Meet our Magic Maker - Ahkanya Mgxigxwa:
According to our dictionary, magic is the power of apparently influencing events using mysterious or supernatural forces. And when it comes to our kitchen at Morukuru Family De Hoop, there is plenty of magic.
Chef, Ahkanya Mgxigxwa grew up in the small Eastern Cape hamlet of Port St.Johns, known as the gateway to the Wild Coast, the strip of coastline from the Mtamvuna River in the north to the Great Kei River in the south. Here in this untamed Wilderness, her home-grown passion for cooking was born. Akhanya comes from a large, extended family and identifies with the Amapondo culture, which forms part of South Africa’s Xhosa heritage. Ahkanya has fond memories of learning the fundamentals of simple food, like Samp & Sugar Beans, which her mother and grandmother taught her.
There is a popular saying, Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen. Ahkanya had no doubts that once she secured a position as a sculler in the De Hoop kitchen, she would follow her passion for the culinary arts. So, under the wings of our highly qualified team, she began her journey towards becoming a Magic maker in the kitchen. Although she has no formal training, she has her sights on qualifying as a professional chef. She’s already proving herself in dessert making, baking and as a Boulanger.
Chocolate has a reputation for being a temperamental ingredient, and no dessert menu is complete without this dark delicacy. Akhanya shared some of her tips for working with this testing raw material. “ Firstly, you must be sure of the quality of your chocolate. Use the best available. Then you must be familiar with the recipe - so there are no hidden surprises. Chocolate is unpredictable - so watch for rapid temperature changes, and I like to dust the surface with cocoa powder. Finally, I learned that cocoa is the perfect non-stick solution!”.
Our magic maker, Chef Ahkanya is waiting to delight you with her skill, imagination and passion. So, Wamkelekile! We are ready to welcome you!