A plate full of passion

The ingredients to success vary for many – where some might question going against the grain, others pour their heart into it.
Jason Whitehead, a chef who has found a new appetite for life is one such person. He has managed to create a desirable plate of wholesome goodness through staying true to himself.
Whitehead explained that he had always been surrounded by food. “My parents owned a restaurant and my grandmother was a chef, so this is a natural way of life for me.”
He not only loved being in the kitchen, he also loved to eat. He commended his parents for supporting him in whatever he wanted to pursue. “They gave me the creative freedom to follow my aspirations.”
He studied towards being a chef and thereafter spent some time overseas. He decided to come back to South Africa after he jokingly admitted that he did not want to smell like a chip fryer anymore. After he dabbled in numerous careers, he realised that cooking was the only thing that truly quenched his passion.
Whitehead believes that your passion follows you and it is not something you have to stop everything for. “Do not pressure yourself, do a lot of things until you find something that really makes you happy – whatever opportunity arises, take it.”
He noted that Cape Town is a big foodie province, while Johannesburg is not far behind with the variety of great restaurants.
“You are in a good space if you want to go into the food industry in this country, but because there are so many of us, you need to really excel or you will just get lost in the system.”
Innovation in this line of business depends on where you are in your career. You need to find a space where you can financially afford to experiment. He concluded that, as with any industry, you need to work hard to succeed.
One of Whitehead’s many achievements to date is his book, Tasty WasteNots which he co-wrote with nutritionist, Sally-Ann Creed.