Chef Xolisa Kalipa (22) of Daveyton in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, has just landed a chance of a lifetime: introducing authentic South African flavours to the world through working for Qatar Airways. The talented young chef is among nearly 50 newly appointed recruits who have just joined the multi-award-winning airline’s catering company, retail and hospitality subsidiaries in Doha, Qatar. Kalipa is now placed with Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (QACC) and Qatar Duty Free (QDF), both of which operate from the world-renowned Hamad International Airport.
The QACC kitchen prepares 200 000 meals per day, including about 60 different international cuisines. Kalipa is one of the chefs making some of these meals. She weathered the heat of the recruitment process, beating out hundreds of other graduates from the Capsicum Culinary Studio’s six campuses in South Africa, where she graduated as a professional chef in July last year.
“I served as a commis chef in Doha during the FIFA World Cup in 2022. I wanted to work there again, so when the opportunity to work for Qatar Airways arose, I jumped at it,” she said. “I hope to bring popular traditional South African cuisine to the rest of the world one day.”
Kalipa describes herself as strong, courageous and driven to succeed. She also enjoys her family’s unwavering support. “I grew up in a household of 10 people, including my grandparents and my mother. I am a twin with two younger siblings. My strict grandparents always taught us the value of education and hard work,” she recalls. Her culinary journey began early. She remembers baking for her family when still in primary school. She also grew up watching cooking shows for cooking tips, and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is still her role model and inspiration. She understands that things aren’t always easy in the kitchen. “I’ve learnt to persevere in the face of mishaps and setbacks. This industry is not for the faint-hearted. You must be strong. It’s important to know how to satisfy the customers’ needs while also allowing an emotional space for their criticism, as this helps us improve our skills and grow into our careers,” she said.
Qatar Airways’ Chief People Officer Antonio Schulthess, is excited about the new, diverse recruits: “Recruiting candidates from around the world, as is the case with our partnership with Capsicum Culinary Studio, is part of our ongoing commitment to finding the best talent globally and empowering our personnel to build fulfilling careers with the world’s best airline.” The immense significance of this culinary opportunity with Qatar Airways is also not lost on Thulisile Mgidi, Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Customer Experience and Career Centre Manager. “These young chefs are learning invaluable skills from the best of the best”.
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