The Cooking Wizard Culinary Consultancy

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Text Box: The Cooking Wizard Culinary Consultancy pursues the following objectives: To teach and ensure that cooks know, understand and appreciate the importance of personal and kitchen cleanliness and hygiene when preparing, producing and presenting food for human consumption To educate people working in kitchens in the economical buying and cost effective production of food items To produce passionate, enthusiastic and competent cooks or chefs To provide adequate knowledge and training of people in cooking and baking methods and techniques To assist people who have the basic cookery skills to improve their skills to a higher level and ultimately To promote the art and science of cookery in all its branches

The Cooking Wizard Culinary Consultancy is based in the city of Pietermaritzburg.

The business was established in May 1999 to provide advice, technical expertise and guidance to owners and management of establishments in the hospitality and catering sectors and general or specific training of chefs, cooks and other kitchen staff employed in hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, game lodges, catering services, restaurants, coffee shops and other food outlets.

The prime focus of the business is geared to organisations seeking professional and competent specialist knowledge, experience and guidance in restaurant and kitchen design and decor, menu planning, recipes, kitchen process inventory and stock control, food costing, table service and work skills training of kitchen and restaurant employees at all levels. To a limited degree restaurant and kitchen design, drawings, specifications, equipping and organisation of these and furnishing, fittings and decor for dining rooms can be arranged after a full discussion of the needs of a client and a viability assessment for a specific business has been undertaken.

The enterprise also conducts assessments and evaluations of hospitality establishments and employee competency in the various sections of hotel, lodge, guest house and bed and breakfast businesses throughout South Africa. Special attention is given to the provision of efficient services to guests and customers by front and back of house components.

No formal courses towards a qualification in professional cookery are provided as the enterprise is not licensed nor accredited to provide cookery courses leading to professional qualification. Cooking lessons are also NOT provided to the public or private persons as was previously the case.

Consultant James Mills is a former Fellow Member of the South African Chefs Association; a graduate with honours in international hotel management, business administration and public communications and relations; and has held top positions as general manager, catering services manager and executive chef in various hospitality establishments in South Africa, Lesotho and Mozambique. He continues to enjoy preparing and serving excellent food cuisine and has recently launched a food trailer selling gourmet eats.

You are welcome to contact the consultancy preferably by email should you be interested in any of the services we provide and a mutually convenient meeting may be arranged to discuss a subject in more detail if needed. Enquiries and correspondence can be directed by email to jamesmills@mweb.co.za, or telephonically on 072 503 1311 or on Whatsapp 072 503 1311.

PROMOTING THE CRAFT, MAGIC, PASSION, SKILLS AND MASTERY OF COOKING AND FOSTERING THE TRAINING

AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENT CHEFS AND COOKS FOR THE HOSPITALITY, CATERING AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY