THINGS will shake up in this year’s Durban Business Fair when local chefs are brought on board to participate in the most popular food festival titled “Flavours of Durban” at the Durban Exhibition Centre during 20-22 September 2013.

For the first time, the eThekwini Municipality has afforded the Durban townships restaurants such as UMlazi’s Max’s Lifestyle and Clermont’s Tate’s Kasi Grill to name a few, a platform to form co-operative relationships and exchange knowledge with overseas chefs such as Chef Kenneth from New Orleans and so forth.

The flavours of Durban will also feature the urban restaurant chefs such as Florida Road’s Butcher BoysandVelvet Lounge and also include Nigerian, Angolan and Chilean chefs.

Shelley Gielink, Senior Manager within the Municipality’s International Governance Relations Unit said apart from including a selection of the finest chefs, this year boasts some of the industry’s very successful female establishments such as Nto’s Catering and Taste of India Restaurant.

“Being a chef is a very crucial business and this year we want them to prosper too so that they will be marketed both locally and internationally hence why we decided to spice things up and bring in new features in the Flavours of Durban to ensure everyone benefits from the Fair,” she added.

Gielink added that, “This gastronomic experience is intended for anyone who has a flair for cooking. It will also cater for those who simply have love and passion for food or those who are aspiring chefs an opportunity to learn and empower themselves.”

Besides the Flavours of Durban, there will also be many new exciting features such as the ‘ABSA Retail Buyers Trade Night’ which will premiere the Durban Business Fair on 19 September 2013 at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

Head of Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit, Philip Sithole said through this programme they want to expose SMMEs to business opportunities. “This will be a platform to facilitate business linkages between SMMEs and corporate entities which are trading in similar sectors, and that is why big businesses are urged to pledge their support for the inaugural ABSA Retail Buyers Trade Night,” he said

“Our Unit is currently busy offering training to the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) to better prepare them on how to uniquely market their products to potential international and national buyers and how to conduct themselves during the Fair,” he added.

The Municipality’s Supply Chain Management will for the first time be available at the Fair to process registration on the new Supplier Self Service System. The system is the Municipality’s upgraded quotation management system for goods under R200 000. It seeks to reform and regulate the manner in which goods and services are procured.

Sandile Ngcobo, Deputy Head of SCM Operations explained, “This system is meant to curtail any mal-administration, irregular expenditure and fraudulent practices.”

Suppliers that have not yet registered are encouraged to visit the Fair and do so. Friendly staff will be available to assist with the registration process.

Other Municipal units will also be present at the Fair to inform the entrepreneurs and public about the services they have in place aimed at supporting and developing SMMEs.

ENDS