Grief following a family tragedy can consume you. But whenever a person is able to turn that tragedy around into a positive thing, it can also help them with their healing.
That is exactly what Kopano Shai, the last born of veteran actor Patrick Shai, has done.
Kopano (29) has opened a pub and grill in Roodepoort, and he has named it 2222 Pub and Grill. His father died by suicide in their home on 22 January 2022.
“We have turned our sadness around into something that can be legacy for his grandchildren. My sister also has a beauty bar called 2222 Beauty. We just wanted to do something to honour him, we will never forget that date, but this is a positive thing,” he tells Drum.
Kopano has always been a lover of food and he credits his father for that.
“Dad was really great in the kitchen. He was a creative in the kitchen and he would put different things together and see how it will turn out and it would always be delicious. Mom is more of a recipe following kind of cook and we always enjoyed his cooking more than we did hers.
“I will always miss Ntwana’s soups. He used to make delicious soups during winter. He would thatha la, thatha la, (take this and that) to see how the different meals would come out. He would then take us through the meal and the preparation. He was really fun in the kitchen.”
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As a young entrepreneur, Kopano says his business has run into some challenges which include loadshedding.
“We have an issue with space, there are certain things we can only buy weekly because there isn’t enough space. We also still need to get certification to get large gas cylinders. We are also spending a lot of money on fuel for the generator. We also operate during loadshedding so that we can be of convenience to our customers.”
The business opened on 5 March and Kopano says their specialty dish is their sticky wings.
“They are so delicious,” he exclaims. “They sell like nobody’s business. We buy 40kg of wings on a weekly basis, that is how popular they are.
“Another thing that sets us apart from other eateries is that we make our own patties and basting. We have a professional chef. I simply just gave input on kinds of things I wanted to have on the menu.”
They do not deliver and are not on any e-hailing delivery service yet.
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“Those are still developments that are still in the works. We are in the process of acquiring a motorbike for delivery.”
Kopano hopes to join his two passions, food and music, together soon.
“We wanted to introduce the food element first. In time, the idea is to introduce the music too. I have a background as a soul and R&B dj, so we would like to have live sessions here too.
“I spent two years studying business, but I never finished because I got a job at a big bank. I am not really one with school, but I am one with the street hustle.”
He speaks on the importance of not walking the entrepreneurial road alone.
“To me, it is important to have a mentor to advise and guide you. They are not there to tell you what to do, but it is great to have someone to bounce ideas off. Someone who will tell you about the pros and cons of going into certain business ventures. They are also great in terms of linking you up with the right kind of network.”
