Man pursues catering passion for 18 years
BORN from a family of boys only, Ngqabutho Nkomo (40), didn’t know until he went to college that his career as a chef had been set.
Unlike most boys, Nkomo took to cooking with so much passion, to an extent that he decided to study food and beverages corresponding with the London Institute of Commercial Management.
Like they say the rest is history, as soon as Nkomo graduated, he hit the ground running setting up his first catering business in 1997.
“Being raised in a family of boys only, we had the opportunity to experiment in the kitchen. This gave me a chance to discover my talent. Since then, I have never looked back. Up to now am still running the business,” he said.
Back then in 1997, Nkomo was spreading his cooking utensils into a business venture reserved for females, but his passion pushed him even further to prove a point.
Reflecting his journey in front of the stove, he is grateful that he did not give up and hard work finally paid as he has employed more than 12 people.
“Back then there were a lot of challenges which could have dampened my spirit, but did not yield. Now I am grateful that the catering business is finally paying off, am an employee of 12 chefs,” he said.
Stereotypes prevail in any profession, for Nkomo the stereotypes that men could not cook proved to be not an obstacle as his work spoke for him.
“You know people are always sceptic of male chefs, but that didn’t bother me. My work spoke volumes of what I was capable of and people actually keep coming to me if they have any event,” he said.
Nkomo’s catering business offers an assortment of mouth-watering dishes, ranging from fried rice, macaroni cheese, three-in-one bean salad, Coleslaw, potato, green salad, chicken and beef stew, glazed chicken, isitshwala and rice.
Nkomo offers customised dishes, therefore his prices change as per demand of his customers, despite that, Nkomo could not be drawn into revealing how much he makes per service.
As a father of three boys and one girl, Nkomo said he was grateful that his family was rallying behind him at all costs and when he is free at home he spoils his family with some of his best dishes.
“My family is very supportive of my catering business especially my wife, she is always there for me. If I am not around I trust her with everything. When I get time at home now and then I cook for them and just like my customers they keep asking for more,” he said.
Despite being employed full-time as a head cook for Usher Institution, Nkomo is still able to juggle between his business and his full-time job.
However, with catering businesses mushrooming all over town, Nkomo said he misses the days when few people were plying the trade.
“Back then there were a lot of appointments during the holidays. For example, for this whole festive season I only have two events, but I remember back then in 2010 on a busy day we could serve up to four weddings,” he said.
Among his children, he identifies the girl as the one who has the potential to take over and no wonder why he named the catering business after her daughter “Chaada Outside Catering”.
Dear readers I MET a girl on Facebook and things have been great between us, we even went to Durban together and it was nice. She was everything I dreamt of. But now she only wants to see me when she wants something from me. Every time I am with her I see myself spending. She doesn’t like my clothes and my opinions. I think I annoy her.
My husband only has sex when he is drunk