Kabo Olesitse is one of the go-to-photographers in the city. He has made a name for himself as that guy behind the lens and many identify him according to that craft. But of late, he has a new sticker on his forehead; the cooking photographer. On a normal day, his home cooked meals rake in 200 likes within 5minutes of posting while on a crazy day his food images have more than 60 shares on social media. Olesitse, a self taught chef or foodie as he likes to be known makes cooking look so effortless and easy. “I wouldn’t say I am a chef, rather I am a foodie. I have always been a person of good taste, so last year around this time I decided to start sharing the food I cook on social media and the response was amazing,” he said.
Although his love for food started at a young age, he credits an older Kabo as the master chef. “Growing up I used to cook for my mother and sister. I wasn’t that good but there were days when mum would commend my cooking. I experimented with cuisines and exotic dishes when I lived alone, “when you live alone you can’t be eating chicken and rice with tomato sauce and mayonnaise every day. And I am not a big fan of take away so I began experimenting with food. I never limit myself in the kitchen and I let my imagination run wild,” he explained.
What started as just a hobby in the kitchen has developed into something worth writing home about. His cooking escapades have opened new doors for him that go beyond photography. “Cooking has landed me a radio show on Yarona Fm and got me the chance to work with international brands, which I will soon talk about. You will know soon enough which brands. I also have a couple of clients that I cook for on some occasions and a few who I teach how to cook,” he said.
What sets Olesitse apart is that the food he cooks goes beyond ordinary recipes, but they are well thought out and promote a healthy lifestyle. He shies away from greasy oily meals and adheres to healthy natural oils. As to why he decided to go the healthy route, he explained that he struggled with weight issues because of unhealthy eating. “Beginning of 2014 I decided to lose weight and that has been going well. So, it encouraged me to cook healthy meals. I create most of the recipes, the more you cook the more you learn and understand food. After you understand food you will know what goes well with what,” he said. Olesitse hopes to have a cooking show one day and travel around to showcase his skills and learn from other chefs.
Cooking with Kabo
Fartalle with Chicken Liver
Ingredients:
Fartalle or (bow-tie pasta)
Onion
Garlic
Butter
Paprika
Spinach
Chicken Livers
Salt and pepper
Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package, drain and reserve half a cup of pasta water (the secret of making pasta sauce). Fry the onion, garlic and spinach in butter until fragrant, remove and set aside, (for the spinach you don’t need to slice it, rather break in into pieces with your hands). In another pan, heat the butter in high heat. Cook chicken livers until they are brown (Don’t overcook them), add paprika and salt and pepper. Back to the onion mixture, toss in the pasta throughout and add your liver with juice. Finally, season well and add mozzarella cheese. You can then make sauce for the pasta or just serve without a sauce.