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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Eunice Rakhale-Molefe
At my previous restaurant, the African Jazz Café, the Chef’s
Table was hosted on the first Sunday of the month, and the
table was placed, slap-bang, in the kitchen, creating an
enhanced ambience. Such specialised events provide an
authentic feel for the restaurant industry. For us, the Chef’s
Table was a vehicle for us to promote authentic South
African cuisine.
It began with a kitchen tour, to see what was prepared at
each station. After booking a corporate or private
celebratory table, I would always close off the deal by taking
the client on a tour to the bar and the approximately 300sqm
kitchen, using this opportunity to introduce them to the
chef and the other members of the team.
The Fourways restaurant, African Cuisine – on the other
hand – had two kitchens, an enclosed one downstairs, and
an open setting, upstairs, thus making the Chef’s Table an
almost daily experience.
The single most important factor in the food industry is the
level of service. Your service staff are the most important
marketing tools, as these people represent the front of the
business to the purchasing public. Only specially identified
people who commit themselves to the code of service,
conduct and ethics of the business are most likely to be
employed on a long-term basis. Employees are trained, not
only in their specific operational duties, but also in the
philosophy and applications of the establishment’s core
business model.
Such people are also given extensive information and kept
informed of any minor, to major changes. Weekly meetings
are held to ensure smooth running of the business.
At the African Jazz Café, the features were as follows: 140
seats of 30 tables; ten full-time waiters and one front-ofhouse
manager; one Executive Chef, one Sous Chef and
two line chefs; four kitchen assistants and two cleaners; one
barrister. The Sous chef was a meticulous lady, who was
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