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Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Lifestyle Reporter
Zandile Mubi, an adorable sushi chef dares to be different and has ventured into a territory that many have viewed as closed and draws her culinary inspiration from organic food.
“Our only limit is our imagination” is the motto behind her success and she says while everyone is different she always tries her best to cater to each individual’s needs.
“Food is always exciting but what is more exciting is how to prepare the dishes that people can enjoy. So far, it’s been pretty busy for me but I would love to do more,” she said.
As much as she loves food, Zandi, says it is more satisfying when people enjoy her food.
“Like all the other experiments it is quite fulfilling to experiment with food. I am happy that more and more people are beginning to like sushi which is not common in Zimbabwe,” she said.
Sushi is prepared from cooked rice, seafood and vegetables and is generally not a common dish in many local restaurants. Apart from being a sushi chef, Zandi is also into big time catering services where she is slowly making inroads.
She had done catering for big events such as the Harare International Festival of the Arts, Shoko Festival for two consecutive years since last year and at Uhuru Concert.
But Zandi is not just a chef, in fact, after seeing that getting a job was highly unlikely due to the current economic situation, she decided to do her own thing.
The 26-year-old who studied in Melbourne, Australia for a diploma in commercial cookery and a degree in hospitality management between 2009 to 2012, returned home in 2013.
“Firstly, after I finished college I didn’t want to work in Australia so I came back home. After waiting to get employed I thought why don’t I start my own thing. So I then started on a small-scale but business is growing and I am happy I took that decision,” he said.
Zandi is fast becoming a regular at high profile events where she not only serves sushi but also other culinary treats.
She has been through a lot including working as a waitress and then as a chef after her graduation abroad.
“I have worked part-time during university first as a waitress then as a chef so really, (I) got to see both aspects of front of house and back of house.
“I also worked in very busy fast food restaurants which was difficult to start but am grateful for it has taught me how to keep calm under pressure and always keep smiling,” Zandi said.
She was among nine other chefs who were vying to run a restaurant nestled at Alliance Francaise and she came second.
“I think there were concerns about my age and not a lot of years experience on me. That’s when I decided to start Zandi’s Catering.
“I started by hosting tastings
at home for people I thought would be beneficial to my business. My first big event was Shoko Festival 2013 where I cooked for the VIP cocktail parties.
“I have also done lunches and cocktails for several companies including the Australian Embassy, AfricaCorp, Treasure Media, Axis solutions, CommsConsult etc as well as private functions. I also made an appearance on Zimchefs 2014 where I did a demo for an audience,” she said.
She is also into catering for weddings, corporate events, parties and cocktails.
Her ambition is to eventually own a restaurant and carry on with outside catering.
“As for my future plans I intend to include children’s cooking classes as I love to cook and I love children. So parents keep an eye out for that!
“I also launched my Facebook page ‘Zandi Loves Food’ showcasing meals and events that I do. Tastings can also be organised for clients prior to an event,” she said.
With great support from her mother Debbie Mubi who runs Londoners Bar at Strathaven shops, Zandi says she has learnt how to provide affordable and good bar service for her customers.
Online Reporter