Three chefs share the story of a memorable moment in the kitchen with a wonder woman who has moulded their lives – and what it taught them about food, about family and about life. Christi Nortier sits down with them to hear all about it.  

 The world is in a grain of rice  

Ayabonga Gape spent his childhood living between the homes of his aunt in the Eastern Cape and his mother in the Western Cape. One constant was his gravitation towards food – from the corner shop treats to formal function spreads.  

‘When I was about 5 or 6 years old, I was staying with my mother, Veronica, and she would come back home very late from working two jobs. Once, on her day off, she taught me how to cook rice. It was the first dish I learnt to cook, and I remember it like it was yesterday.  

‘When I look back now, I realise that she taught me more than just how to cook, she taught me a lot about kindness, love languages and responsibility. She taught me even though she was tired – this was her love language. She gave me all that she could, and that pot of rice planted a seed in me.  

The kitchen is a classroom  

In 2014, Mogau Seshoene agreed to teach a good friend, a nervous bride-to-be, how to cook. As word got out about these lessons, more and more women who were afraid of being labelled ‘the lazy makoti’ requested classes with Mogau.  

‘A fond memory I have of my mother and food is of Saturday mornings back in Turfloop, Polokwane, where I grew up. Every weekend, I was woken up by the smell of banana bread filling the kitchen and wafting through the rest of our home.  

‘My mom taught me that food is such an easy but impactful way to show love and care. It’s huge inspiration for why I do what I do now. Everyone loves a stew or curry, but everyone can agree that mama’s stew or gogo’s curry is always superior. That’s how powerful food is.’  

 

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It’s in the blood  

Although Lufuno Sinthumule’s maternal grandfather was a cook, many questioned the aspiring chef’s career path. Nevertheless, Lufuno decided to walk in his grandfather’s footsteps and head to culinary school. Years later, ‘Chef Funi’ is himself an esteemed culinary lecturer, cookbook author and private chef.  

However, it was a chance meeting at university that proved he was on the right path, and gifted him the mentor he never knew he needed: ‘I left my hometown in Limpopo to study cooking at the Vaal University of Technology. When I arrived, I noticed that my Food Theory and Practical lecturer had a Venda surname.  

But soon I wanted to pursue a Masters degree just like her, and today I am also a lecturer. She runs her own food business now, and so do I – Cooking with Funi, which offers workshops and exclusive recipes. I really look up to her, and she makes me believe I can do even more with myself and my food. 

 

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Words by Christi Nortier 
Photography: Supplied  

The post Chefs Pay Tribute To The Women In Their Lives appeared first on MyKitchen.

Women have their own set of requirements – in life and at the dinner table. Women have lighter bones and more fatty tissue than men because their bodies are designed to carry babies. Durban dietitian Hlanzeka Mpanza, a spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA), talks about women’s nutritional needs this Women’s Month.

By Lauren Shapiro

Calcium is crucial for bone health as well as muscle and nerve function. Females reach peak bone mass around age 30, after which they lose more bone than they build, resulting in weaker, brittle bones (osteoporosis). Aim to consume three portions a day of milk, yoghurt, cheese, sardines (eat the tiny bones) or tofu. Leafy green vegetables, almonds and calcium-fortified foods are good sources of calcium too.

Vitamin D assists us with calcium absorption. We get 90% of vitamin D from sunlight exposure, so women who spend a lot of time indoors or covered up should eat plenty of oily fish, egg yolk, beef liver and vitamin D-fortified foods.

PROTEIN PUNCH

Women require moderate amounts of lean protein daily. This includes fish, lean red meat, skinless chicken, pulses and soya products. One serving equals one medium chicken breast, a palm-size piece of meat, half a cup of cooked dried beans or lentils, or two eggs.

PUMPING IRON

In general, women need more iron than men because of blood loss associated with menstruation and pregnancy. Iron deficiency can cause fatigue, pale skin and irritability. Eat red meat (including liver), fish, poultry, pulses, nuts, dried fruits and iron-fortified foods. Remember to eat vitamin C-rich foods (such as oranges, guavas, leafy greens, broccoli and tomatoes) at the same time to enhance iron absorption.

FAT CHANCE

You are right to avoid saturated fats (fatty meat, chicken skin, cream, lard, butter, hard margarine and coconut oil) and the trans-fatty acids found in many processed foods, but you need some fat in your diet. Your body requires essential fats for energy and to help absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). Good fats are oily fish, olive oil, avos, nuts, seeds and seed oils.

BANTERS, BEWARE

People on high-protein diets lose extra urinary calcium, which may increase their risk of osteoporosis. Eating too much saturated fat can increase the chance of heart disease, a particular concern for post-menopausal women.

DINNER FOR TWO

Planning on getting pregnant? Folate (folic acid) will prevent brain and spine abnormalities in your baby. You should take a supplement containing 400 mcg folic acid until week 12, and eat lots of leafy green vegetables and legumes.

During pregnancy, the body absorbs nutrients from food more effectively, so the idea of ‘eating for two’ is an old wives’ tale! You need 1 400–1 500 kJ extra a day in your second trimester (a glass of low-fat milk and 50g raw almonds or cashews, or a small fruit smoothie will do). You can increase this by a further 400–500 kJ in your third trimester.

The post Celebrate Women’s Month by giving your diet a makeover appeared first on MyKitchen.