If you’re looking for inspiration in the kitchen, look no further than Chef Ukhonaye Mconi, a dynamic rising star on the South African culinary scene.
As both a lecturer at Capsicum Culinary Studio and as a seasoned chef, Mconi brings a passion for cooking and a love of traditional South African flavours and ingredients to every dish he creates.
One of the concepts he loves to incorporate into his cooking is the Seven Colours food culture, which has become a tradition on South African tables on Sundays.
Seven Colours is a celebration of the diversity and richness of South African cuisine and is centred around the idea of having seven different dishes on the table, each representing a different colour and flavour. A standard seven colours plate could contain inyama of your choice, gravy, rice, potatoes, butternut or pumpkin, bean salad, beetroot, green beans or peas and carrots.
For Chef Mconi, Seven Colours is an important part of South African heritage: “I love the idea of having a meal that represents all the different cultures and communities in South Africa. It’s a way to bring people together and celebrate both our similarities and our differences.”
He incorporates the concept of Seven Colours into his cooking by using a variety of ingredients and flavours, and by showcasing traditional South African dishes in new and innovative ways. He is particularly skilled at using spices and herbs to enhance the flavours of his dishes, and is always on the lookout for new and exciting ingredients to incorporate into his cooking.
It’s interesting to note that Chef Mconi has come full circle in his career, having graduated from Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Cape Town campus in 2017, then working in the culinary field in the Mother City for a number of years and returning to Capsicum, this time as a lecturer, teaching at the school’s Rosebank campus in Johannesburg.
Some of Chef Mconi favourite recipes are: Rooibos and Granadilla Gin Cocktail, Tempura Broccoli and Smashed Potatoes.
