French Michelin Chef Shares 90-Year Legacy With Durban Students

When Michel Husser arrived in Durban for just 24 hours, he came bearing a gift that money can't buy: knowledge passed down through three generations of Michelin-starred cooking.

The chef's family restaurant Le Cerf has held at least one Michelin star for an unbroken 90 years. That's nine decades of excellence, started in 1936 when his grandfather first earned the honor in France's Alsace region.

Husser partnered with Alliance Française's Sarah M'bodji to run hands-on cooking sessions with students at Durban University of Technology. He shared techniques from 40 years of gastronomic expertise, teaching students traditional Alsace dishes alongside their own culinary traditions.

"The only thing I know is cooking," Husser told the eager students gathered in the campus kitchen. "Now it is time for me to take what I have learned in my life and share it."

The chef was born literally inside his family restaurant. He followed his father and grandfather into the business, training at Strasbourg's School of Hotel and Culinary Arts before taking over Le Cerf. Now his son runs the restaurant, freeing Husser to travel and teach.

Professor Ashika Naicker, head of DUT's Department of Food and Nutrition, welcomed the collaboration. The students watched, learned, and cooked alongside a chef whose family has maintained excellence for nearly a century.

The Ripple Effect

The masterclass represents something bigger than one cooking lesson. Alliance Française de Durban, under M'bodji's leadership for three years, has transformed from a struggling post-Covid operation into a vibrant cultural hub.

The organization now hosts French film evenings, jazz nights, poetry readings, and entrepreneurship events across Durban. They work with language schools at UKZN and DUT, creating bridges between French culture and South African students.

These Alsace connections span the globe, with 67 associations worldwide where French expatriates gather to share their region's rich food and culture traditions. Durban students are now part of that international network.

The collaboration shows what happens when experienced masters invest in the next generation. Husser didn't just demonstrate recipes; he showed students that excellence sustained over decades comes from passion, practice, and the willingness to share what you've learned.

One 24-hour visit planted seeds that could grow into the next generation of culinary excellence in Durban.