SUNSET RESTAURANT’S HEAD CHEF HAJIERA HAMIT’S CULINARY AWAKENING

THE PENINSULA ALL SUITE HOTEL

Talented Capetonian, Hajiera Hamit, affectionately known by her peers as Hajie, recently returned from the UK after having embarked on a once in a lifetime culinary journey to learn the inner-workings of the world-class kitchens of London.

Coming from a traditional Cape Malay family, Chef Hajie’s food journey began with a 3 year apprenticeship after which she spent over 16 years in various hotel kitchens before making The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel her home. Today, she can count such gastronomic centres as The Ritz London, The Hilton Bankside, The Ivy Soho Brassiere, The Ivy Market Grill Covent Garden, and the iconic Japanese Restaurant Flesh & Buns amongst the places that have added to her culinary prowess.

This journey taught me so many lessons and opened my eyes and taste buds to new and incredible flavours. I’m excited to bring this knowledge back to Cape Town where I will cook up a storm in our beautiful new Sunset Restaurant! – Chef Hajie

Indeed, Chef Hajie’s journey resulted in her acquiring a variety of new skills and experiences, from preparing meals for over 800 guests during a busy day at the famed Ivy Soho Brasserie to learning a completely new style of cooking at the sought-after Flesh & Buns.

The Hilton Bankside’s Chef Luis, meanwhile, added to her art of pastry-making and it was here where Hajie created her very first noughat bar while also learning techniques on the latest trends in gluten free baking.

It was an unforgettable time where I’ve seen things that I’ve only ever experienced on TV food shows! I never imagined years ago when cooking for functions with my mom that I would one day experience an endless variety of fresh produce at The Borough Market, one of the best in the world and see the countless rows of “Peking Duck” hanging in China Town’s Restaurant windows. When I walked into the Ritz, I felt like I was walking into Buckingham Palace! – Chef Hajie

Celebrated for their innovative spirit and workplace empowerment initiatives, The Peninsula, where Sunset Restaurant is situated, not only aims to construct great hospitality spaces for guests, but also invests significantly in the service and the people who deliver it.

The greatest service comes from employees who feel empowered and who have staked their claim in the entire enterprise

We aim to create the ultimate culinary experience for our patrons. It begins with investing in our chef who, in this instance, had the opportunity to expand her cultural and culinary skillset to bring back new and exciting additions to our restaurant. We are so proud of Chef Hajie, and happy to have had a part to play in her journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the top chefs in Cape Town – Chris Godenir
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