Instant Kaffein
Charmaine Maloba – cook/culinary chef & conceptual designer
Charmaine expresses her artistic side and creativity through the magical and tantalizing beauty of her culinary skills in the kitchen as well as at functions and events. Charmaine hails from the township of Tembisa situated in Ekurhuleni and she is also the founder of Cook Date where she gets to flex her expertise as a chef.
What are you?
I am a Black, female professional chef; entrepreneur and conceptual designer.
I am inspired by…
The next big idea I have always inspires my work. I am not just a cook, I strive to conquer all aspects of my field, be it food, utensils, chef gear, farming, the senses of food and different concepts that merge with food to complete the ambiance e.g. food markets. All is a reminder of where I can be, that’s my biggest inspiration- to escape the status quo.
A few of my favourite things in my wardrobe/closet:
My knives, bomber jacket, my caps, my Jordans, cute pink plump skirt, white chuck Taylor’s and red sole high heels, hahaha!
5 most played…
- Deep Soul – Unlimited Vol. 44
- Speedsta – Mayo
- Rihanna – Needed Me
- Chris Brown – Autumn Leaves Feat. K.Dot
- Lady Alma – Let It Rain Feat. Rainmakers
In my perfect world…
My family and friends, the loyal ones obviously, a.k.a my day ones. A clean kitchen full of food so I can cook it and creative sessions with my best friend; we always come up with awesome ideas that actually get our careers to the next level.
Written by: Tsheola Asavela
Photo credit: Mesuli ‘Digital’ Picasso Khumalo; Tintswalo
Jami Gavin, A.K.A. Ella G, has been spinning the decks at prominent EDM festivals and clubs in the country namely; Science Frikshun; Tomorrow Never Happened; Grietfest; and Oppi Koppi amongst others since stepping into the scene in 2013. Her specialty as a DJ is found within the various styles and tastes of the Drum & Bass genre and she’s one amongst the really few female D&B DJs out there which makes her something special, especially here in South Africa. When not mixing Drum & Bass tunes, she plays around with R&B and Hip-Hop genres which she has added to her music expertise as a disc jockey.
What are you?
A funky homo sapien
I am inspired by…
It could be anything, keep your eyes peeled, always absorb your surroundings, you never know what could inspire you. More specifically; other peoples work – hard work, nature, my family, my animal family, all the people I love.
Image by: Henk Steyn
A few of my favourite things in my fridge:
Tabasco, cheese and sparkling water.
5 most played…
- Vince Staples – Homage
- Nu:Logic – Driftwood
- SZA – Love Galore Feat. Travis Scott
- Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
- The Supremes – Baby Love
In my perfect world…
Fewer humans, more honesty, homes for all the doggos and cattos, equality for everyone, thing, space, ecosystem. Music.
What is creativity?
Being present and still.
Follow her on Instagram
Words By: Tsheola Asavela
Sinomonde Ngwane is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Durban. She realised her creative flair at a young age where she’d find herself drawing and making dolls for her and her sister. Sinomonde recently started a project called #DearDiary series; a personal project where she created a link for people to send her anonymous confessions.
I respect and appreciate the work that you are creating. How many confessions are you planning on putting out?
thank you so much for this, I will be publishing 30 and will be making an ebook from them. I also plan on sharing the other ones as well.
That really sounds awesome, what motivated you to get involved in a project of this kind?
I just wanted to create a space where people could vent and not feel judged. I wanted to make an art of people’s pain while trying to raise an awareness on the issues that people face.
The aim of the project was to show the vulnerabilities of people and show the side which we do not ever show on social media. I wanted to create a space where people did not feel judged and had the chance to vent and see their confession become art.
Here are some of the #DearDiaryseries illustrations below.
Grate app is a local app that has emerged for all foodies around the globe. Its primary function is to let real people rate and share food items from restaurants. The App allows you take images of the delicious or not so delicious food, rate and share it for other users who might like to try a particular meal at a restaurant…it really helps a lot when you are at a restaurant and have trouble picking your meal. We spoke to Thokozani Skaka (founder) about all things Grate.
Firstly congratulations on creating such a great App, Please tell us how this product came about?
A friend of mine Christopher Madiba got a new Job and I came up with an idea that we must go out to a new unknown restaurant to celebrate as friends, upon arriving at the restaurant we looked at the menu and none of us had any idea what to order as we have not been there and didn’t know 90% of the items on the menu, then I thought wouldn’t it be cool if there was an app where I could find out what is good at that restaurant based on what other people who have been there had and what they thought about what they had, I wanted an app where I could see real reviews from real people with real pictures. There was no App exactly like thats so I wrestled together a team and we made it
How important is to the mobile app industry that we have a food app created by an all black team?
It’s vital, important, fundamental. It’s important for us as a people, us as a nation and us as a continent.
What is the general response like? Are people swarming towards the idea?
Most people didn’t understand it at first which is good, most thought we are creating another restaurant rating app and the Grate app is a food snapping, rating and reviewing app. We are food first and everything else comes second. On Grate foodies can Grate food based on taste, presentation and price. It’s nice, clean and simple no added preservatives 🙂
What are the highlights and “lowlights” of the app?
Highlights
Initial App launch, we actually developed the first version of the app over a weekend. We started on Friday and had it out on the App store by Sunday. I must commend the entire team on that amd their amazing goal driven work ethic. We are a results driven team and really focus on cranking cool features and products out
Lowlights
The rapid pace we work in lead to us losing some team memebers as our rapid work ethic and methodology didn’t suite them
We recently bumped into your team at a major food festival in JHB, what were you guys hoping to achieve there?
After weeks and weeks of meetings and negotiations we managed to be the food App of the festival, this was a massive opportunity and we really want to thank the Organizers for taking a chance on us.
Lastly what should we expect in 2017 from the grate team?
We got some life changing, revolutionary, next level features coming up, expect to See more of Grate and expect amazing improvements and new features
Words: Lethabo Ngakane
Meet dancer/artist, Kamnandi Selema from Benoni. She’s been at it since humble beginnings; be it ballet; tap dancing; or contemporary, she has grown and excelled into a professional who spends her days teaching the arts to the young ones. Let us instantly get to know her…
What are you?
I am a dancer, teacher, nurturer, animal lover, lover of music, art and nature.
I am inspired by…
Knowing that I will give back, inspire, learn and experience joy, love and laughter everyday.
A few of my favourite things in my fridge:
Ham and cheese stuffed bread, frozen peas, Burro, jelly, chocolate mousse and pink lady apples.
5 Most played…
- Chance The Rapper – Angels Feat. Saba
- James Blake -Retrograde
- Miley Cyrus – Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High (originally by the Arctic Monkeys)
- Nakhane Toure – Christopher
- Nas & Damian Marley – Dispear
In my perfect world…
There’s no self hate, no cruelty to animals, there’s always music in everything we do, children are allowed to be themselves and aren’t bullied by adults who are meant to be protecting not “disciplining” them, where all education has art influencing it, a world where races aren’t ignorant and racist towards each other. Just a peaceful and understanding world.
What is creativity?
Creativity to me is an expression of how your soul feels. Each emotion and experience makes me feel something different and amazing, and I express that through dance and music.
Words by: Tsheola Asavela
What are you?
I’m a living thing. Human. Artist. Aesthete.
I am inspired by?
Existence.
A few of my favourite things in my fridge
Basil pesto. Milk. Yogurt. Avo. Mushrooms.
5 most played…
- Blessings Be Yours Mister V – The Sound of Animals Fighting
- Cellophane – The Sound of Animals Fighting
- Teratology – The Physics House Band
- Duel of The Jester and The Tyrant – Return To Forever
- Desert Tornado – The Aristocrats
In my perfect world…
Non-existence. Effective way to prevent suffering
What is creativity?
I’m still figuring this out…
check her out on IG:
