International Chefs Day: transform affordable ingredients into gourmet meals with these recipes

Today is International Chefs Day!

Celebrated every year on October 20, it was founded in 2004 by the late Chef Dr Bill Gallagher to honour the culinary profession and inspire the next generation.

The 2025 theme encourages children to embark on a culinary adventure, exploring the joys of cooking, the importance of healthy eating and the value of sustainable practices.

To celebrate, you and your family can transform simple, affordable ingredients into gourmet meals with these easy recipes.

While gourmet dishes we see in restaurants - often leaving us excited - require skill and precision to perfect, the truth is that if you’re passionate about cooking, you can create gourmet meals right in your own kitchen. 

Siphokazi Mdlankomo’s chocolate-stuffed vetkoek dusted with icing sugar 

Makes: 12

Ingredients

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp yeast

1 egg

¼ cup milk

¼ cup buttermilk or amasi

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g butter, melted

100g of your favourite chocolate bars, cut into chunks

Oil, to deep-fry

Icing sugar, to dust

Method 

Whisk sugar, yeast and ¾ cup lukewarm water. Set aside for 5 - 10 minutes, until foamy.

Add egg, milk and amasi or buttermilk. Whisk to combine.

Place the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and butter and mix in. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 45–50 minutes.

Knock back the dough and roll it out to 2 cm thick. Cut out 12 discs. Place a chocolate chunk in the centre of each disc, fold over the sides and shape into a ball.

Place on a lined baking tray, cover with a cloth and let rise for 15 minutes, until doubled in size.

Fill a deep pot with oil, place over medium heat and fry the vetkoek in batches for 2 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Drain on a paper towel and dust with icing sugar.

Shanice Robson’s compressed watermelon

Ingredients

200g watermelon

10g fresh mint

50ml lemon juice

150g icing sugar

1 fresh orange

80g cream cheese

100ml cream

5g salt

5g pepper

30g cucumber

30g carrots

2g edible flowers

Method

Cut watermelon into the desired patterns you would like and place it in a vacuum bag along with chopped mint, freshly squeezed lemon and orange juice and the icing sugar.

Seal your bag and leave overnight for all the flavours to absorb.

Then you can start making cream cheese mousse in a bowl, scale in your cream cheese add salt and black pepper. Whip your cream to medium peak, and once done, add to the bowl and mix until all has combined well.

Then make your cucumber and carrot ribbons by placing them on a mandolin or slicer to get thin ribbons.

Now you can start plating your dish the way you desire and be creative with how you place each component.

Michala Kramer's creamy mushroom toast

Ingredients

Mushrooms

2-3 tbsp olive oil

A punnet of mushrooms sliced

1 clove of garlic, grated

A sprig of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado spread

1 avocado, ripe

1 clove of garlic

A handful of fresh basil (or spinach)

Squeeze of ½ a lemon

2-3 tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method 

For the mushrooms, heat the olive oil on medium heat, then add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the mushrooms reduce in size and have turned slightly golden brown.

Then for the avocado spread, in a small food processor or blender, mix the ripe avocado, garlic, basil leaves, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper until you have a smooth texture. Add more lemon, salt or pepper if needed.

Serve along with fried seasonal mushrooms and toasted bread.