Meet the Head Chef, Valencia Maluleke

Valencia Maluleke

Valencia Maluleke, our Head Chef, shares her passion...

I love cooking and enjoyed it from a very young age, so when we had to choose subjects in Std 6, I choose Home Economics. My passion for food grew during school years and at a stage I wanted to become a dietician.

Unfortunately it was not possible for me to attend University to study for a Dietician -we were a large family and the necessary funding wasn’t there. My brother was the older one and was fortunate enough to have the experience.

That didn’t put me down and I enrolled to study at the technical college of Venda. I studied food service management. I’ve been cooking professionally for the last 8 years - it has always been in my blood.

My speciality is preparing meats to a melt in the mouth experience and also deserts and decadents as I feel I can express my passion for food with colour and technical abilities in culinary services.

My best dish is anything I put my heart and mind to. I love working with food and experimenting with flavours, new ideas and recipes.

My family supported me greatly through my journey as a chef. In my community it is the women that must know how to cook and not for it to be considered a career, but I made it work and my family is my rock! I made a success of it and now I am the proud Head Chef of Komtai Tented Lodge, Nkomazi Game Reserve.