SOUTH AFRICAN CULINARY HERITAGE
The book South African Culinary Heritage by Eunice Rakhale, is about local food history and traditions interlaced with family conversations. It illustrates the culinary diversity of Southern African cuisine and some neighbouring countries, comparing the similarities and unique palatable heritages thereof. Written in a conversational style, the book is a handy culinary compilation which will bestow the reader with explorations regarding local African lifestyles history, art, clothing, music and perhaps even some song and dance. For tourists visiting these African countries – possessing a diversity of ethnic cultures, it is a worthy read regarding heritage and of-course African cuisine. A guide which should be included in any tourist’s travel pack and families. It is about a genuine story told with an extraordinary ability that draws parallel between the author’s struggle in the restaurant industry and in her personal life. Ultimately, her passion for food is where she finds solace to learn, heal and grow. Mother Daughter relationships can be extremely complex and Eunice is no exception. In the book, besides a plethora of authentic recipes and history, she shares candidly about her strained relationship with her daughter Mothei Makhetha. Being estranged for seven years, Mothei writes her mother a letter, in a desperate cry for help, which she hopes will begin the healing process. After receiving the letter, circumstances of her life took Eunice back home to her mother in Moletsane, Soweto. This happens while she is researching her culinary book authenticating the recipes through the help of her mother. This handing down of recipes from her mother gets them connected on a very deep level, thus, creating compassion and trust they never had. In desperation Eunice seeks counselling from her own mother to try and mend the relationship with her daughter. Their journey is one of true and sincere conversations handed down from one generation to another, around family meals and prayerful family meetings.
The book South African Culinary Heritage by Eunice Rakhale, is about local food history and traditions interlaced with family conversations. It illustrates the culinary diversity of Southern African cuisine and some neighbouring countries, comparing the similarities and unique palatable heritages thereof. Written in a conversational style, the book is a handy culinary compilation which will bestow the reader with explorations regarding local African lifestyles history, art, clothing, music and perhaps even some song and dance. For tourists visiting these African countries – possessing a diversity of ethnic cultures, it is a worthy read regarding heritage and of-course African cuisine. A guide which should be included in any tourist’s travel pack and families.
It is about a genuine story told with an extraordinary ability that draws parallel between the author’s struggle in the restaurant industry and in her personal life. Ultimately, her passion for food is where she finds solace to learn, heal and grow.
Mother Daughter relationships can be extremely complex and Eunice is no exception. In the book, besides a plethora of authentic recipes and history, she shares candidly about her strained relationship with her daughter Mothei Makhetha. Being estranged for seven years, Mothei writes her mother a letter, in a desperate cry for help, which she hopes will begin the healing process. After receiving the letter, circumstances of her life took Eunice back home to her mother in Moletsane, Soweto. This happens while she is researching her culinary book authenticating the recipes through the help of her mother. This handing down of recipes from her mother gets them connected on a very deep level, thus, creating compassion and trust they never had. In desperation Eunice seeks counselling from her own mother to try and mend the relationship with her daughter.
Their journey is one of true and sincere conversations handed down from one generation to another, around family meals and prayerful family meetings.
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South African Culinary Heritage
in advance. When you have bookings for your area, you
must know what time the patrons would be expected to
arrive. You should also, most importantly, make sure that
you are at the door to seat the guests, personally, and
proudly so.
When there is no hostess in the restaurant, it is the duty of
the waitrons to welcome and sit the guests. No guest must
be passed or handed over to another waitron. You should
seat the guest and let them know who their waitron would
be. Pull the chair out for the ladies at the table. And be sure,
always, to open the menu first before you hand it over to
the guest.
Attending to the Tables: The first thing the waitrons
should do when they get to the table is to politely announce
themselves to their guests. And, each time after that, when
the waitrons reach the table, they must announce
themselves, by saying – for an example – “Excuse me…”,
or by announcing, “Sorry to interrupt…”
Never split an order. Ask the guests when they want to hear
the recommendations. Be sincere in your selling. Tell them
about items that are on promotion and the different
incentive items, if, and whenever the guests enquire.
Sincerity should be your up-selling tool.
Up-sell to the advantage of the guest; never to the advantage
of the waitron. The money rewards will happen without
being deceitful or insincere. Go through the wine list with
your guests, and even the children’s menu, if necessary.
Notify the guests of what might not be in stock, long before
they would start ordering drinks, and offer
recommendations of whatever else they could order from
the available stock, instead.
If guests are not drinking wine, remove the wine glasses
from the table, duly taking these by the stem. If a guest asks
for brandy, enquire politely as to what type this might be;
and whether this should be a single, or double? Use a tray
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