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“Let them eat cake!” This historical statement uttered in contempt, allegedly by the French queen Marie Antoinette to hungry masses in 1789, intensified a revolution.
Fast-forward to 230 years later, a sweeter revolution is baking in modern kitchens, thanks to people like Tichaona Phillimon Mugwambanini.
The Zimbabwean-born pastry chef, who works at the family-run Italian eatery Dolci in Jo’burg, has come from far with things sugary.
While still a student at Harare’s Oriel Boys High, Mugwambanini fell in love with chocolate ravioli, a dessert pastry with a shape of the pasta after which it’s named.
It was introduced to him by his food and nutrition teacher. Another dessert he favoured was red velvet cake.
“Growing up I also liked red velvet, but red velvet that my mother made. She would [make] it with a New York cheesecake in the middle . . . instead of cream.”
He enjoys interacting with customers and receiving their requests. He says this allows him to test his skill although this can be challenging at times.
“The best part of the job is that you do new things all the time. It’s not like the hot kitchen where you have to follow the menu every time. On the pastry side you can introduce your new things to the menu.”
He names mango sorbet, and Amarula crème brûlée as his favourite desserts.
Mugwambanini has been at Dolci for 18 months now, after starting his career working at the scullery at a hotel in Fourways, north of Johannesburg. His days start pretty early but he values the experience.
“My (work) day starts at 6.30am when I start preparing a range of pastries for the display fridge and the desserts on the menu. If there are orders for cakes, I may work on that as well.
The Dolci experience has added to my repertoire — I now know something about Italian cuisine as well.
The 30-year-old who lives in Diepsloot, obtained his diploma in patisserie from the HTA School of Culinary Arts.
“I advise aspiring chefs to be pastry chefs. You learn more things and experience more things and styles,” he says. — Sowetan.
Online Reporter