He cut his teeth at Bocca and Burrata in Cape Town and now he’s making a name for himself at Bryanston’s buzzing Gemelli Pantry – and online – with his gorgeous blog, Loyiso and Spoon. From deep-fried bagels with mango sorbet to pig’s-head tortellini, this is one creative young chef
I started cooking at a very young age. I used to live with my granny, and when I was about nine years old, I started cooking for the family. Isjingi – a dish made from pumpkin mash and maize meal – was a real family favourite. It’s really filling!
After finishing high school in 2013, I enrolled at Capsicum Culinary School in Durban. I spent three years there and then went to Cape Town to do my practical training. I worked at Bocca and Burrata – both part of the same group. The chef at the time, Annemarie Robertson, was a big inspiration to me; she taught me a lot. After studying further, I went back to the group and worked at their third restaurant, Open Door in Constantia.
When I first started working, it was really hard. When you first start a new job, people don’t believe you can do it. I had to prove myself and show them that I could do it. As a black chef, I felt an extra challenge because there were only a handful of black chefs who are also food photographers.
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