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Kundai Marunya
Names rarely coincide with the profession that one eventually takes up, but when they do, then it means the case is a special one.
This is the special case of 46-year-old Edson Kanyama, Harare’s all-conquering braai master, which is made even more special in this Christmas season when everyone else is thinking about having a braai to spice up that little celebration.
Although his surname Kanyama translates to ‘little meat’ in English, Kanyama has moved ‘mountains’ of meat on the braai stand across the capital.
He can stand the heat, so he has made the kitchen his home.
And Kanyama has been to almost every joint in Harare known for braai — PaHuku in Hillside, Portuguese Restaurant, Courtney Hotel, Dandaro Inn, Little Mereki, Chicken World, City Sports Bar and many others.
A chef in his own right, head chef to be exact, Kanyama’s spot of choice is behind the braai stand where he works his magic of roasting different meats into an explosion of flavour and taste.
It is the rich scent that first draws one to his space of operation, an independent cooking area at Avery Sports Bar in the city centre.
The magnetic scent usually leads one to yearn for a treat.
Donning white chef’s gear, Kanyama stands, serving his various customers who come from far out of town to treat themselves to an addictive dose of flame grilled delicacies.
What may be the secret behind his fame, after all he is not operating from some fancy restaurant?
“There are many good braai masters around,” says Kanyama.
“The meat sometimes tastes the same, but my secret is in the spices, the marinade.”
Kanyama has developed a special spice he sprinkles on his meat when roasting.
“I was taught how to make spices when I was working at Parkview Restaurant, which was then called Shells in the Park, under the management of some Italians,” he says.
“I twisted the recipe a bit, making it different and to my liking, which has also proved to be the liking of many people.”
Kanyama’s ‘Italian Spice’ was initially designed for chickens, but goes along well with different meats.
For the spice, Kanyama buys fresh ingredients from different farmers.
“The fresher the ingredients, the tastier the meat,” he says.
“I am an expert with various meat delicacies, but I mostly enjoy braaing chicken, maybe because I love how it cooks and tastes.”
Kanyama is also good with sausage, pork, ribs, beef, lamb and other meats.
He gained his expertise from different food joints across the city where he worked as a braai master and, sometimes, a chef.
“I’ve worked at PaHuku in Hillside, Portuguese Restaurant, Courtney Hotel, Dandaro Inn, Little Mereki, Chicken World and City Sports Bar, among other spots,” he says.
“My experience at these numerous spots made me into a very good braai master and chef.”
Though he never attended a school of culinary arts, Kanyama’s on-job training and passion to grasp new knowledge has made him a competitive food master.
He has even taken apprentices under his belt, some of whom have gone on to establish themselves in the industry.
“I’ve trained several people in both braaing and cooking,” says Kanyama.
“Some have gone on to open their own restaurants or work at reputable joints. I currently work with two people who are under my mentorship.”
Kanyama’s biggest dream is to open a food outlet that caters for many delicacies with his signature braai as a flagship dish.
“One day I will achieve my dream,” he says.
“I will be able to take on many young people who are interested in culinary art, but cannot afford to pay the huge fees charged by many institutions. I will be able to grow my business into a reputable food chain.”
At the moment, Kanyama works closely with Avery Sports Bar.
Their good relationship has led to memorable Friday Christmas events at the joint.
“We have been working with Kanyama in hosting special events every Friday running up to Christmas since the beginning of December,” says Amady Tiyesi, Avery Sports Bar manager. At these events
Kanyama has been making various dishes.
“We have had a traditional food Friday where we served various dishes including mazondo, and roadrunner chickens,” says Teyesi.
“We have also served gango, among other dishes.”
The Friday events will go on until the end of December.
“On Christmas Day we also have a special event for those who cannot travel, catering for both their food and beverage needs,” says Teyesi.
The partnership goes beyond events at Avery, also involving outside catering.
“We do outside catering be it at birthday parties, graduation parties, weddings and many other events,” says Kanyama.
“I have catering equipment, including heavy duty braai stands, while Avery supplies liquor, PA systems and event hosting.”
Kanyama’s treat maybe what one needs for a magical Christmas this time around.
Tips on braaing chicken
1. Open up you chicken from the middle.
2. Marinade the chicken with spices and let it stay in the fridge overnight.
3. Do not boil your chicken before putting it on the braai stand, that takes away the rich flavour.
4. Start braaing your chicken always from the inner part
5. Make sure you have moderate heat so that your chicken cooks well, too much heat will leave the inner most parts raw.
6. If time is limited, braai your chicken first and when it closes to readiness you can then apply your marinade, preferably using a brush.
Online Reporter