Local Flavour

Stocking up your pantry? These artisanal foods are guaranteed to ignite the senses of home chefs everywhere. Meet the foodies behind two of South Africa’s tastiest brands.

- By Ashleigh Roman

The Cooksister

Rimona Kirshenbaum

START-UP COSTS: ‘I started my business with about R5000. Back then I used to work on the basis of cash on delivery, which meant the cash I had in my pocket from a sale was what I grew with.’

TURNOVER: ‘We’re a small business, but I am very proud of how much we’ve grown. We push out thousands of jars a day, with a small but impactful team. We’ve been fortunate to continue trading (and thriving) in spite of the pandemic.’

After a long and lauded career as a Silwoodtrained chef, Rimona took her skills and passion into her home kitchen, bottling her uniquely flavoured sauces and preserves.

Was it a risky move to leave your career to start your own venture?

I was the head chef at Andiamo Restaurant when I decided to start my own thing. It didn’t feel scary – more like a natural progression. All I could think about was how to get my product out there! I ran into the owner of Kamers Vol Geskenke while I was shopping at Consol Glass for packaging, and she said, ‘I’ll give you three weeks to show me what you’ve come up with.’ So I did a couple of products for Kamers and they sold out on the second day! I knew then I was onto something.