TAVERN chef, Mandisi Dlokolo from M&N Place in Motherwell was crowned the Eastern Cape provincial Mzansi Tavern Chef champion.
This comes after Mandisi served up a splendid dish of “Monday Chicken” in East London.
With just the right combination of herbs, spices and a perfectly cooked mouth-watering chicken, the 60-year-old put his name on the map in the fierce cooking competition.
As a provincial winner, he scored prizes to the value of R30 000 towards the food serving outlet and the right to compete in the national grand final for the chance to win the ultimate prize of a tavern makeover to the tune of R100 000.
This was announced during the second leg of the Mzansi Tavern Chef Cook-off competition, following the opening event in the Western Cape in February where at least 15 contestants representing taverns from East London, Gqeberha and Mthatha turned up the heat with a mouth-watering array of dishes in the Blue Ribbon Catering and Hospitality School kitchens.
The judges were Master chefs Pete Goffe-Wood and Bennie Masekwameng along with Drinks Federation of South Africa Chairperson Monhla Hlahla.
Mandisi’s dish which certainly left a lasting impression on the judges was praised.
Goffe-Wood who was blown away by the fierce competition commanded the cooks for keeping things heated in the kitchen.
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“We’ve been simply blown away by the standard of cooking we’ve experienced here today and picking a winner has been tough.
“We are discovering just how much cooking talent we have, which just needs the right encouragement and support to shine, and I hope this competition becomes a catalyst for township food culture to grow,” said Pete.
Trusting his gut and choosing a familiar plate was clearly a winning move for Mandisi who has plans of growing his business.
He said he’s been cooking the dish for many years and serving it free to loyal patrons who visit his tavern every Monday.
“Patrons love “Monday Chicken” so much that they come on other days to enjoy,” Mandisi said.
His love for cooking goes way back to the days when started his career doing maintenance at a hotel in Gqeberha.
Dlokolo explained how he would visit the kitchen to help out. It was through his “sharp eyes” he learned to cook.
