Local chef makes waves
LONEHILL - Passion for food and love of the media combine deliciously for local chef Jodi-Ann Pearton.
Watching Pearton dance and dart around her kitchen and studio, it is easy to see the energy, passion and sheer joy that have made her one of South Africa’s youngest and brightest culinary stars.
“I had to learn a lot on my own,” said Pearton of her rapid rise to the top of the local food chain.
She is honest about the difficulties that attend achieving so much so soon – what comes next after winning every major national culinary competition? But Pearton is clear that she owes her success to more than her own talent and ambition.
“A lot of top SA chefs have invested in me and I am incredibly grateful,” she affirmed. “You always have to turn around and say thank you to those people.”
Competitive cooking gave Pearton her kick-start in the industry when, inspired by her father’s skill in the kitchen and her own love of food, she abandoned her studies in veterinary science for the culinary arts and never looked back.
Now, after trying every gastronomic avenue – from the South African Chefs Association to food-inspired motivational speaking – Pearton is exactly where she wants to be.
Her considerable energy is directed towards The Food Design Agency, her product, recipe and media development business, where she and her team daily brainstorm, taste and recipe test products for clients ranging from international airlines to local food giants.
Products are carefully chosen according to the ethics and morals behind the brands, and while Pearton aims to increase her client base from its current eight to 10 brands, she is intent on remaining niche.
“We are very selective about the products we represent. We have to absolutely believe in them,” she said, “And our customers are our family.”
There is plenty of potential in South Africa for the growth she envisions, Pearton believes.
“Until people start investing in our industry and talent here, it’s never going to grow,” she declared.
With investment and energy from the likes of Pearton in the kitchen, it seems, South Africa is already getting cooking.
