South African Garden and Home – September 2019

gardenandhome.co.za | SEPTEMBER 2019 103

M

y mother is the reason that

I love cooking,” explains

caterer Sandy Wood. “She

was an excellent cook

and every night, we’d cook something

simple together like soup, spaghetti

Bolognaise or roast chicken and sit

around the dinner table, chatting and

eating. I adored cooking so much that

I knew that I wanted to make it my

career,” she says.

Sandy studied at Cordon Bleu in South

Africa then went overseas to Prue Leith

in London, Ballymaloe Cookery School

in Ireland and The Ritz in Paris. She

spent time at Cybele Forest Lodge, was

a chef on private yachts, gave cooking

classes at home, and five years ago after

a friend asked her to cater for a function,

she set up Sandy’s Kitchen.

Whether it’s a dinner for eight or a

function for 200, she does everything –

food, flowers, decor, drinks and waiters

• putting as much effort into smaller
  gatherings as she does huge events. “I
  love them all equally; it’s those events
  such as a friend’s wedding at Fugitives
  Drift Lodge, KZN, and a themed rock
  concert 50th in the bush that have been
  the most memorable,” she explains. “I
  enjoy making people happy, whether it’s
  with food or flowers,” she says.
  A popular request from clients, and
  one that Sandy often does at home, is
  a harvest table. “It allows you to serve
  an eclectic blend of food, whether it’s
  French, Italian, Israeli or Moroccan and
  at the same time keep things healthy. The

secret is to use the freshest ingredients,”

she explains. Today’s harvest table lunch

is set in her evergreen courtyard.

Although Sandy has a busy lifestyle

(she also studies overseas at least once a

year), she still entertains on weekends.

“I love to cook with people around me,

chatting on the sofa in our kitchen, with

a glass of wine while I’m prepping the

food,” she says. Her husband, Clinton,

is also a good cook and they often have

friends over for a relaxed braai with lots

of salads.

Their four grown-up children live in

different parts of the globe, but they all

love food. “We spend Christmas together

at our holiday house in Plett and that’s

really when we all catch up – in the

kitchen, while preparing meals together.

For me, it’s always been about family,

friends and food, so all of us cooking

together is my absolute best.” 

Menu

SPICYWATERMELON

GAZPACHO



BLOODYMARYSTEAKSALAD



SPICYVIETNAMESEGRILLED

CHICKENSALAD



ROASTEDCARROTSWITH

CARROT-TOPPESTO

ANDBURRATA



ARTICHOKE,ORANGE

ANDBROADBEANSALAD

WITHFENNEL,ALMONDS

ANDORANGE

BLOSSOMDRESSING



CAESARSALADWITH

MACADAMIANUT‘CHEESE’,

AVOCADOAND

COCONUTDRESSING



WHITECHOCOLATE

CHEESECAKE

Sandy Wood, Bianca Buisman, Melissa

Fontini, Anikesh Ramani, Natalie Elsener,

Debbie McLaughlin and Jason Lume

Debbie McLaughlin and Sandy Wood