My journey with Hurst Campus started in February 2017 as the Campus Administrator.

As I always like to share, when I first came to The Hurst Campus, I knew nothing about the kitchen and all the different ingredients and equipment you need for professional cooking. Now, more than 5 years down the line, just as our students have developed and evolved at the campus, so have I.

Food has been just one part of my growth. More importantly, The Hurst Campus has moulded me into a better and more refined version of myself!

I am so grateful to be part of such an extremely talented and loving family of colleagues and students!

As your dedicated student administrator, I register you at the start of your journey, track your progress throughout the years meeting your campus admin needs including reports and transcripts and all communication with your family and sponsors. Finally, I will also have a tear of joy in my eyes when I print your graduation certificate, because the day always comes, when you leave our nest and we set you free to start your career.

I love every moment of being part of The Hurst Family, I know you will too!

Bertus is an oenologist, a multiple international award-winning winemaker, and has food truck called ASADOR. Michael Olivier – the renowned wine and food commentator – describes him as “a legend before his own lunchtime,” due to his wealth of experience and achievement. Notably, he is the creator of the iconic Coffee Pinotage which has converted many people to wine!

He considers himself a “wine nerd” and has completed his Master’s degree in Oenology from the University of Stellenbosch, a Diploma in Wine Business Management from the University of Adelaide & UCT Graduate School of Business and is a graduate of the Master of Champagne-programme from the Wine Scholar Guild. Sharing his knowledge with students has been a life-long passion.

I studied a BSc Consumer Science (Ed) degree at the University of Stellenbosch where I also received an Assessors certificate. After graduating I enjoyed 18 years teaching in secondary schools where I had many successes with the learners excelling academically as well as taking part in many competitions.

I joined the Hurst Campus on a part-time basis in 2001 whilst simultaneously running a small catering company and starting a food product range that remains on the market at various outlets. I have also spent some fulfilling time lecturing at the Consumer Science Department at the University of Stellenbosch. 

 In 2010 I joined The Hurst Campus on a permanent basis where I currently lecture Gastronomy, Nutrition and Health and Safety.  I have a passion for travelling and all things food connected and delight in sharing my experiences with my students hoping to inspire them to excel in their careers.

 I have seen many Hurst Campus students achieve great successes in their careers and am proud to be associated with this establishment.

My love for cooking started at a very young age where I would watch my mother be very creative with her cooking. I learned then that you can take the least amount of ingredients and make an amazing meal.  Her creativity inspired me to pursue a career in the food industry.
 
After matriculating, I studied Hospitality Services at Protea College. I started my career as a Commis Chef on a wine farm in Franschhoek, where I soon realized that the kitchen was my “happy place”. I joined Protea Hotel after a year of gaining valuable knowledge. I spent the next 6 years working hard to gain as much knowledge and experience as I could. In 2006 I went to work in England where my childhood dream to travel abroad was finally realized and where my love for travelling was born. After returning home I was on the opening team for The Harbour Bridge hotel in the capacity of Sous chef and after just a few months got promoted to Head chef.

In 2015 I joined the team at Spier wine farm where I learnt the importance of taking care of our environment and the community as well as uplifting the youth. Training young chefs has always been something that I have been passionate about, sharing my knowledge and skill with the next generation of chefs.

At the Hurst Campus I’m afforded the opportunity to share my knowledge and skill with the students, where they get to train in a working kitchen. Seeing them blossom and taking pride in what they do is rewarding.

“One of my best memories I have as a child is sitting around my grandmother’s kitchen table, smelling her freshly baked bread and watching grandma, Susan Steyn, making the most delicious traditional “Boerekos”.

Those moments made me fall in love with cooking, traditional flavours and the passion we as chefs have for the industry.

After I matriculated in Robertson, I qualified with my Chefs Diploma from a private chef school in Hermanus before then doing a number of additional courses in London and Italy.

 Having worked in the UK for Hilton and locally in SA for Protea Hotels, Umami, Par Avion and Southern Sun’s Grande West Casino Chef I accumulated many useful years of industry related work experience and knowledge.

 I also came to realize that I enjoyed teaching and training.  As a life long learner I have recognized the importance of traveling and continuing to educate myself. I am now a qualified Assessor and Moderator which has helped me to evolve into the field of education.  I secured my first position as a lecturer in Stellenbosch, before joining the Hurst Campus Team in March 2020.

The Hurst Campus is a chef school where kindness and compassion for others, rules and reigns. I have discovered that it is a place where I can be at my most creative while contributing towards the stunning learning environment for all our students.

I look forward to meeting you in my classroom and kitchen.

My husband and I opened a cookery school in 2006, in Wolseley. We used the very same concept that The Hurst Campus still practices today. To give the students the much needed theory aspect of the cheffing world, but at the same time giving them experience in a working kitchen- preparing the students for what lies ahead.

I had the privilege of starting work at The Hurst Campus from the beginning of 2019. Prior to working at Hurst I was a regular client of The Hurst Campus, as I loved the vibe of the café and the stunning cake collection that was always on display.

I am now working permanently as a Food and Beverage lecturer. Food and Beverage has always been my passion, I love people and I love food, so it works perfectly for me.

The Hurst Campus has a fabulous team of staff that work together to keep the campus running smoothly. It definitely has a “Home away from Home” feeling. I enjoy the diverse dynamic of all staff and all students.

After I finished school and took a gap year through Europe I studied a BA at Stellenbosch University, where I soon realized that my heart lay in exploring the world of international food and hospitality, whereupon I returned to the United Kingdom.


I found my niche was in the kitchen after working for the London-based Davey Group, who have been wine merchants for the past 150 years. From here I worked my way up through the Hospitality Industry, eventually forming part of the opening team for a new restaurant for the Searcy Group at the Barbican Centre in London. After gaining priceless experience in England I returned to my beloved South Africa. I was delighted when Elsa van der Nest opened her academy in 1997 and immediately enrolled for the Advanced Food and Wine Chef Diploma. My future in the culinary arts was confirmed when Elsa offered me a partnership in the business midway through that year. I then took over as the owner and director of the Academy when Elsa left in 2002.

Under my guidance The Culinary Academy (TCA) was renamed The Hurst Campus and has grown into an internationally accredited and recognized private hospitality management and chef’s school. It is respected as one of the best hospitality training establishments in South Africa with a proud 25-year track record.

I have played a large role in developing the course material together with our talented team of professional chefs and academics to equip the graduates with the skills they need to be readily employable in the hospitality industry, both locally and abroad. My role is to constantly assess what the industry requires and to then ensure that the educational programmes on offer at the campus produce graduates who can successfully compete on a global platform. The personal development and success of each student is a fundamental building block of how the campus teaches and mentors. Ongoing research into the needs of the millennial and z generation is vital and a top quality internship and a job guarantee are part of what’s on offer. I recognize that tourism is one of the top two industries that provides employment in South Africa and I am determined to be able to contribute to the economy by empowering our students to become the best they can be when it comes to entrepreneurship, hospitality and cooking.

Hurst Graduates have become highly respected and sought after within the hospitality industry with many of them having gone on to become well known chefs in both local and global culinary establishments.

I like to remain in touch with student life while keeping an active interest in the personal development of the students and in all aspects surrounding the operational management of the business. Through pro-active educational development and the recruitment, motivation and empowerment of a close-knit professional team I am proud to say that I have kept the campus at the forefront of private hospitality management in South Africa.

I feel privileged and humbled to have had the opportunity to educate our students. My philosophy is simple; any dream is possible and can be converted into reality if you have the right attitude and determination to achieve that goal. I believe in encouraging everyone to take the necessary action to realize their true potential and I am a strong believer in vocational education.

I am very team orientated and I have surrounded myself with caring and compassionate colleagues who share my vision of learning and developing quality educational programmes. I believe in cultivating an environment of belonging guided by strong family values. I completed an executive coaching course through UCT in 2015 to further assist with my mentoring of our team and students.
I partner with JAM SA (joint aid management) as a key social outreach collaboration. Feeding hungry children with a nutritional porridge gives these little one’s healthy bones, a well-developed brain and the prospect of a brighter tomorrow.

My work environment provides daily contact with the hospitality industry because all of our students need to complete a successful internship as part of their qualification. I visit local restaurants and hotels to assess their standards and employee requirements. I also travel frequently and in recent years have visited and researched some of the most highly rated hospitality schools in the UAE, Switzerland, Mauritius, France, Mexico and Italy and studied the culinary influences of China, Australia and the UK.

This research is used to help further develop the programmes currently on offer at The Hurst Campus in line with internationally taught curriculums. I continue to be inspired by the needs of our students, the global challenges of education vs the needs of the workplace environment and parenting in the 21st century.

A new chapter has just begun with the campus having relocated to 132 Main Road Paarl. We look forward to sharing the “student’s space, experiences and dining facilities” with the local residents and business owners. The campus has now opened the MOM (Meals on Main) Cafe to the public for breakfast, coffee, handcrafted pastries, cakes and lunch.

066 483 2530
info@thehurstcampus.co.za
132 Main Road, Paarl,
Western Cape, 7646