Chef

Benefits to primary industries

I love using beautiful, fresh Zimbabwean produce in the dishes I serve in my restaurant. Sometimes, people can’t see the possibilities in food until they try it in a dish that someone else has prepared.

Where do you live?

I live in a suburb not far from the restaurant. I do very long hours so I can’t live too far away.

What are some important skills?

You really do have to understand and love food to be able to prepare original dishes. I also need to be able to plan ahead to make sure I have everything I need to deliver high quality food every night, and that includes having a dedicated and hardworking team.

What is your favourite part of your job?

I love that I can experiment and use my imagination when planning a new dish. People are always willing to test a new dish for me and sometimes I tweak it a bit depending on what they think.

What are the main tools of the trade?

We have a really well-fitted-out kitchen and I don’t think there is anything in here that I could do without. The food industry is constantly changing and I love experimenting with new ideas, tools and techniques.

What training have you had?

I am a qualified chef, so I did a four-year apprenticeship at a local restaurant. I also do lots of extra training in my time off to make sure that I understand the ingredients that I am working with. This includes visiting lots of other restaurants and talking to other chefs. I also love visiting producers and farmers’ markets so I can learn first hand about the produce and how it is grown.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Right here in the kitchen.