Ginger & Co – “authentic cooking, from our kitchen to yours”
Having known Benji and Estie Gane for a good few years now, I can honestly say that not only are they one of the loveliest couples I have ever met, but they also create some of the loveliest dishes I have ever tasted. Seriously, these guys can cook.
Earlier this year, Benji and Estie followed their dream and established Ginger & Co, a catering business that has gone from strength to strength in the Eastern Cape. Operating out of the beautiful coastal village of Kidd’s Beach, Benji and Estie are all about authentic cooking and are genuinely passionate about food and the way it was meant to be sourced, prepared and enjoyed. Offering an extensive frozen meal range, Ginger & Co is the perfect option for when you need to simply whip a meal out of the freezer and give yourself the night off!
Benji and Estie also prepare (and deliver!) conference lunches and group dinners and provide convenient catering for that private function. And as if that wasn’t enough, they also host fun interactive cooking demos, either in their home or yours! You can also find them on the first Sunday of each month at Avalon Market in Kidd’s Beach – but be sure to get there early before they sell out!
Benji & Estie cook with love, laughter, unashamed abandon and of course, wine. They are passionate about what they do and this clearly shows in the meals they create. Using the freshest ingredients possible, they deliver food made with love, turning your meal into an experience.
We recently caught up with Benji and Estie and chatted about aversions to veggies, accidents in the kitchen, their healthy working relationship and hopes and dreams for the future…
E: Welkom in the Free State
B: Johannesburg
Did you eat your veggies?
E: No! And I was very firmly reminded of that by my dad after complaining on my blog about our kids’ eating habits..
B: I used to swallow them whole so I didn’t have to chew them.
When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
E: Home Economics at school and 2 amazing teachers cemented a love for all things kitchen.
B: Probably after school. Somewhere between Israel and Norway I started developing a passion for people and food.
What is your favourite food memory?
B&E: Backpacking on honeymoon, we stumbled across the harvest festival in Lugano, Switzerland, on the Italian border. Gnocchi being cooked in big pots on the pavement, cured meats and stinky cheese everywhere, wine from barrels. Our love for authentic food was born there.
Where were you trained, and how difficult was your training?
B&E: We both trained at the Swiss Hotel School in Randburg and finished our studies in Switzerland. All the lecturers were either Swiss, French or Belgian which translated into very high standards and no shortcuts or bending the rules! With subject like French, German, Political Science and Music Culture over and above the expected business and food & beverage subjects, it made for a nice challenge.
As a husband and wife team, you obviously work together very well, but is there a boss in the kitchen??
E: Benji of course! Because I said he can be. LOL
B: I am
How do you get your inspiration?
E: I devour food and décor magazines, follow anyone and everyone foodie on Instagram and Twitter, and as a result living with with my head in the (Cape Town foodie) clouds most of the time.
B: I love the story behind food
Favorite kitchen equipment or gadget?
E: Mmm hard to say, a toss up between my Smeg oven and Kenwood Chef…
Best cooking tip for a novice just getting into the business?
B&E: Less is more, keep it simple, seasonal and fresh!
Funniest kitchen incident?
B&E: Plenty…from Benji eating bugs to snorting pepper. This all happened in the kitchen at Swiss Hotel School when he would do anything to make a buck. All our student friends of course kept daring and paying him to do these things for their entertainment. Not so funny for the (often) embarrassed girlfriend at the time.
Most disastrous?
E: Nearly chopping off my finger whilst working overseas and very far from family and mom’s sympathy!
B: Bad burns when I slipped and fell onto a flat top grill whilst working at the Sandton Sun & Towers.
Who in the food world do you most admire?
B&E: Our friend Jason Lilly from Jason Bakery in Bree Street, Cape Town. How he has embraced his career, his mentors, built a brand around himself and now reaping the rewards as a celebrity baker par excellence.
Favourite foods to cook with?
E: Tomato in any form or way and fresh herbs
B: Hard to beat the aroma of butter, garlic and red wine in a frying pan.
What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
B&E: Benji’s paella on the fire or crusty bread, cheese, olive oil and wine. If we don’t feel like cooking, Scotty’s take-aways from The Barn!
Are there any foods you just don’t like?
E: Baked Beans or rhubarb – I find it hard to even type these two names! It used to be peas as well, but Benji’s Paella with young peas cured me.
B: Pilchards
Do your children enjoy what you cook?
B&E: Heck no. Touchy subject!
What do you most love about your job?
E: When I get to be creative – some of our clients give me free reign with their functions – the best and most rewarding!
B: At the moment, the thrill of building a brand and a business. But generally the satisfaction I get from providing a service beyond expectation.
What are the staple ingredients in your kitchen?
B&E: Good olive oil for the food and good wine for the cooks!
What is your favourite South African dish?
E: Prawns on the braai – not traditional but South African enough!
B: A good Durban Bunny Chow
How do you unwind when you’re not cooking?
E: Would love to say that I paint, but will have to settle for dreaming about all the painting and renovating projects I have lined up but never get time to do! Also love an early morning run.
B: Trail running, spear fishing, and time with family and friends.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten?
B&E: Ginger&Co all over the country and ourselves in Kidd’s Beach!
If you have never experienced the delicious food available from Ginger & Co, do yourself a favour and head straight to their website… you can scroll through the numerous meals available and of course, do take a look at what other services the guys offer. Seriously, you won’t regret it. Ginger & Co really is “authentic cooking…from our kitchen to yours.”