malvernmugadzikwa
Chef Rudo Kandiero
EVERY October 20, International Chefs Day, we celebrate the bold and fearless souls behind creating healthy, enjoyable food.
It is a day to honour this noble profession and pass on knowledge and culinary skills to the next generation. The focus is on eating healthy as a lifestyle, not as a remedy. Our theme, “Growing Great Chefs”, inspires the future to get excited about healthy food and our industry.
Chefs at every level, from stewards to executive chefs, face intense pressure and long hours, often in fast-paced and demanding environments.
Mistakes are inevitable, but it is how chefs respond to these challenges that defines their careers. The work can feel thankless, with long shifts spent behind the scenes cleaning, prepping and performing repetitive tasks.
However, this is where crucial lessons are learned: the importance of patience and persistence.
A toast to the legends, the ancestors of culinary arts, such as Auguste Escoffier, the King of Chefs and Chef of Kings. His influence extended far beyond titles. He revolutionised how kitchens operate, menu planning and the training of future generations of chefs.
We raise our glasses to our local legends and their teams in culinary arts: Chef Chikeya, Chef David Lupenga, Chef Chris Gonzo, Chef Leonard Moyo, Chef Clayton Mpofu, Chef Carol Ruzariro, and many more.
This week’s recipe is a creamy spinach and mushroom chicken that serves four. It requires approximately one hour of preparation time.
Ingredients
Four chicken breasts;
Oil;
One teaspoon garlic powder;
One teaspoon onion powder;
Four fresh garlic cloves;
One teaspoon thyme;
Salt and pepper;
Two tablespoons butter;
Two punnets mushrooms;
Three cups baby spinach;
One cup heavy cream;
One cup cheese
Method
- Season chicken with garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat oil and fry chicken over medium heat for five minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Cook mushrooms in the same skillet and add butter. Sauté mushrooms until golden brown.
3.Make cream sauce. Pour heavy cream and stir in cheese and thyme. Let it simmer for five minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine chicken and sauce. Return to the pan and cook for seven minutes until chicken is fully cooked and coated in sauce.
- Enjoy with hot pasta or rice.
Power foods
Chicken: A great source of protein, chicken helps build stronger muscles, promotes healthier bones and decreases the risk of injuries.
Spinach: Packed with nutrients, spinach supports the immune system, aids digestion, has anti-cancer properties, reduces blood pressure and is rich in iron.
Rudo Kandiero is a qualified chef with a diploma in food preparation and culinary arts, patisserie and food safety the HACCP WAY. She can be contacted on 0772748509
Online Reporter