Nkateko Maoke is leaving his mark on Joburg’s fine dining scene. The farm is renowned for its extraordinary locally grown produce. “Everything just tastes so good,” says Maoke.
“It’s refined and proper. It’s one thing if food looks good on the plate, but it needs to have an impact on you emotionally – that’s how much I love food.” “I was always curious about a lot of things and I knew he was a genius. So, I wouldn’t hesitate and would always ask him questions and come up with some ideas.
Then he started recruiting me a little bit. You know, he started pulling me closer to him. “After a successful simple wine dinner, when the Babylonstroen experience came, he didn’t even think twice, he just came to me and asked me to go home to research and come up with ideas for us to discuss – and trust me, that’s what I did.
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I always love a challenge,” says Maoke. The autumn edition of the seasonal year-long dinner series is centred on the humble but mighty olive. Now, silverware is polished and glassware sparkling, the wheels are already in motion for what promises to be an equally stunning, tangy-sweet citrus-themed dinner in June.
“This dinner is just creating a connection between, of course, the Babylonstren farm and the table, and it celebrates the local produce, serenity and storytelling through food,” says Maoke “I learnt so much during this time; Chef Rudi taught me that luxury is restraint and to keep things simple. When you have a positive story and have fabulous ingredients, you don’t need to do much to them. Letting the ingredients speak on its own on the plate,” he says.
Maoke says food has always taken centre-stage for his most special memories growing up. His fondest food memory is the visual of his parents cooking cow trotters in the family kitchen together.
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