GHANA'S GOT THE GOODS

Christi Nortier sat down with Abena Danquah, owner of Ghana Jollof, to find out how she transformed herself from the girl who never wanted to cook to a young woman who's bringing Ghana's generous culture to SA and beyond.

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Stepping off wild Sir Lowry Road in Cape Town's Woodstock and into Ghana Jollof is like stepping right onto a West African beach. The scent of salty fish, a concoction of spices and simmering stews wafts over mellow music. Various mantras painted on the wall encourage you to “season everything with love”, “cook it easy” and “every bite takes you home”. Things are heating up in the kitchen, with chillies sizzling from early on in the morning. Customers take their time to enjoy plates heaped with an assortment of dishes of their choosing.

A beaming two-year-old greets every customer, whose bubbly babbling charms even the most manly of men waiting to order. This little guy is the son of Abena, the founder of Ghana Jollof. At just 34 years old, she has emigrated, pivoted and started a much-loved market stall and restaurant that brings the flavours and cultural flair of Ghana to a West African diaspora and her loyal local converts. Her next stop? The world.

Despite having food businesses run in the family, Abena never thought she'd end up in the kitchen like the entrepreneurial women who came before her. “When I was young, I was lazy. I would find any excuse not to cook,” she says with an embarrassed chuckle. “Even when it was just me and my father at home, he had to beg me to cook. But my grandmother had a restaurant, and my mom has a catering business, so maybe it's in my blood?” she muses.

“I learnt to cook just by being around my mom and helping in her business. No one ever actually taught me. But here I am,” she beams, motioning to her bustling restaurant.

Born and bred in Accra, Abena had to swap one bustling city for another when she was 24 years old. After her father's passing, she moved to Johannesburg.