• YOUTH

Elwaro holds his own at Young Chef Olympiad

• 1 Day Ago

Elwaro Junior Suze, a 22-year-old student at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), proudly represented Namibia at the 11th International Young Chef Olympiad in India earlier this month after clinching the Junior Chef of the Year title at the 2024 national NamChefs competition.

The Olympiad brought together young chefs from over 50 countries, with Elwaro competing in Group E, known as 'Bangalore', against participants from Romania, Malaysia, Iran, the Maldives, South Africa, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Equatorial Guinea and Bhutan.

Competing on an international platform for the first time was both thrilling and nerve-wracking for Elwaro. "It was my first time travelling outside Namibia and the excitement was overwhelming. But as the competition day drew closer, the nerves kicked in," he admitted.



Pride

Despite not making it to the top 10 - the only rankings that are publicly displayed - Elwaro remained proud of his performance. "I finished my dish on time and executed it well for the judges, which was a big achievement for me."

Accompanying Elwaro to India was his mentor, Aletta Siebert, whose role was to support and guide him throughout the competition.

"I had to be strict with him so that he fully grasped the competitive nature of the event. It wasn’t just fun and games," Siebert said.

She highlighted Elwaro's blind basket challenge, where he had to prepare a dish using a selection of unknown ingredients, as one of her proudest moments.

"Seeing how he embraced the challenge and delivered a creative dish was amazing."

Beyond technical skills, Siebert praised Elwaro's ability to build connections with fellow contestants and mentors. "He has a warm personality, and it was great to see him engaging, learning and sharing experiences with others."



‘Family thing’

Elwaro's love for cooking began at a young age, inspired by his grandmother’s passion for food and how it brought people together. "Cooking has always been something that connects people. Watching my grandmother create meals that made others happy is what sparked my interest," he said.

After completing high school, Elwaro decided to pursue this passion seriously, leading him to compete at NamChefs 2024, where he emerged victorious.

While Elwaro excels in the culinary world, he is also a dedicated member of the NUST Oshi Choir, where he has sung for the past four years. His choir coordinator, Mike Kisting, describes him as humble, hardworking and always willing to help.

"Elwaro often volunteers as our official cook for choir events, and his meals never fail to impress. He prepares them with love and dedication, just like his music," Kisting noted.



Words of encouragement

Reflecting on his experience at the Olympiad, Elwaro emphasised the importance of believing in yourself and pursuing your passion. "Never be shy about what you love. Don’t let people’s opinion stand in the way of your dreams, and never underestimate your abilities."

Despite not securing a top spot, Elwaro described his time in India as an incredible learning experience. "I gained new techniques, learned about different cultural dishes, and left feeling inspired. It was truly an amazing experience."