Phakamisa Mgqabuzana is a young man of few words and a quiet, unassuming nature, but he comes alive when describing his passion for baking. The young aspiring pastry chef has already registered the name for his future bakery, and is hoping to have it up and running in a few years’ time.
Before being selected for the Umzi Wethu programme, Phakamisa was earning a living by baking biscuits and selling them at the local taxi rank in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. “I learned how to bake from a friend of mine. I used to bake chocolate, custard and coffee flavoured biscuits, and also plain sponge cake,” says Phakamisa. He used the money to support his family including his sisters and his son.
After being accepted for the Umzi Wethu programme in 2010, Phakamisa thoroughly enjoyed the practical training. “It was challenging because there was always something new to learn every day, but I liked it.”
He also enjoyed being part of the residence and living and working together with the other students which he describes as his ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’.
Although he has a quiet and reserved personality, Phakamisa was not intimidated by the Imbewu trails. He was one of few students who enjoyed the four day, three night trails right from the very start. “I liked walking long distances. It gave me lots of time to think about the future without interruptions. I also learned about conservation. Nature definitely made an impact on me. Before I did not know that it was bad to throw rubbish in the street. Now I know that it’s important to throw rubbish in the bin, and I will teach my children to do this.”
The Umzi Wethu hospitality training also exposed Phakamisa to a wide range of ingredients that he had never heard of, or had access to.
One of his favourite ingredients is cinnamon. “I only discovered cinnamon when I joined Umzi Wethu. I love using it in baking, and even in savoury dishes. You can do a nice dish with chicken and cinnamon. Umzi Wethu taught me a lot about different herbs and spices and I enjoy using them in my cooking.”
Phakamisa currently works at the Green Leaf Café on the Donkin Reserve in Port Elizabeth. He is taking the opportunity to learn how to manage his own business. “We are learning about food presentation, preparation, costing, stock take and management. These are skills that I didn’t have before when I was selling biscuits. The costing and stock take are particularly important.”
Phakamisa currently uses his wages to support his family, and is looking forward to opening his bakery in the near future.
No comments:
Post a Comment