So for many – this title would be obvious – Food on Safari. For me- it conjures up so much more that just the Food you would eat whilst on Safari. It means Safari supply towns. Safari logistics. Safari camp stock management. Safari camp store rooms. Safari camp cold rooms. Safari kitchens. And (my favourite) – Safari Chefs. Well honestly these are all some of my “favourite things” – and they’re all quite unique and different from your “run-of-the-mill” restaurant or hotel type set ups in more urban spaces…. But , if you follow me on Instagram @collaborate_food – you will have seen me chat about the sometime stressful, mostly interesting and wonderful aspects of how bringing food into the bush and preparing delicious and delightful food for guests on safari is so much more challenging and rewarding than cooking in urban spaces. It requires advance planning, brilliant relationships with suppliers, on the ground fixers and pickers or collection people that can check quality and make decisions about ingredients without being a chef. It relies on people that understand – how important the difference between green, yellow or even vaguely ripe bananas can be to critical stress levels. It means hard avos, individually wrapped (in old newspaper preferably) pineapples or pawpaw’s packed carefully for transport. The list goes on and on …. Food on Safari also instantly conjures up memories of sunrise coffees with a little homemade treat enjoyed from a tiffin tin, dinners under starry skies, drinks around roaring boma fires, or bush dinner festivities with the sounds of roaring lions or cackling hyenas in the air. For most, a safari includes at least a bush breakfast enjoyed under the shade of a lovely tree, or picnics had alongside might rivers or shallow dams where we have the privledge of watching the natural world just BE. To me- its not just food that we eat on safari. Its a critical component of our sensory memory of that time. It can make or break a stay as far as I am concerned. Which is why I try keep it simple. Keep it relevant to the place and the flavours of the land or people enjoying the food. This Covid-19 Crisis has grounded us all. The hospitality industry being one of the hardest hit – and the most painful thing to experience (and witness my clients and other operators) hanging on…
Read MoreWe like to Collabor|ATE
Currently, I’m building a team of culinary experts, from Wine and Gin Fundis, to Bakers, Butchers, Brewers and even Foragers. If you’d like to get involved in creative concepts, practical workshops and training cooks and front of house in wild places- get in touch with us! We’re so looking forward to Collaborating with you in the years to come!
Read MoreAfrica. My heart.
There is a brilliant quote by Richard Mullin; “The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to”. I could not agree with this quote more! Although there are many perks of my amazing job- one of my favourite things is being transferred into camps/lodges with guests who have never been to Africa before. This delight is especially real when guests land in Maun (Botswana) and we board a small plane together and fly over the most insanely beautiful wild wetland – then we touch down on a runway (after its been cleared of elephants or other game by the friendliest wonderful ground crew / awaiting camp staff) … then you either take a vehicle and/or boat ride into camp – all the while seeing the most amazing game and absorbing the ridiculously beautiful landscape! It really is just mind blowing! I SO enjoy just watching the guest’s faces and seeing their reactions to the incredible sights- it literally leaves me kind of “emotional”… and yet also has me smiling like a crazy person all the way into camp (and for days as I hear the guests accounts of their incredible safari adventures)! I’ve been going to Botswana since I was literally a small kid (yes- lucky me!), and to this day I am still mesmerised, inspired and excited by the beauty and wilderness every single trip! Although I seldomly get to go on a drive or see beyond the camps or lodges I work in – as I’m busy installing kitchens, training cooks and styling food in safari lodges- I still get to wake up in the wild. Breath that fresh air. Hear the roars of lions and the cackles of hyenas as I try sleep at night…and no matter how many times I visit the the Okavango Delta, Hwange, or the wilds of Mana Pools (or many other spectacular wild places) …. the joy never fades and I still feel like I have so much to look forward to. To now be “in the business” of helping my clients and their teams get delicious and delightful food onto their tables IN these gorgeous wild places…it’s more than a pleasure – it feels like a dream to be part of something that makes memories like this! If you need this Food-Obsessed-African-Safari-Lovers help in your…
Read MoreWhy the name?
When I launched this business in 2015, it was not a new path for me- rather a rebranding and focussing of my passions and skills to something that felt “right” – something that represented me and my vision for my life and my work. But, although this was a highly personal change and a “new start” of sorts – my general style and approach to life is “less about me and more about others” (like those I feed, train and engage with in creating food). So, when thinking about my style, the process I wanted to indulge in (going forward) and the basically the reality of food… I came up with the following (literally scribbled into my journal at the time); “No single morsel of food can be enjoyed without a process of collaboration that has allowed it (the food) to grow from the earth or feed off the earth. From the collaboration between the nature and the farmer to the market and ultimately the cook – food is its essence is a product of collaboration! I want to work with clients to produce delightful food experiences that are of the place, for the place and ultimately a product of collaboration for the people”! So, I named my business CollaborATE Food. And so, began a delicious delightful adventure that inspires and challenges me daily. If you’d like to CollaborATE with me, get in touch here. Logo designed by my talented friend Andrea Barras from Bird & Design ?
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