Chef Ralf Turns Up the Heat on the Global Stage
NUST’s Chef Ralf Herrgott is serving up excellence on an international scale. Recently appointed to the prestigious WorldChefs Education Committee, the Hospitality Lecturer is now actively contributing to the advancement of global culinary education—while proudly flying the flag for Namibia and NUST.
Nominated by NamChefs, the National Chefs’ Association and a member of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies, Chef Herrgott views his appointment as a significant career milestone. “It is a great honour to be recognised and to have Namibia represented on such a global platform,” he said. “It’s also a sign that the work we are doing here is making a difference.”
His journey at NUST has been transformative. From launching a Basic Skills Chefs Certificate to co-developing the first Bachelor of Culinary Arts degree in Sub-Saharan Africa, Chef Herrgott has played a pivotal role in redefining culinary education in the region. “We have come a long way, and we are now in a position to help other African countries build their culinary training capacity. We understand their challenges—because we have faced them too.”
In his new role, Chef Herrgott is contributing to the formation of a Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Committee within the WorldChefs Education Committee—an initiative focused on strengthening training, certification, and skills development in under-resourced nations.
A proud moment for the NUST culinary community came when one of his students, Elizabeth Isai, triumphed at the WorldChefs Global Chefs Challenge – Africa and Middle East Regional Semi-Finals 2025. While modest about his mentorship, Herrgott acknowledged the broader impact: “It shows that our students can thrive on the world stage.”
The University offers culinary qualifications under the Faculty of Commerce, Human Sciences and Education.
