Culinary Arts Students Shine at National Skills Competition
Two third-year Culinary Arts students from NUST showcased their exceptional talent at the 4th National Skills Competition held in Swakopmund from 22–27 September 2025. The competition, which featured a record 16 skill areas and 179 participants nationwide, saw Tracy Gaeses winning gold and Beatrice Muhepa securing bronze in the Cooking category.
Organised biennially by WorldSkills Namibia, the competition challenges students to demonstrate technical mastery and creativity under pressure. Over four days, competitors prepared intricate dishes — from consommé and stuffed pasta to deboned chicken and complex desserts.
Mentorship
Their mentor, Chef Ralf Herrgott, a Hospitality Chef Lecturer at the NUST Hotel School, expressed pride in their achievements. “Our training approaches at NUST closely replicate real-life industry scenarios. We offer enough practical exposure in the kitchen to ensure that our students are well equipped to succeed both nationally and internationally,” he said.
Reflecting on the win, Tracy Gaeses credited the NUST Hotel School for building her confidence and resilience. “The programme really challenges you to balance creativity, precision, and professionalism — all of which prepared me for the competition. This achievement reflects what NUST stands for: developing students who are confident, skilled, and ready to excel in the industry,” she said.
Beatrice Muhepa highlighted the value of practical experience and mentorship. “The NUST Hotel School ensures that students undergo practical sessions under time constraints, which prepared me to perform under pressure. Having Chef Ralf as a mentor gave me the confidence to face any challenge,” she said.
NUST Leads in Hospitality
Gerald Cloete, Acting Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, emphasised that these accomplishments reaffirm NUST’s leadership in hospitality education. “Under the auspices of NUST, the Hotel School’s achievements demonstrate that we are producing graduates with both theoretical understanding and practical competence. By integrating service excellence, work-integrated learning, and international partnerships into our curriculum, we cultivate professionalism, creativity, and customer-centric values,” he noted.
Through their stellar performance, Tracy and Beatrice have not only raised the bar for culinary excellence but have also reinforced NUST’s standing as a hub for skills development, innovation, and global competitiveness.
