Chef Makamo's surprising secrets for making the perfect potato salad and chakalaka

WHEN we think of “South African flavour”, we picture skopo, noise, plastic chairs, aunties inspecting the potato salad, kids chasing each other, and the stories we share over a steaming plate of seven colours or a sizzling braai.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

Chef Themba Vincent Makamo, known as Chef Makamo, has mastered the art of turning everyday culinary moments into unforgettable experiences on social media.

Scrolling mindlessly through TikTok as one does these days, I stumbled upon his videos. However, it was what he said that immediately stopped me mid-scroll.

“The secret to great potato salad is not mayonnaise ... it’s vinegar”

Excuse me? Not mayo? Not aromat levels? Or the battle of sauces? Just vinegar?

We have been cooking our entire lives, only to find out through a cheeky TikTok video that we have been making one tiny but monumental mistake in our prized dishes.

They’re sprinkled with curiosity, served up with a side of wit. But what stands out most is his commitment to making South African food shine brighter than ever.

Chef Makamo explains, “After steaming or roasting your potatoes, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar while they're still warm, depending on the quantity, of course.”