Discovering the mysteries of soulful seafood through Kilchenmann’s culinary vision

Homegrown flavours sparked Alet Kilchenmann’s culinary path, nurtured by family traditions and her grandmother’s beloved dishes. From family gatherings planned entirely around “what’s for dinner” to the aroma of her grandmother’s traditional Afrikaans dishes, Alet Kilchenmann’s love for food was born long before she entered a professional kitchen. Her culinary journey began in George, where she learned from the women who cooked with heart and taught her to do the same.

Formally trained at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch, Kilchenmann climbed through the industry with ease, first sharpening her skills in Franschhoek’s fine-dining kitchens before moving into corporate food development. She worked for major retailers, including Woolworths Foods, consulted widely, and later spent nearly a decade at Food Lover’s Market as a development chef, product innovator, and trainer. Along the way, she built a national media presence through TV appearances and food features.

“My earliest memory of food involves my mom and my gran. They planned all family events around ‘what will we eat,’ an ongoing food event planning situation … always,” she recalls. She said her grandmother’s classic Afrikaans heritage meals became the foundation of her culinary DNA.