Simpiwe Siyata, a 29-year old trainee chef from Beluga Restaurant in Cape Town, was awarded the Woolworths TASTE Bursary Award, at the prestigious 2007 Eat Out Restaurant Awards held at The Rotunda at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay on 25 November.

The Bursary Award honours “one talented, aspirant chef who shows great promise”, giving the winner a chance to realise his or her potential by means of a bursary to study at a leading culinary institution.

Simpiwe, or ‘Zippy’ as he is fondly referred to by both friends and colleagues, comes from Gugulethu in Cape Town, and has dreams of being in charge of his own kitchen in a great restaurant one day.

According to Eat Out editor, Abigail Donnelly, it is “a singular honour to present this award to a young man who demonstrates such zeal and passion for his chosen profession and, who has, with sheer perseverance and dedication, remained on the road towards attaining his goal of becoming a chef.”