Rising foodie Methoa Zitha fell in love with food at the age of 13 and hasn’t looked back since. Spending hours helping his mother, Beauty Mabasa, with preparing meals Zitha discovered his untapped potential in the kitchen.
He has since made a career for himself on the Johannesburg restaurant scene, learning from some of South Africa’s premier chefs.
Scroll down for the recipe to his version of the South African favourite potjiekos.
“In 2016 I worked at Mugg&Bean and Saint restaurant and then I started to work as junior chef at Marble restaurant in Rosebank, where I have been now for the past three years,” says Zitha.
Life changing mentor
Zitha is the eldest of eight children whose family immigrated from Zimbabwe to South Africa before he was born. He grew up in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg.
“I always kept busy and didn’t want to get involved in criminal activities or anything dangerous, because I grew up in a very corrupt place,” he says.
Zitha’s willpower to move past the circumstances in which he was raised has opened several culinary doors for him, including the opportunity to work alongside top South African chef David Higgs.
“He [Higgs] is a good guy but doesn’t like mistakes. If he shows me something, I have to make sure I get it right. Higgs also advises me to listen to other chefs when they are trying to help me, because they will show me the right way of cooking,” Zitha says.
Through Higgs’s mentorship, Zitha is always respectful. “Higgs always says ‘don’t have an attitude. Life is about helping other people’ and to be presentable,” Zitha adds.
He urges fellow foodies in the professional kitchen to unlock opportunities through mentorship. “Believe in yourself and don’t hesitate to get some support.”
This young foodie is also an avid cyclist who’s completed the Absa Cape Epic and the Imana Wild Ride.
ALSO READ: Soshanguve trio shoots for the culinary skies
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Make Methoa’s tasty lamb potjie
Zitha has plans on opening his own Italian restaurant one day. Showing off his kitchen skills, Zitha’s prepared a delicious lamb potjie recipe.
Ingredients
- 1kg lamb (on the bone),
- 2 onions chopped
- 4 chunky potatoes,
- 2 carrots
- 350g baby marrows and green beans
- 2 tsp ginger and garlic
- Black pepper
- 400 grams of whole canned tomatoes
- 5 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cover the base of the pot with oil and heat the oil.
- Add the onions to the pot when the oil is heated. Sauté the onions until brown.
- For flavour, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots and potatoes and let them cook until soft.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for approximately 2 hours on low heat. Enjoy with rice!
