• Jamal “MJ” Mhlanga has been selected for a fully funded three-month internship at Le Calabash in France’s Loire Valley.
• Founded 18 years ago by SA chefs Sidney and Alison Bond, the school offers classical French culinary training.
• Chef Luke Dale Roberts says MJ’s new chapter reflects his resilience, attitude, and passion for cooking.

The nest at Luke Dale Roberts’ The Test Kitchen Fledgelings in Cape Town is going to be one talent short for the next few months as Jamal “MJ” Mhlanga flies the coop for France, arriving in the Loire Valley this week to spend three months training at Le Calabash through the DREAM Initiative.

It’s a fully funded international internship programme that connects emerging chefs from under-resourced backgrounds with world-class culinary training.

Building on this connection, MJ was selected through a partnership between Le Calabash and Dale Roberts’ renowned restaurant group, including The Test Kitchen Fledgelings in Cape Town. He is one of a handful of South African chefs chosen annually for the experience, which was conceptualised by South African chefs Sidney and Alison Bond.

Since its inception, the initiative has operated for 18 years, hosting young participants from multiple countries, including South Africa, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Egypt, Jordan, and the West Bank in Palestine.

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Bond says that the programme originated after a conversation with the late Billy Gallagher, who encouraged him to expand opportunities to South African talent.

“Billy said to me, ‘Why are you not doing this for your own country?’ That is where it started,” says Bond.

Each internship costs close to R100 000 per participant, covering flights, accommodation, meals and training for the duration of the programme.

The curriculum includes classical French culinary training, market exposure, and structured learning visits, including the Rungis market in Paris, which is one of the largest fresh produce markets in the world.

Bond says the goal is exposure and mobility rather than certification alone. “We love what Luke does,” he adds. “The Fledgelings concept, taking people from pot wash and giving them an opportunity to get somewhere in life, is what we do and what we like doing.”

The Test Kitchen Fledgelings is a training restaurant model created by Dale Roberts in 2021 in Cape Town, designed to offer structured, in-service culinary development upskilling opportunities to people without formal hospitality qualifications, where trainees learn through daily kitchen and front-of-house operations under the guidance of senior chefs.

A passion for serving

MJ’s love of cooking runs deep. His culinary journey took shape long before he stepped into professional kitchens. Raised between South Africa and Botswana after losing his parents at a young age, MJ learned to cook from his grandmother and mother.

“I like serving,” he tells News24 Food at the TTK Fledgelings restaurant in Cape Town. “That’s my passion. I like having people taste what I have to give, I like feedback, and I like cooking. If I’m cooking for you, I’d like to know if it was nice or not.”

Before entering the formal culinary world, MJ honed his skills in the informal food trade.

He and a friend started a small wrap business with just R1 000 each, targeting young professionals during breakfast and lunch hours.

Early challenges in his food business included misjudging timing, which taught him valuable lessons in adaptability and innovation, he says, shaping his understanding of timing and service, and quickly becoming principles that would later prove invaluable in the professional kitchen.

In August 2023, MJ arrived in Cape Town with a dream to cook professionally and little else.

He applied to the Institution of Culinary Training (ICT) just days before the deadline and stayed in the city while awaiting a response. During this period, he met Chef Waahid Gabriels, who introduced him to The Test Kitchen Fledgelings.

After a successful interview, MJ joined the Fledgelings team under the leadership of a training restaurant model created by Luke Dale Roberts in 2021.

Designed to provide structured, in-service culinary development for people without formal hospitality qualifications, the programme became a launchpad for MJ’s talent.

His next chapter unfolds in France, through the DREAM Initiative. His placement, MJ says, is both a validation of his hard work and a motivation to excel.

“I was shocked,“ he admits. ”I’ve been here for two years and seen people go, but I didn’t think it would be me next.“

The selection process is coordinated between The Test Kitchen Fledgelings and Le Calabash. Candidates are proposed by Dale Roberts’ team, shortlisted, and then interviewed by Sidney and Alison.

Dale Roberts says the selection prioritises attitude and consistency over formal training.

Bond says the selection criteria focus on accessibility and background.

“We only take people from backgrounds where they would not be able to pay for further education themselves,” he adds. “The aim is to help change one life at a time.”

MJ follows in the footsteps of Nathan Clarke, head chef at TTK Fledgelings, and Ebie du Toit, head chef at the Potluck Club in Johannesburg. He says the experience is a chance to build on his current trajectory.

“It’s not about pressure; it’s about motivation. I want to see if I can surpass those who went before me.”

Dale Roberts, whose Test Kitchen Fledgelings has become a pipeline for international opportunities, praises MJ’s attitude and potential.

“MJ has shown the kind of attitude we look for. He is eager, positive, and willing to learn. An experience like this can shift the course of a young chef’s life.”