Recently, the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi and his counterpart the Higher Education and Innovation, Minister Blade Nzimande released a list of scarce skills, amongst them it includes professional chefs amongst other occupations.
During the hard lockdown, people turned to social media to share their prepared dishes and baked scones. Clearly, everyone became a chef but not professional chefs. On the contrary, one young black lady was adamant to become a professional chef after going beyond exhaustion of merely existing.
28-year-old, Lucia Matotoka, from Alexandra, North of Johannesburg had no idea what to do with broccoli and cauliflower before becoming a chef, yet she loved cooking. She never imagined herself as a professional chef. During her high school Matotoka had no career choice to pursue. She wished to study Biomedical Technology although not good at Mathematics. Her dream of doing studies in Biomedical Technology came to an end, when she failed grade 11. She was forced to change from studying pure Mathematics to a stream in Maths Literacy and Tourism.
"After matric, I enrolled at Edu-SA College to study Human Resources and dropped out after three months. I was bored," she said. In 2013 she worked as a Sales Assistant in retail clothing stores and enjoyed it since she loves working with people.
Year 2017, got her reflecting and desiring more out of life than partying and drinking alcohol. Matotoka said she reached out to her sister, who is a Pastor. "My sister prayed for me and it gave me hope," she recalled. 
"In 2018, my sister took me to Nasrec Career Expo even though I felt too old for it". This is where she registered her name as a prospective student in Hospitality with NPO, Atamelang Foundation, funded by the Department of Social Development.
"I knew for sure, hospitality was my niche when I timeously arrived for classes and submitted assignments diligently" she enthused.
After attending a 12 months course, she holds an internationally accredited NQF Level 3 chef certificate in food preparation and cooking, from Hospitality Trainers and Associates (HTA) School of Culinary Art.
Her favourite chef is renowned Gordon Ramsay. Matotoka told Weekly Bulletin she admires Gordon's plating, firmness and progress thinking which she identifies with. "I excel at balancing the seasoning of food and get complimented for my beef stew. I love African cuisine, it offers a variety"
Chef Lucia dreams of visiting Italy to learn how they make lasagne, studying further in culinary, opening five roadhouses, converting her employee status at Foodie Bites to shareholder and is currently in the process of registering her own business.
To enquire about her food services: contact 062 736 2142.