You might not expect to find your next food obsession at a small street food cart, but that is the convenience the owner of Flavour Fest Tumelo Sello from Johannesburg provides for his customers. His food reminds anyone who takes a bite that local street food is more than just a meal – it’s an experience.
Located in Johannesburg, Flavour Fest is known for its famous hot wings and chips, with some of its sauces made from scratch. Even celebrities like Rich Mnisi and Khulu Skenjana have amazing things to say about their wings.
“I started cooking when I was studying in China in 2018. I had too much time on my hands, so I started taking an interest in food,” he says.
Introducing Mzansi’s flavours
“I wanted to bring the tastes of South Africa to the world by elevating our comfort street foods to make them a bit more appetising, and then introducing them to Chinese people and other nationalities.”
Upon returning to Mzansi, Sello found a tiny underground club and asked the owners to let him show them what he could do. When they agreed, Sello reinvented their menu, adding his own twists.
“It was an instant hit. As I got going, I started saving up and opened my own business in 2021, where I had 100% of the creative control and vision for what I was trying to do with my food,” he shares.
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His own little spin on classics
Sello mentions that his favourite thing about cooking is being able to put together ingredients and convert them into a meal that becomes the highlight of someone’s day.
“Cooking good food not only brings joy to me but also brings joy to others, and that’s what I like to see. With every bite, I provide a festival of flavours in people’s mouths and appreciate the sight of enjoyment on their faces.”
Sello admits he hardly ever tries to keep up with food trends but caters to the needs and wants of his customers, who enjoy local food. His main goal is to make classical food that locals can also relate to.
From boerewors rolls to kotas
“I have a stall at an event called Deep Town Jozi every second Saturday of the month. I do other events when I can, but I do a sales job to fund my business. People leave satisfied because I give them the classics like boerewors rolls, kotas, and fried chips – all the Mzansi classics they love so much, with small tweaks and twists as per their requests.
“Our loaded boerewors roll is the one dish in which we push boundaries. This is where we go beyond your usual caramelised onions and sauces and go with house coleslaws and salsas garnished with an array of micro-herbs and edible flowers, just to mention a few.”
Boerewors rolls have always been one of Mzansi’s food icons. Sello shares his unique recipe for this local favourite, which he calls the smoke screen boerewors roll.
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The Smoke Screen (Boerewors roll)
Ingredients
- Toasted roll
- Boerewors
- Streaky bacon
- Any honey mustard BBQ sauce
- Any store-bought yellow mustard
- 1 medium-sized jalapeño
- 1 onion
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of any regular Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Wrap your boerewors in the streaky bacon. Grill the wrapped boerewors uncovered on medium heat and turn regularly for even cooking.
- In one bowl, combine flour and cajun seasoning.
- In another bowl, crack some eggs and beat well.
- Slice some onions.
- Dredge sliced onions into the egg mixture, then coat them in the flour and cajun seasoning mix.
- Drop onions into 160-degree hot oil in a deep fryer.
- Slice the roll from the top and place it on the grill, face side down, for char marks.
- Once the wrapped boerewors is cooked, place it in the roll.
- Sauce the boerewors with the house BBQ sauce and yellow mustard; garnish it with sliced jalapenos and crispy onions.
- Serve on a plate and enjoy.
