This was the new normal — a virtual cooking class in my own kitchen. After the cue of two celeb chefs, Chef Katlego Mlambo and Chef Nti Ramaboa, we kicked off the cook-a-long in making a three-course menu — the ingredients had arrived, all measured out, the day before — the starter, a goat's cheese ball with a sticky watermelon konfyt.
I rolled the ball in dehydrated flowers as they did, drizzled over the syrup, added the crushed nuts. This was step up from the usual virtual class because the chefs could and did have a bird’s-eye view of what their audience, me included, were doing in our very own kitchens.
Bugger ... why did I eat the apple that was meant as a garnish for the starter? Would they notice it was missing?
This cook-off was in celebration of two brand new food shows for each, a first for both chefs, to premier on Food Network next week. The great news is both hail from Gauteng — Chef Katlego grew up in Eldorado Park and Chef Nti hails from Soweto.
The effervescent Chef Katlego, of The Marabi Club fame, was of course turning his goat's cheese ball into a restaurant-style starter, getting all cheffy with the ingredients.