Sharpening Skills
The MORE Collection Impact Fund is proud to support Alida, a team member at Upper Union Restaurant, in her culinary studies through the Silwood First Year Commis Apprenticeship Course. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to offering our people opportunities to grow their skills. By nurturing talent like Alida, we are investing in the future of food excellence within our collection.
How We Make An Impact
The MORE Collection Impact Fund is proud to support Alida, a team member at Upper Union Restaurant, in her culinary studies through the Silwood First Year Commis Apprenticeship Course. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to offering our people opportunities to grow their skills. By nurturing talent like Alida, we are investing in the future of food excellence within our collection.
the opportunity
Investing in hands-on, world-class culinary education that equips our people with vital skills in cooking, costing, nutrition and hygiene to elevate their careers and strengthen our kitchen teams.
Our Process
Alida’s participation in the course is funded by guest impact levies received through our Cape Town operations. This project is specific to Upper Union and managed through the Impact Fund.
Our Impact
This investment supports Alida’s development into a well-rounded chef with real-world experience in budgeting, planning and executing high-end cuisine.
My experience at Silwood is incredibly important to me, and I feel so grateful to be part of it. I never expected to learn through so many hands-on experiments, and it’s a great privilege to be here.
Upper Union Restaurant
Skills That Go Beyond the Recipe Book
The Silwood First Year Commis Apprenticeship Course is a rigorous one-year programme designed to train chefs by pairing academic learning with work experience in South Africa’s top fine dining kitchens. Students like Alida are taught fundamental culinary skills, with a strong focus on food costing, purchasing, hygiene, safety and nutrition. These disciplines are not taught through textbooks alone but through direct responsibility and practical execution, giving graduates the confidence and competence to thrive in demanding culinary environments.
Shaping the chefs of tomorrow
By supporting candidates through Silwood’s respected programme, we are nurturing the next generation of talented chefs for our kitchens and beyond. These skills are essential not only for personal career success, but also for maintaining the high culinary standards and innovation our guests have come to expect at Upper Union and our collection as a whole.
