For the love of cooking
EC duo tackle the big braai test
TWO self-taught East London cooks will be representing the city in a television cooking competition that will be taking them on the journey of a lifetime around the country – The
Ultimate Braai Master with season 6 yet to air.
Anam Xinwa, 38, and Mhlabase “Hlabi” Msibi, 44, who have called themselves the “Dynamite Shortiez”, paired up after Xinwa took to Facebook seeking a friend interested in entering the cooking competition with him.
“I have always wanted to enter the competition and I jumped at the opportunity when I saw Anam’s Facebook post,” said Msibi.
The “Dynamite Shortiez” have offered their cooking services for free to anyone in East London hosting a braai for practise purposes.
The two will have to prove themselves to the judges of the show, wellknown chefs and television personality Benny Masekwameng and Peter Goffe-Wood, as well as the show’s host, Justin Bonello.
The pair, who met through Msibi’s colleagues, say they have one main thing in common: their love of food.
“Our relationship has always been
around food. We love everything that has to do with food,” she said.
Xinwa, who is also a fashion designer and photographer, and has started an online magazine Ilaphulam Afrikan Fashion Journal, said he tried entering the competition four years ago but was unsuccessful.
“In 2014 we tried to enter but did not make it through because they were looking for amateurs, even though we were not chefs,” said Xinwa.
“The show for me is a platform for people who can cook, and it is a competition where I can say to myself that I have cooked with the best,” he said.
Msibi used to watch her mum cooking in the kitchen and her first cooking experience was when she was 11 years old.
“I used to admire my mum manoeuvre with whatever ingredients we had.
“Cooking is a love language to me. You don’t have to mention the word ‘love’ to show love. When you offer someone food – that alone is enough,” said Msibi.
In 2015 The Ultimate Braai Master won the Golden Horn award for best reality show. — lisekhom@dispatch.co.za