BY Motlatsi Kekana
Chef Chi Chi’s passion for cooking ignited at the tender age of 10. Coming from a foodie family, it was inevitable that he would end up being a maestro in the kitchen. Inspired by his late grandfather, a fellow chef, and guided by his grandmother’s and mother’s culinary wisdom, Chef Chi Chi has honed his craft over decades. Since beginning his professional journey in 2003, his skills have been experienced in numerous restaurants, hotels, catering companies, wedding venues, and culinary schools. An accredited hospitality trainer, Chef Chi Chi became independent in 2018, bringing his innovative flair and deep-seated love for experimenting with flavors and textures to the forefront of the culinary world.
I became a chef in 2003 and from there I worked in vast different establishments and organisations like restaurants, group hotels, boutique hotels, catering companies, wedding venues, and culinary schools (as I’m also an accredited hospitality trainer) before going on my own in 2018.
Pursuing a career in this field has always excited me, especially because my late grandfather was a chef. My cooking skills were passed down from my late grandmother and my mother. I have been experimenting with flavors and textures since I was allowed to start cooking at the age of 10.
I enjoy home-made bread, avocado, poached eggs, pork, seafood, tomatoes, red onions, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, fresh salads, braai meat, green leaves, preserved delicate foods, sorghum, millet, pasta, and root vegetables 4 times a week.
My cooking philosophy is quality ingredients and good food preparation practices will always produce delectable dishes.
I often do Chef’s Table with pairings of craft beer, wine, gin, champagne, and cognac around the province where patrons can indulge in my food offerings.
I also offer bespoke catering services nationally.
My signature dish has to be Braised Peking Duck Breast bedded on saffron-infused mashed Potatoes drizzled with Orange Jus.
This dish works best when paired with a blush wine – a pale pink wine resembling white wine in taste, made from red grapes by removing the skins from the must before fermentation is completed.
Some dishes I would recommend for the cold season
– Slow Braised Paprika Lamb Shank
– Chicken Pot Pie
– Apple & Cranberry Roasted Chicken
– Salmon En Croute (Salmon in Puff Pastry)
– Roasted Carrots with Preserved Lemons and Dates
– Turnip Casserole with Porcini Crumb Topping
– Butternut, sage & hazelnut quiche
– Biltong and Wild Mushroom Soup
– Seafood Chowder
– Chicken Noodle Soup
RECIPE
Braised Peking Duck Breast
INGREDIENTS
4 pieces duck breast 12 ounces / 340 grams per piece
1/2 teaspoon salt
Marinade
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry)
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
1 thumb ginger, sliced
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinate
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a tall bowl (or small food processor) and chop with an immersion blender until it forms a runny paste. Pour into a 12-inch (30 cm) tray or baking dish.
Pat the duck dry with paper towels. Place in the tray with the marinade, skin side up. Sprinkle salt on the skin. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes up to 1 hour, or be uncovered in the fridge for a couple of hours overnight. In this case, bring the duck to your kitchen counter for at least 20 minutes before cooking, so it will return to room temperature.
Cooking duck
Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
Right before cooking, pat the duck dry with paper towels. Score the skin 1/2-inch (1 cm) apart to a diamond pattern (but be careful not to score the meat).
You might need to cook the duck in two batches. Place the breast pieces in a cold ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet, skin-side down. Cook over medium heat, until they’re gently sizzling. Turn to medium-low heat. Cook until the skin turns golden brown, for another 10 to 12 minutes. Flip them over every 3 to 4 minutes. If the duck skin cooks too fast, turn to low heat. Transfer the cooked duck onto a plate and cook the rest using the same method.
Arrange all the duck pieces in the pan, skin-side down. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8 minutes, until the skin turns dark brown. Flip to skin-side up and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin turns dark brown but not burnt. Transfer the duck onto a big plate, skin-side up. Allow to rest for 10 minutes without cover before carving.
Prepare the sides while resting the duck.
If you plan to serve the duck later, wrap each duck breast with aluminum foil when they are warm enough to handle and seal in a bag. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, warm them up in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.
Orange Jus (Sauce)
INGREDIENTS
Zest and juice of 1 one large orange or two small oranges
150ml of pineapple juice
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of corn flour mixed with chicken stock to make a paste
1 tablespoon of salted butter
1 table spoon of flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
½ teaspoon of coarse black pepper
METHOD
Place the orange juice, pineapple juice, and honey in a pan.
Bring to the boil and reduce by a third.
Stir in the corn flour.
Add the zest
Simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Mix in the parsley, butter, and black pepper
Serve with your braised duck
Saffron Infused Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
1.3kg potatoes peeled and cubed
½ cup butter
Pinch of saffron about 10–15 threads
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the potatoes:
Cover the potatoes with cold water in a large pot and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
Melt the butter:
Meanwhile, melt the butter in the microwave in 10-second increments until melted. Add the saffron, crumbling it between your fingers first. Stir to combine and set aside.
Mash the potatoes:
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until completely smooth. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Pour in the milk, cream, and all but a tablespoon of the saffron butter and continue mashing until smooth and combined. Taste and season again to your preferences.
To serve:
Spoon the potatoes into a bowl and use the back of your spoon to smooth it out and create some dips and valleys. Pour the remaining saffron butter on top and serve immediately. Enjoy!