Tradition Meets Trend: Chef Mlekeleli Xaba on South Africa’s Culinary Evolution
As the culinary landscape of South Africa continues to evolve, one voice stands out in the vibrant tapestry of flavors and traditions: Chef Mlekeleli Xaba. With years of dedicated experience at The Capital Hotels & Apartments, Xaba has seamlessly woven together the rich heritage of South African cuisine with the demands of modern dining. In this exclusive interview, we delve into his insights on the delicate balance between preserving authenticity and embracing innovation. From the challenges of blending traditional flavors with contemporary techniques to his visionary initiatives like the popular ‘Spit Braai Sundays,’ Xaba shares his philosophy on creating memorable culinary experiences that resonate with both local and international guests. Join us as we explore his perspective on the future of South African cuisine—a journey filled with passion, creativity, and a commitment to keeping cultural traditions alive.
As a seasoned chef, how have you witnessed the evolution of the South African culinary scene in terms of incorporating cultural elements into your food and guest dining experiences at The Capital Hotels & Apartments?
As culinary professionals, we need to adapt and cater to guests’ needs, in doing so, aligning to the cultural elements of cooking and infusing it with the latest trends, as well as making sure that we still maintain high quality and high standards of culinary experiences.
What are the primary challenges and opportunities you see in balancing the preservation of traditional South African cuisine with the demands for modern presentation and techniques in a high-paced culinary environment?
South African culinary is very basic. We as South Africans love basic and easy food such as; your pap; your chisa nyama etc. By working in a culinary professional space, we need to ensure that there is an element of us infusing that with the Western food, making sure that we adapt to what our guests’ needs are but also creating an experience for guests that are local and international, so the balance needs to be there in terms of making sure that whatever plays we take out has an element of proudly South African also and not excluding the international guests and depriving them from enjoying what we present as South Africans
Personal Philosophy: How do you personally define “authenticity” in your culinary approach, and how does this philosophy guide your menu development and food preparation at The Capital Hotels & Apartments?
Being authentic is very important because that’s how you attract returning clients or returning guests. It is an experience that they cannot find anywhere else. We live, train and develop every day to make sure and enhance that we are authentic in every way, hence why our menu changes monthly, in order to keep our guest excited and returning for more.
Can you share an example of a successful culinary initiative you’ve implemented that bridges traditional South African flavors with modern cooking methods or presentation styles during your tenure at The Capital Hotels & Apartments?
Being South Africans we love love love to braai and anything that has to do with live cooking, so what we as the Capital Hotel Group implemented ‘Spit braai Sundays’, where we have guests walking in – actually flooding in – and it’s always a huge sale success, each and every Sunday! It is lamb spit basted. During the course of the day, we have a chef on the carvery for the guests that ensures they are kept excited and happy. It’s a tradition for us more than anything else, because it keeps guests coming back. We implemented this almost a year ago and every Sunday shows that we cater for the needs and latest trends of South African culinary according to the demand for the Spit Braai. We also started implementing Braai Platter Nights on Thursdays, which has also gained a lot of attention. These nights have different sports activities incorporated in order to keep our guests excited and engaged. They are extremely high in sales because entertain and intrigue our guests.
Future Vision: Where do you see the future of South African cuisine heading in terms of cultural preservation and innovation? What role do you believe culinary leaders like yourself can play in shaping that future?
South African culinary is moving into a direction of its own. We are people that pride ourselves in traditional South African ways of cooking and methods. When creating dishes for tourist, African food or South African culinary is what they look for. I think the only way for us to adjust is to maybe enhance flavour and incorporate other cuisine into what we do, while still keeping it authentic.
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