Recipe and image: Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom
Get to know Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom’s Executive Sous Chef Zakhele Ndlozi.
In this rapid fire Q&A he, tells us what he thinks are the essentials when it comes to ingredients, kitchen tools and of course taste!
Hot cross bun: toasted or fresh?
“Toasted, with butter melting through, and served with vanilla ice cream.”
Easter Eggs: dark, milk, or white chocolate?
“Milk chocolate, classic, never fails.”
The Best Part of Easter Sunday: the morning Easter egg hunt or the big lunch?
” The big lunch, that’s where memories are made.”
One kitchen tool every family should own?
“A good chef’s knife – it changes everything.”
Best baking ingredient?
“Eggs. They’re the backbone of so many baked goods. They bring structure, richness, and help create that perfect texture whether you’re baking something light like a soufflé or an indulgent lemon meringue pie.”
The kitchen ‘no-no’?
“Rushing food; good cooking needs patience.”
Favourite flavour pairing?
“Sweet and spice, like cinnamon paired with something rich like milk chocolate and a hint of red chilli flakes.”
The secret base: real butter or a quality baking margarine?
“Real butter, always.”
Flavour booster: pure vanilla bean or a dash of cinnamon?
“Pure vanilla bean, you can’t compare.”
The texture test: soft and gooey or a satisfying crunch? “
Soft and gooey with a bit of crunch for contrast.”
The golden rule: following the recipe exactly or “measuring with the heart”? “Measure with the heart, but understand the basics first.”
Chef Ndlozi, like a large number of South Africans has warm memories of the Easter holiday. His family always enjoyed Cape Malay pickled fish during Easter.
“Easter was never overly fancy growing up, but there was always that comforting smell of home, of something made with care. That’s a feeling I still try to recreate in my cooking today,” he says.
Easter is just a few days away. Here are some Easter inspired recipes from Ndlozi. You can try them at home.
A Dish and A Bev 
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