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
Before venturing into the restaurant business, early on in my
nursing career, I had come to realise that I needed
something that would challenge me to grow and develop.
Even though I enjoyed being a nurse, somehow, this did not
feel enough; I wanted more. And I recall sharing this with a
colleague as we were walking along the corridors of Chris
Hani Baragwanath Hospital during lunchtime, and she had
laughed at me. This was in 1980. Suffice to say, eventually,
I did change my career. At the beginning of my second
career as a pharmaceutical representative, I had decided to
retire early to pursue business possibilities. I gave myself a
year’s break before the business got started. It was during
this time that my husband had surprised me, one morning.
“You know Eunice, I have been observing you since you
stopped working”, my husband had commented; “You
seem to be at peace, and enjoying preparing for what you
are going to do next. I would like to join you in this space
and go into business with you.”
Taken aback, I had asked him to allow us to think about it.
After giving this idea some thought and sharing it with some
of the other family members, I had then agreed – in
principle – but had also proposed that we hold a formal
meeting before I could commit to his request.
We had then discussed the reasons and benefits of working
together, as a family, highlighted our strengths, weaknesses
and intended roles. After we had formalised our business
relationships, we went into business together, happy and
excited. This was to be the first of many family meetings
and workshops in preparation for this new venture, a
process that took eighteen months before we finally opened
our first restaurant in 2005.
We assumed it was our financial investment and a good
business plan that was going to make the business
successful. However, we had soon discovered it was the
combination of our strengths as a family that became the
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