My current interests are - cycling (mountain and road), photography, bonsai, fly fishing, blogging and just about everything that goes fast and makes a noise. I am also known to put paint to canvas every now and then. I love woodwork and knife making, and even though I don't have the space or time for it right now, I do intend on eventually setting up a little workshop, much to H's despair. My interests- or hobbies as H like to call them- change from time to time. The one thing that has been constant is my love for cooking.
I started cooking at a young age. My parents got divorced when I was very young, and I stayed with my mother. I remember being 4 or 5 years old, having a braai under the tree in my grandmothers back garden with my uncle, who is only 5 years older than me. We used to set up camp under our favourite tree and make a little fire pit. My grandmother used to give us pieces of sausage that we use to braai on our little makeshift fire pit. At the age of ten I was capable of making a fire and having a proper braai for Sunday lunch.
I did not really realise until I was in high school that I had a passion for cooking. I also enjoyed meeting new people and entertaining them. I started working in a bar when I was in my final year of school, and really enjoyed it. I took a gap year after school and carried on working in bars in and around Cape Town. I got into cocktail flairing and enjoyed entertaining people behind the bar.
I decided that I really enjoyed this environment, and decided to further my career in the hospitality industry. I went on to study hotel management.
I started my training at the Oudekraal hotel, now the 12 Apostles. I started in the kitchen, something I was not too excited about at the time, as I really enjoyed the front of house.
I continued to flair and started competing. I quickly made a name for myself in the flairing world, but there was a serious love affair developing between myself and the kitchen. It's damn hard work, and there is nothing glamorous about being a chef, but it is so rewarding. I learnt a lot and developed a decent pallet, but the most important thing I learnt was to understand food. You get kind of a sixth sense. You just tend to know how much salt to add, how long to cook the chicken, what spices work and how to put a dish together from scratch.
After I left the kitchen, I started managing restaurants in Cape Town. Even though I was no longer in the kitchen, I still worked on menu planning and staff training. I ended up in Mauritius where I was hired to open a cocktail bar in Flic en Flac, called Shotz.
Returning to South Africa after six months in Mauritius, it was decision time. Either I would stay in the industry, and possibly single for the rest of my life, or it was time for a career change.
I opted for the latter, and I must say I’m very happy with my move, although I do miss the rush of a busy dinner service. You just don’t get organised chaos like that in any other job!
This is probably the reason I became interested in starting a food blog. It gives me a chance to go back to my roots.
I don't proclaim to be the best cook in the world- I watch some of these cooking shows and I have not even heard of some of the ingredients they work with- but that’s what really excites me. Finding ingredients that I have never seen or tasted, and trying to create something wonderful with them. It's hit and miss, most of the time, but that’s what makes it fun and exciting.
I do hope you enjoy the recipes and reviews on here, and you are always most welcome to post your comments and thoughts. If there is anything you would like to contact us about, feel free to do so on lhmaritz@gmail.com.
Now go have a whisky dammit!
Boy
