James Mbovane and Zuki Mfomele, well loved chefs at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa, have been invited to the Grand Hyatt Muscat in Oman on the Arabic Gulf to share their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm about the art of culinary creativity with their colleagues in the East.
The Grand Hyatt Muscat is a 5 star hotel situated on a pristine stretch of beach in the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, and is undoubtedly one of the finest illustrations of Arabian architecture. It is located in the heart of the Embassy and Ministry district of the city in Shatti Al Qurm, famous for its white sandy beaches lined with palm trees. As part of their stay, Mbovane and Mfomele will also usher in a South African promotion at the hotel where guests will be able to taste and experience the flavours and textures of truly South African cuisine.
James Mbovane fell in love with cooking at a young age, watching his grandmother in front of the stove. “Seeing how mixing ingredients together resulted in such amazing aromas and tastes made me want to become a chef. It was magical.” Asked which dishes he would consider home-grown culture food, Mbovane mentioned potbread, curries, potjies, venison and of course pap, but added that they would only bring maize and samp for the guests to look at and feel as they will have to cook with the generic equivalent because these products are not Halaal.
Mbovane noted that he was quite excited to get his hands (and ladles) on the incredible range of Arabic spices in Oman. “If I could bring back something, it would be a lot of spices, recipes and of course the secrets to true Middle Eastern cuisine. It would be so nice to possibly incorporate a dish or two into the menu at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai.”
Mzukisi (Zuki) Mofemele is confident that his love of cooking and the culinary arts did not simply evolve by chance, but through passion and commitment to his craft. He is very enthusiastic about sharing some of his secrets and learning about Middle Eastern cooking in Oman and believes that it is an incredible chance to share knowledge not only about cooking, but about culture as well.
“You never stop learning and experiencing in life. That is what makes it rich and exciting. As a chef, I have learned that you need to take ownership of your art. You need to be able to delegate, because you can’t do everything yourself. You need to share your experience. That is what makes this trip to Oman such an incredible challenge and opportunity to introduce South African cuisine to the Middle East.”
Hyatt Hotels have a fundamental belief in people development – globally known as “The People Philosophy”. Jaco le Roux, General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Oubaai said “We are proud to bring this philosophy to life at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai and know that James and Zuki will be wonderful ambassadors for Hyatt and the Garden Route”
