Sisters Zainab and Faatimah Paruk are trailblazers in KwaZulu-Natal’s culinary scene with their fusion approach. They founded Chilli Chocolate Chefs, a catering company known for its wide range of services. Their offering includes corporate catering, retail products, event services, and cookbooks. The name also cleverly reflects their contrasting personalities. The sisters, graduates of two of South Africa’s top culinary schools, Christina Martin and Fusion, have recently launched their fourth cookbook, Bringing It Home. In celebration of all things chocolate, they share their journey and unique chocolate recipe, full of delightful twists.
When did your journey to becoming chefs begin and was this something you always wanted to do?
As little girls, we always loved food and helping in the kitchen. Our maternal grandmother hosted food demos and community projects. Zainab would wake up early on Sunday mornings to cook, while I helped and ate! When we attended chef school, we studied Islamic cuisine. We didn’t plan to turn it into a business—initially, it was just for fun and experience.
Who influenced your journey and tell us about the early days?
Our grandmother had a big influence on our food careers. Initially, our parents weren’t thrilled about us becoming chefs, but over time, they encouraged us. We also had great mentors along the way. We began by catering small events for friends and family, which laid the foundation for our business.
What were the challenges you experienced and how did you overcome them?
Entering a male-dominated industry as young women wasn’t easy. We faced financial challenges and handled everything ourselves, from recipe development to invoicing and cleaning. We were burning out and not making progress. We overcame this by hiring a skilled team and surrounding ourselves with great people who offered valuable advice and made a huge difference in our business.
When did you realise you had made it and what did that feel like to you?
There wasn’t one moment that defined our success. We’ve overcome many milestones, which drives us to keep improving. We’re still learning every day.
Over the years, we’ve won numerous awards and have built a great team, with whom we celebrate every achievement. One standout moment was when we secured a catering job for 2000 people from Mercedes Benz over several days while still establishing our business. It gave us confidence, knowing an established company trusted our abilities.
How would you describe your overall cooking philosophy?
Our mission at our catering company is to create memorable moments through exquisite food, leaving a lasting impression. We enjoy being creative with our recipes and always use high- quality ingredients. We also want people to understand that good food takes time.
What influences can be picked up from your food?
The name Chilli Chocolate reflects our Indian heritage, hinting at the spicy food we make. However, we create a fusion of Indian, Middle Eastern and Chinese dishes, adding our signature touch by blending different flavours through experimentation.
What are your go-to summer dishes?
We specialise in chocolate dishes like brownies. For Chocolate Day, we like to do something different, as it gives us a chance to be creative. There’s always something chocolatey on offer.
What is your personal favorite food to eat and what does it remind you of?
I love hearty food that feels like a hug on a plate. I love grilled Portuguese chicken with souce, it reminds me of our family trips to Mozambique. Zainab loves Khowse, a flavourful Burmese noodle dish that blends aromatic spices and is served with various accompaniments like fried onions.
Where can people taste your food and buy your books?
Books can be purchased online at www.ccchefs.co.za or in person at the Chilli Chocolate Chefs store, located at 5 Tinsley House, 225 Musgrave Road, Entrance on St Thomas Rd, Musgrave, Durban.
Social Media:
Chilli Chocolate Chefs on Instagram, Facebook or follow the on TikTok and YouTube.
Recipe
White Chocolate Chunk Brownies Makes 12
Prep & Cook time: 40 minutes
This recipe is pure decadence – enough said. However, life is all about balance – like balancing a salad in one hand, and a brownie in the other. (We’re only joking!)
Ingredients
4 eggs
300g sugar
250g butter, melted
200g dark chocolate, melted
100g flour, sifted
25g cocoa powder
200g white chocolate, broken into small pieces
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line a 20cm square greased baking tin.
- Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl until very light and fluffy.
- Slowly add melted butter and melted dark chocolate.
- Fold in sifted flour and cocoa powder.
- Stir in white chocolate pieces.
- Pour batter into the greased baking tin and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Slice and serve when ready.
Tip
Toss the white chocolate in a little bit of flour before adding to your mix. This will stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
