Cooking a way of life for Moagi Mooke
IN SANDTON, where the streets are lined with countless dining options, being a restaurant chef is nothing to scoff at. And Priveé Restaurant and Cigar Lounge executive chef Moagi Mooke knows it.
Focused on serving a mixture of European and Asian cuisine and welcoming hospitality, Mooke puts Privé Restaurant in the posh Johannesburg suburb in a class of its own.
"Food has always been my passion. The freedom to use various ingredients and to create a unique flavour and dish is the ultimate for me. If I had to be something else, I would have liked to be a dietician, something that also concerns food," Mooke says.
The award-winning chef, who won a Bronze award in the Radiance of the Sea Cooking Competition, did not set out to achieve culinary greatness.
Growing up in Hammanskraal, northern Gauteng, Mooke loved to help his aunt in the kitchen.
"My aunt loved cooking traditional food and baking. She wouldask me to assist her in the kitchen with mixing and spicing stuff. This is how my love for cooking developed," Mooke says.
Realising that he needed to have a qualification to back his talent, he enrolled at GaRankuwa Hotel School, where he obtained a Food and Beverage Certificate.
After qualifying, but before rolling up his sleeves in the kitchen, the former Kgaphamadi Secondary School pupil spent a year working as a labourer in a one-star hotel before he landed a job as a cook.
Later Mooke got a job on the Chinese Royal Caribbean International cruise ship .
Asian cuisine became Mooke's specialty after two years aboard the ship.
"I was promoted to Chef de Parte. Working on a cruise ship allowed me to learn about different kinds of cuisine and cultures. The promotion was a very big step in my career because it opened a lot of doors for me," Mooke says.
He then moved to Rome, where he gained extensive knowledge and skill in Italian dishes, "and also understanding the Italian culture", the married father of one says.
Mooke is now one of South Africa's most acclaimed chefs and prepares delicious dishes that focus on Asian cuisine at the Privé Restaurant.
"My passion for food is reflected in my dedication to sourcing quality ingredients for every menu. By using only the best seasonal produce and keeping the cooking process fresh and simple, I allow the dishes to speak for themselves," Mooke says.
He says besides the basics, such as salt, pepper, onion and garlic, he always has basil, truffle oil, saffron, olive oil and Canadian Maple Syrup in his kitchen.
Along with the high quality of the food, Mooke believes that both the service and location of Privé Restaurant contribute to it being one of the best in Joburg.
"It's a stunning place," he says.
Mooke notes that though Privé is up-market, the service is never stuffy and guests never feel out of place.
"Hospitality is something we have perfected in this restaurant," Mooke says.
You could say that someone with a resume as impressive as Mooke's almost has the right to be cocky. We've seen enough of DStv's grueling chef competition Chopped,to know that certain chefs are egomaniacs.
But nothing could be further from the truth with Mooke, whose humility borders on shyness. He is a real sweetheart and an intensely serious, genius-artist in the kitchen.