Shanon Peters probably didn’t have any idea, when he was out fetching ingredients for his mom back in Strandfontein, that he would end up cooking for the worlds most elite sports stars and celebrities. Think Roger Federer and Serena and Venus Williams, and R&B master Usher and reggae sensation UB40.
Nonetheless, Shanon’s story is confirmation that life really can take you to unimaginable destinies. All you have to do is dream.
This is the telling of the story of a chef, Shanon Peters, who grew from humble beginnings to become a renowned cook with a 14-year career on the go.
The early days – marinading his career:
- Shanon Peters (29) was just a young grasshopper when he first started learning the ways of the kitchen from his mother and grandmother, as per News24.
- His first roles were that of designated ingredient-fetcher and student of the kitchen.
- In his youth, he was the only boy in the kitchen, recalling to News24 that he dealt with some teasing from his older brother. It’s probably safe to say that the joke has long since expired.
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Beginning to play with ingredients and taste the hustle:
- At 15, Shanon went on to job shadow at the Capetonian Hotel in Cape Town.
- It was his passion that impressed the head chef, so much so that he was offered regular, but unpaid work.
- From 15-17, he would work every weekend for free, according to FoodforMzanzi.
- Later on, he secured an internship at the Vineyard Hotel in Claremont, which he calls the “best decision” he made back in his youth.
- While doing the internship, he also completed his diploma at Capsicum Culinary Studio in 2011, securing his professional patisserie qualification at the South African chefs Academy.
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Coming in Hot, Dubai style:
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- A month after his 21st birthday, Shanon got the incredible opportunity to work in Dubai, something he had been dreaming about for quite some time.
- “I couldn’t pack my bags fast enough to get on that plane!” he told FoodforMzanzi.
- It was in Dubai that he worked at the Irish Village restaurant and the Grand Hyatt Hotel, where he would cook for a whole spectrum of celebrities.
A feast fit for Zuma:
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- In 2014 he got a call from an executive chef who told him that former President Jacob Zuma was at The Grand Hyatt and specifically requested that a South African prepare his meal.
- Shanon was the only South African chef at the time, and so the gig, which was requested to be a very meaty dish, was his.
- “At one stage he even asked me if I was able to braai for them,” Shanon remembers.
To the leagues of French culinary legends:
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- Shanon has since returned from his adventures in Dubai.
- He worked at multiple Kove Collection restaurants until 2018, which saw him work at Open Door, alongside Evan Coosner.
- It was his work at Open Door, that in 2018, earned him the position as the youngest chef to be introduced into the Association Mondiale de la Gastronomie (which is a culinary association first conceptualised by French King Louis IX).
“They invite 50 food writer and influencers, who come and have a four or five course set menu that you have prepared for them, and if you get the go ahead from each one of them, they induct you.”
Italian food and nutrition for the soul:
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Today he is the head chef of Sotto Supra, a well known Italian culinary experience in Rosebank, Johannesburg. He’s also a certified diet planner.
Keep an eye out for the chef’s next adventures
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This young chef has got his eyes set on starting his own restaurant, and with his repoitare of achievements, there’s no doubt he’ll secure what he puts his mind to.
Advice to rookies of the cooking world
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“Take your time climbing the hierarchy ladder. Do not rush to the top without building a solid foundation of experience, knowledge and education.”
He also added “Gone are the days where it’s just women in the kitchen,” as per News24.
Picture: Instagram @shanonchampagne