By Gugulethu Tshabalala
Chef Arie Mabatho Majara specialises in creating vibrant, extravagant sushi dishes that keep customers returning. While known for her oriental flavours, she also has a passion for traditional South African cuisine, skillfully blending these diverse tastes into a unique culinary fusion.
When did you become a chef and what exactly do you do?
I’ve been cooking since a young age and always felt that being a chef was my destiny. After graduating from culinary school in 2019, I became a professional chef and discovered my true passion for sushi making. I honed my skills under an Asian chef in America for a year and I’m known as the sushi queen.
How would you describe your overall cooking philosophy?
My cooking philosophy is centred around simplicity, seasonality and storytelling. I
believe in letting high-quality ingredients shine while crafting dishes that evoke a sense of place and community.
What influences can be picked up from your food?
My dishes are influenced by my travels, family traditions, seasonality and availability.
You’ll find hints of African, Asian and American flavours in my cooking blended with a personal twist.
What are your go-to summer dishes?
Summer is all about light and refreshing flavours. I love grilling seasonal vegetables,
making fruit kebabs and serving chilled drinks
What is your favourite food to eat & what important event in your life does this dish remind you of?
I like my mom’s cooking, whether it is mogodu, beef stew with dumplings or organic
chicken. A sentimental dish for me would be dikgobe, a mixture of dried peas and wheat. My gran would always welcome me with this dish whenever I visited.
Where can people sample your food?
My focus is on catering for private functions.
RECIPE
Oxtail
When I cook this meal for my family, and serve them with homemade bread, they always ask for seconds.
1kg Oxtail
Rosemary
Paprika
Six gun spice mix
2 tbsp Garlic
1 Brown onion
2 Carrots
250g Baby potatoes
1 cup red wine
Flour for coating
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter for frying
Method
- Season oxtail with salt and pepper, coat in flour
- Brown the meat in butter, put it aside
- In the same pan, sauté your onion and garlic, Rosemary and paprika until onion is soft
- Add your meat back to the pan, and add the wine, simmer for about 10min
- Add your carrots and baby potatoes and Add beef stock
- Cover in an oven pot and cook for 2-hours at 180° season and serve with homemade bread.
