Recently I spoke a little about our dynamic night manager Luthando.  Here is a picture of him:

Luthando Matsolo

Recently we realised that Thenji needed some assistance at the front desk – and some much needed time off! – and so you may now find Cynthia with a warm greeting when you arrive:

Cynthia

Richard Mkandawire who hails from Malawi has been with The Africa Cafe for many years and knows all of the systems inside and out.  He, together with Nandipha, who has been introduced before, is assisting Luthando as a supervisor so look out for his gentle face when next you have a question or request in the restaurant.

Richard

At Africa Cafe we always strive to make our home feel like your home and our staff like your family.

Happy New Year.  Yes it is late I know.  I tend to fall into a festive season slump.  That is probably closest to the truth.  However were I to offer justifications or excuses for the absence of any posts recently it would go something like this:

Luthando who manages the restaurant most nights took 3 weeks leave.  Those of you who have dined with us over the past 8 years may have met him and will remember him for his sweet smile and easy going attitude.  Easy going he may be but slow he is definitely not!  We are always trying to get him so slow down as he rushes up and down the stairs trying to make sure over a hundred people are getting what they want when they want it.  So without Luthando around Jason and I were sharing the nights and the late locking up.  And that’s my excuse – too many late nights left my brain feeling tired and mushy .

Here we are then in 2010 with a wonderful buzz in the restaurant as we are almost full still every night with lots of couples and families from all over the globe, many of whom are trying to escape the snow in Europe.  It definitely feels like a year of celebration.  The credit crunch will hopefully come to and end and the start of a new decade is always something worth getting a little tipsy over.  Of course everyone in South Africa is feeling excited about the World Cup Soccer later in the year.  I try to remember to celebrate something each and every day because we truly do have so much to be grateful for.  Mostly I am grateful to our beautiful planet for sustaining our existence and I hope that as we enter a new decade, we as a species learn to respect not only one another, but all life and remember to live each and every day for the highest good of all, remembering our oneness.

As we enter this new decade, may your hearts be filled with joy, love and laughter!

At The Africa Cafe we are not only famous for our food but for our decor as well.  We include our vibrant tableware in this category as each piece is carefully and caringly hand-painted at our ceramic studio with bold colours and patterns, bringing some of the art of Africa on to every table top.  Having the opportunity to also be involved in the creative process of these beautiful wares is a real privilege, but most of the credit has to go to those who work for us and do the painting. Our craftspeople come from the winelands, the city and the township. Some are trained and some learnt on the job. One picked grapes for an estate, another painted gold-leaf onto a lion on top of City Hall for six weeks.

Our head of design is Mfuneko Dingiswayo who was born in Langa, a township of Cape Town, in 1979.  His passion for his craft has been shown numerous times in the awards he has won for his beautiful one-off works as well as the success of the designs he creates for our various ranges of tableware and functional art.  Currently the Hornbill Bird Jug which Mfuneko created as a menu for the restaurant 3 years ago has been flying out of the studio faster than it can be produced!  Those who have recently dined with us will definitely have noticed the baby that was born of the original idea and which we use for our salad dressing.

Mfuneko Dingiswayo

Thenjiwe is one of the most important people at The Africa Cafe.  Ok we are all important but Thenji is the first person people see when they walk in the door as she is our front desk hostess.  Look out for her on your next visit and if she is not there you might be in the wrong place!  This is her story:

Life is very short.  Right, wrong, life is what you make of it and for how long depends on you.  Why start my story like this?  Well that is how deep and true it is.  When I left home I had goals I wanted to achieve.  It’s been six years now and I have not set even one!  I think it’s high time I did, don’t you?  God is on my side – I know because He has blessed me with a loving, supportive and go-getter husband who is going places, but he is a story for another day.  He (God) has also blessed me with the most lovely, adorable and cute thing that one would ever wish for – a baby girl named Prudence, now aged 5 – but a naughty one!  I love her with my whole heart.  With those two by my side I think I can do what I came here to do.  Pursue my dream of becoming a writer.

I come from the USZ, United States of Zimbabwe.  Second and last born to a lady who though she is no more, I respect and love and very honestly take my hat off to and without hesitation I bow down for her.  That too is a story for another day.  Fashion design is my hobby right after writing and reading.  I did half a year of a journalism course and quit because I was just tired.

Last but not least The Africa Cafe is one happy family.  Actually guess what?  So are you because you are reading this, so come back and meet each member of the family and then soon, very soon, come visit us in person.

Talking about food is almost as important as eating in our family. Each in our own way we are obsessed with food. I love food but I’m not much of a cook. Thank God I’m married to a woman who is a one of the worlds great cooks! Sometimes I’m expected to prepare a meal, but mostly I’m untrustworthy as a cook and expected, simply, to turn up at the table with a good appetite. Eggs, pancakes, porridge their accompaniments are my

safe turf. Oh! By the way I can do grilled fish in a herb crust with a few simple veg on the side. But! – When the meal is served the critiques and the post-mortems begin.

As with most families opposing camps are formed depending upon the subject under discussion. In our family, when Food is the topic, there are the Boys and the Girls. Portia and Lumai, chef and protégé’, will start by circling around the ‘kill’. ‘ Are you sure it’s done?’ My mind purses its lips and whizzes thru the preceding minutes to check that I have followed procedure to the ‘T’. The first fork parts the firm white flesh and the Inspection of the Interior begins. ‘Looks a bit underdone, don’t you think?’ Leo rips into the meal without a moment’s hesitation; ‘Ts great Dad.’ At least I know he’s in the Boys camp. ‘It’s fine –needs a bit of salt,’ Portia puts herb salt on her piece and takes another mouthful. Whew! Passed the inspection!

Leo is usually finished first. As long as there are no funny textures, excessive spicing or the dish is too unfamiliar, Leo is your man. And chicken is top of his List. Moms’ Sticky Chicken Wings are music to his ears. But Dads’ fish is fine as well.

But on Sunday mornings the Girls take over the kitchen. All late breakfast eaters are banished or given marching orders. The preparations begin!

Fish Curry is one of my favourites on Sundays, but it usually only reveals itself when friends are invited. First the kitchen is suffused with the heady aromas of spices toasting gently in the oven. Fenugreek, Star Aniseed, Allspice. I start to fall in love with my wife all over again. Then the utensils come out. An olive green, stone mortar and pestle are set before Lu and she sets to work with pounding as soon as the spices out of the oven. A shining stainless steel dish with a copper bottom appears on the gas hob and the bouquet of olive oil starts to garnish the air. A solid beach chopping board is plonked down on the concrete counter along with a razor-sharp Zwillig blade and diced onions appear under dancing fingers.

The onions are fried briskly, to a golden brown. Grated carrot goes in with the spices and allowed to simmer with the lid on. Once the ingredients are cooked chunks of firm white Kingklip are added, mixed in and the heat is turned up once more. Ten minutes later the Fish Curry smells so good it’s just begging you to eat it.

Did I forget to mention the rice? Well, light, fluffy basmati rice is the only rice for this meal! Portia says: ‘Basmati rice is dead easy to cook. Just take it off when all the water has been absorbed; before it burns!’

The following is some text from our website of the history of our restaurant.  I am pasting it here to offer an introduction to the three family members who own The Africa Cafe as they will soon be making some posts of their own and it’s always nice to know a little about the name behind the message:

“The Africa Café had the humble beginnings of a dream in a South Africa that had yet to transform into the democracy and icon of freedom that it is today.  Portia and Jason De Smidt had no formal training in food preparation, but armed with creative flair and abundant passion they were determined to open South Africa’s first African restaurant.  Their idea was not warmly received by the business community and without much needed financial backing the only option was to open the doors of their small home in the Bohemian suburb of Observatory.  They were determined to fill a gap in the market and create food that would celebrate Africa’s diversity and rich tapestry of tastes and aromas.  There was very much a sense that Africa, through years of oppression, had lost pride in its heritage, and this inspired the dynamic couple even more to challenge and change negative perceptions of what this vast and great continent had to offer.

Portia’s brother, Hector, came down from Johannesburg to complete the team and brought with him extensive marketing expertise to help boost the growth process. Needless to say the word spread and over a period of 17 years the fledgling restaurant grew from strength to strength in the face of much adversity into the much-loved and very popular destination it is today.”

U thando means love in Xhosa.  As many of us believe that it is love that makes the world go round, it is a theme that will probably pop up now and then.  Perhaps in time it will even need its own category!  Today love has come up because the next member of the team that I have decided to introduce is dating the beautiful Nandipha who was recently introduced.  When you work such long hours in the same place people are bound to start coupling up.  In fact all three of our barmen are dating waitresses who also work here which is great unless they are having a tiff hehe.

This is what Azola Zanekani, aged 24 has to say for himself:

I was born in the  Eastern Cape in King Williams Town.  I went to live in Middleburg with my grandmother for a while and then came to Cape Town to live with my sister when I was 12.  I wanted to be an actor and I used to perform in sketches and dramas in the township and I was good at it.  I was naughty and stubborn but also responsible.  My biggest challenge was the language.  I went to a township school and couldn’t speak English as well as the other students.  They used to laugh at me and I wanted to quit but my sister said there were no quitters in our family.  It was very difficult because I couldn’t be a normal person.  I started working at 16 as a driver at Dunes bakery.  The only place that I wanted to visit is Durban.  I wish my dream can come true.

Thanks Azola!

Nandipha has become the “face” of Africa Cafe.  She is featured as the hostess on our website as well as our brochures and many banners over the years.  This is her introduction to you:

I’m a proud mother to a 9 year old humble daughter – the one person I turn to whenever I need comfort or am going through a rough time.  I’m a strong African woman from a huge family that went through a lot of crisis but came out tougher than ever by gaining strength in handling situations from my supportive and strong mother.

I’m a grateful person with lots of dreams and ambitions.  I tend to sell myself short at times because I’m scared of failure but I am working on it!  I’m a kind individual and am filled with lots of love.  I feel that it is time to give back some love to people especially after what I call a “near death experience” recently.  The support I received was phenomenal.  The experience taught me not to take anything or pain for granted.  Basically I am extremely grateful to be alive!!

- as are we Nandipha – Remo

Good Day Blog buddies.  I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend.  Cape Town is being blessed with some sunshine again after a few days of heavy rain and it was great to get out yesterday and drive the peninsula.  The sky and the air were so clear with a light breeze making sure that is was a smog free day even over the city bowl.  As I may have mentioned part of this blog will be to introduce our extended family and I thought perhaps a good place to start would be with me.  So here goes:

Name:  Remo Belluco

Age:  33

Job title:  This gets confusing but lets stick with marketing manager

I have worked for The Africa Cafe since August 2000 – yes nine years this month!  These days I spend my morning helping with the marketing and admin of our ceramic business – Africa Cafe Ceramics and my afternoons in the city at the restaurant doing bookings and dreaming up new ways of keeping the world in the loop about what we do.  If there is anything else you would like to know please drop me a comment.

Have a great week!

Remo



Winter me