OIKONOMOS, A History Of Household Management, By Chef Mmabatho Molefe

Part of the Dialogues Through Food series

 

THE EVENT

This home-spun whirling dervish of a dinner decodes the complexity of our current economic system, and its relationship with the food we eat.

Oikonomos details the relationship between money, food and the market economy over some six courses, diving deep into the nexus of what we eat, and the economic and political systems we operate within. From agricultural production to waste management, the menu explores what we eat not just sustenance but how it is deeply intertwined with our culture, identity, economy, and environment.

The Menu

Course One. Big Food.

Go Slos (rice rosette with tomato spice)

Ikota (miniature triple-layer sandwich with cured egg yolk creme

and FFMM Frankfurter)

Peanut & Raisins (Peanut shortbread / cracker with raisin and

tamarind paste)

Bacon kips with smoked mussels and cream cheese, sweet chili

sauce

Course Two. Small Scale Farming

Lowerland Kalahari White Wheat Estate Blend Mosbolletjie with

Cream of the crop butter, stewed grapes and citrus chutney.

Course Three. The government food parcel

Pilchard and Sqa Rice

Fried whole sardine with rice

Course Four. Agriculture and cultural identity

Maize meal pap, with stewed spinach basil and pumpkin leaf

pesto garnished with pickled Swiss chard stems and fried

kale.

Course Five. Cultural identity, social connections, sustainability

Whole spit roast lamb with kidney, skilpadjies and lamb

tails

Braaied snoek

As-patat (ash cooked sweet potato)

Veg biryani

Green goddess salad

Chakalaka

Corn ribs

Radish and beet salad (inspired by a beetroot salad)

Layered Salad (lagie slaai)

Coleslaw

Course Six. Food of the future

Espresso Martini IV Drip

Freeze dried mascapone filling

Cocoa capsule

Each menu is paired with a drink.

Please note this menu is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Where meat is featured there are no vegetarian substitutes.

The ticket price includes all drinks paired with dishes. Additional drinks can be purchased separately on the night.

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THE CHEF

Mmabatho Molefe is a South African chef and restaurateur. She is the owner and executive chef of Emazulwini Restaurant which has now closed.

Molefe was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She grew up in a family of cooks and she learned to cook from her mother and godmother. After struggling with a politics, philosophy, and law degree she then decided to follow her dream to pursue a culinary diploma in Cape Town.

After graduating from culinary school, Chef Mmabatho worked in various restaurants in Cape Town. In 2020, she opened her restaurant, Emazulwini. The restaurant has been praised for its innovative African cuisine and has been featured in several publications, including The Guardian and Saveur.

Molefe has received several awards for her work, including the “Chef of the Year” award from the Luxe Restaurant Awards in 2022. She was also named one of the 50 Next Food pioneers by World’s 50 Best.