Great makers
TASTE contributing food editor Khanya Mzongwana has brought her collab-driven pop-up feasts to Cape Town. First up? Sharing platters of jerk chicken, braaied lamb and creative inspo in the east city
Khanya Mzongwana likes to feed people.
A lot. So much, in fact, that she created an alter-ego of sorts on Instagram, @palmoliveza_, to push herself out of her comfort zone and share her love for cooking with others at a series of pop-up events.
Palm-Olive is currently a one-person band and Khanya sees it as a space in which she can express herself through food by hosting events with like-minded people. For this, her first pop-up in Cape Town, Khanya collaborated with Julie Nxadi and Loyiso Qoboshiyana of The MuthaShip Landing, a group that encourages collaboration between artists in their creative spheres of choice.
“The Mutha-Ship is an experiment in audacity,” says Julie. “As Black makers we are particularly aware of the pressure on artists (Black women especially) to always be presentable and obedient in their disciplines. Whether it’s communicated through moving or still images, music, literature, storied objects or, in this case, food, sometimes all an idea needs is room to breathe. We want to be that room.”
Julie and Khanya met at the inaugural Food XX event in Cape Town in 2018.
“We clicked immediately and I knew we’d work together one day,” Khanya says. “I started Palm-Olive on my own, but things always work out better when they’re collaborative.”
Khanya has done solo pop-up food events before, but prefers this approach, which allowed her to focus on the food while The Mutha-Ship Landing managed the curation of the event. They arranged the venue at The Electric in the city’s new favourite hood, the east city precinct, as well as the music and artists. Khanya’s partner Nkosazana Hlalethwa created
“I’ve been influenced by trends and how relaxed ‘fine dining’ has become”
vintage-inspired crochet work, and Khanya’s mother, Loyiso Haya, hand-dyed napkins and made bright aprons and masks under her Acid Homeware label.
Khanya also enlisted the help of chef Ayanda Matomela, who she has cooked with previously (see TASTE April 2021). “I trusted Aya with my vision and he helped me to connect the dots on one or two of the dishes. We’re peers in the food space, and he’s someone I like to support.”
The food on the night – served as sharing platters – included home-made bread baked by Aya served with sunflower butter and friend Jody Brand’s vegetable atchar, followed by raw vegetables with “maximum” sauce (a flavourful green veggie dip); jerk chicken with endless summer slaw, dill oil and cucumber skin mayonnaise; braaied lamb shoulder with XO sauce and salads and amasi with warm saffron and white pepper honey. Aya’s pap-and-tea dish, featured in the April issue of TASTE, was served for dessert (see taste.co.za) with Tapiwa Guzha’s (of Tapi Tapi Indigenous) rutsva ice cream.
“I’ve been influenced by how relaxed ‘fine dining’ has become,” Khanya says of what inspired her menu.
“I always find inspiration in challenging myself on a technical level and making every bite taste great, while not having too many elements. And eating with plates in the middle of the table, with everyone helping themselves, reminds me of being at home with my family.
“It’s about keeping things simple and not always aiming for perfection. We’re not trying to create that kind of creative community – it has to be enjoyable.
It’s also great to be able to maintain friendships and our professionalism, so that nothing feels sacrificed while working towards a common goal.”
In the end, that’s what food is about, expression and enjoyment. Seems that Khanya has found her niche.