The Recipe Behind Namibia’s Chef of the Year
Chef Dagmar Grüner has spent years mastering the art of the kitchen. But this time, the spotlight was on her.
After 12 years in the professional culinary industry, Grüner, a Culinary Arts lecturer at NUST, has been crowned Namibia’s Chef of the Year, adding a remarkable new chapter to a journey that began in her childhood kitchen.
Her love for cooking was sparked by her father and grandmother. “My dad, especially, had a big influence on me. He was never a chef, but that man could cook!” she recalls. Those early experiences eventually led her into a 12-year professional career before she joined NUST in 2022, bringing industry experience into the classroom.
Today, as a Junior Chef Lecturer, Grüner sees teaching as more than transferring culinary techniques. “It is about helping students prepare for their future and encouraging them to believe in their own potential.”
Her decision to enter the Chef of the Year competition was driven by that same desire to keep growing. It was her first culinary competition of this stature, challenging her to test her skills against experienced chefs while stepping outside her comfort zone.
The competition demanded precision across preparation, technique, presentation, taste, consistency and time management. Grüner had to prepare a vegetarian starter, a spinach and salmon main course and a chocolate dessert, all while working under intense time pressure. “Preparation builds confidence. The more prepared you are, the better you are able to handle pressure,” she says.
Behind her was NUST colleague and Senior Course Coordinator for Culinary Arts, Chef Ralf Herrgott, who served as her mentor throughout the competition. His honest feedback, guidance and encouragement helped her refine the details and remain focused.
For Grüner, the victory represents more than personal achievement. It is also an opportunity to lead by example and demonstrate what happens when professional experience, education, practical skills, discipline and passion come together.
When her name was announced as the Senior category winner, Grüner describes feeling “shock, excitement, relief and gratitude”. The moment became even more special when she was recognised as the overall Chef of the Year.
From cooking alongside her father and grandmother as a young girl, to the professional kitchen and now the NUST classroom, the journey has come full circle.
Her message to aspiring chefs is simple: “Take the opportunity, even if you don't feel completely ready.” For Grüner, growth begins when you are willing to step forward, learn, accept criticism and, above all, believe in yourself.
