition is part of the international Chaîne des Rôtisseurs programme, one of the world’s oldest and most respected gastronomic societies. The competition is designed to celebrate, elevate, and showcase the talents of young chefs under the age of 27.
Macadamias South Africa NPC (SAMAC) was proud to partner with this prestigious event, lending support to an initiative that not only uplifts the next generation of chefs but also champions the use of locally sourced ingredients in fine dining.
As one of South Africa’s premium agricultural exports, macadamias were prominently featured in each of the chefs’ dishes challenging them to creatively incorporate this buttery, nutrient-rich nut into their gourmet dishes.
Chefs were given access to a variety of macadamia products, including roasted macadamia butter, paste, cold-pressed oil, and whole nuts. The versatility of macadamias was on full display, with the ingredient providing everything from velvety emulsions and plant-based reductions to dessert accompaniments and textural garnishes. Macadamias stood out for their ability to elevate a dish while remaining rooted in South African terroir.
A post-competition awards ceremony and gala dinner brought together a range of culinary heavyweights to crown the national winner of the competition, Juan Fourie. Juan impressed judges with his technique, flavour balance, and thoughtful use of ingredients, including his innovative incorporation of macadamias. He will go on to represent South Africa at the international finals in Turkey next year, competing against top young chefs from around the world.
Llewellyn Buckley-Marais (Chaîne des Rôtisseurs), Juan Fourie (2025 National Winner), and Kerisha Raghunandan (SAMAC Market Access & Development Manager)
For SAMAC, this collaboration reinforced the value of integrating South African macadamias into the fine dining landscape as both a premium product and a culinary complement. Events like the Jeunes Chefs Competition help build a bridge between agriculture, the future of food culture, and global recognition of the country’s world-class produce.
SAMAC extends congratulations to all the participants for their remarkable achievements and to the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs team for hosting such a successful and inspiring event. We are especially proud to support initiatives that foster culinary innovation and local pride, one dish at a time.
Melanie Cunningham, Elizabeth Ncube and Caeleb Naidoo.
