Food & Home Entertaining – September 2019

C

hefSiyaKobo

takesthe

traditional

tastesofSouth

Africa’sEastern

Caperegion

onexquisite

epicurean

adventures.Havingworkedhis

wayupthroughthehautecuisine

ranksofnumerousprestigious

culinarybrigades,includingthose

ofLondoloziGameReserveand

the5-starIntercontinentalatO.R.

TamboInternationalAirport,this

veteranmemberoftheSouthAfrican

CulinaryOlympicSquadrecently

openedhisownbistronomydining

destination,RestaurantKobo

Cuisine,inthestylishMaboneng

districtofJohannesburg.InisiXhosa,

hisfirstname,Siyabulela,translates

to “we are thankful” – and so say

many happy diners.

“I grew up in Caguba, just outside Port

St Johns, in a homestead by the sea.

As a child, I took so much for granted.

My family didn’t have much, but there

was plenty in the lands and seas

around us. At the time, I just thought

we were living a normal life.

“My mother grew her own

vegetables and we kept proper

umleqwa (free-range chicken) in our

yard. Some local men walked around

the village selling freshly caught fish

almost every day and we regarded

crayfish regular, normal food and not

a treat! I would pull mussels off the

rocks and bring them home to my

mother, who steamed them with wild

spring onions. She used spring onions

a lot in her cooking. Now, I also use

them often as a reference to my roots,”

Siya explains.

This vibrant chef feels that the food

he grew up with has “coloured” the

way he works as a chef. “My mother

cooked good-quality, fresh ingredients

in very simple ways. When I think of

South African cuisine, I always keep

that in mind. I want people to know

that we are people who respect pure

tastes. Our food is all about bringing

out the essence of ingredients:

beautiful, individual flavours! In that

respect, it reminds me of Japanese

food. We value purity and clarity

of flavour.”

SIYA KOBO

PHOTOGRAPHSBYCINDYELLISSTYLINGBY SIYA KOBO

UMVUBO: SIYA’S

TAKE ON THE

FAMOUS XHOSA

UMPHOKOQO WITH

SET AMASI CHEESE

BALLS, WHEY JELLY,

ISIKHOKHO TUILE

AND AMASI-HONEY

DRESSING

RIGHT: UMQA –

PUMPKIN ROYALE

SERVED WITH

SUGAR CANE

SYRUP-ROASTED

PUMPKIN PURÉE,

IMITHWANE (YOUNG

PUMPKIN LEAVES)

VINAIGRETTE,

IMITHWANE FLUID

GEL, TOASTED

PUMPKIN SEEDS,

EDIBLE SOIL, MEALIE

MEAL-CRUMBED

UMQA BALLS AND

PUMPKIN VELOUTÉ

32 SEPTEMBER 2019

CHEFS’ PROFILES PART 4