Let
us begin with the tongue twister "Kilzer". This is
the surname of the gastronomic husband and wife team, Albin and Jenny
Kilzer. Together they share their combined skills and talents, to run
a series of informative and fun-filled classes at their cookery school
in Knysna.
The above-mentioned cookery school began in their specially designed kitchen
at home in 1999, hence the name "Kilzers Kitchen".
Albin is a rare find indeed - an Austrian qualified butcher and chef,
who together with his wife Jenny, boast over 59 years of combined culinary
experience. His work experience began in Austria and moved on to the Channel
Islands, the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg, Constantia Nek restaurant
(in its hey day), followed by his own restaurant "Europa" in
Sea Point - a landmark for fresh fish in Cape Town. After
18 years of running "Europa", Albin relocated to Knysna -only
to "retire" in his custom designed kitchen to run cookery classes!
Jenny wetted her appetite for cooking whilst paying her way through art school waitressing for the well-known Belgium chef, Daniel Leusch of "Chez Madelaine" fame in Pretoria.This was followed by ten years in the restaurant industry, steadily moving closer and closer to the kitchen and eventually ending up in the kitchen at Albins restuarant "Europa". She then successfully completed Professional Cookery courses under the tuition of chef Bill Stafford. For the next three years she worked for two French businessman in Clifton where she cooked for many local and foreign dignataries and socialites namely the late Adele searle, Errol Arends, Reeva Foreman, Peter Bacon, Sol Kerzner, Tokyo Sexwale, the French Ambassador and the owners of Chanel Perfume. She spent a working holiday in Paris and Provence working in their kitchens which she says was "a wonderful experience as all the chefs were male!!!" She has spent the last 8 years working alongside her husband Albin, a highly volatile stuation, as their kitchen is the setting for many a near-death experience - greatly enjoyed by both.
Yes, what better choice than to share one's priceless years of experience by teaching others what one knows best - FOOD - and the art of correct foor preperation.
The cookery school has subsequently moved into the property alongside the original premises, and boasts a highly functional and stylish kitchen, with unrivalled views onto the Knysna Lagoon -what a special setting for the mind to absorb and the hands to apply, the various skills and basic techniques of cooking !
