Koko Koena dishes up generous helpings
Koena found an inventive way to use her cooking skills to earn a living
POLOKWANE – Koena Mabote is a woman who does not wait for opportunities to come her way but creates her own.
She uses her niche cooking skills to open a catering business, Koko Koena Catering, in Ladanna where she cooks mouthwatering food under a small tent on the street.
Koena said she learned how to cook at a local catering school in Moletjie, Ga-Matamanyane and explained that her skills has brought her numerous compliments and positive feedback from her customers.
“I make use of secret recipes to prepare my food which puts me a step above my competitors. I opened my business in 2015 and business has been booming since then, with many customers working in Ladanna or the surrounding areas supporting me,” she said.
She explained she learned many things at the catering school she attended such as making a peanut butter, atchar and various juices. Along with catering, she also does decorating, adding she is budgeting to buy the necessary tools for her decorating business.
When asked about the challenges she encounters in the business; she said the municipality does not give street vendors enough land where they can operate their businesses from which denies their businesses to grow. Koena said although her business can sometimes be slow, she still manages to make enough money so her family doesn’t need to go to bed on an empty stomach.
Her customers can choose between beef stew and chicken with pap along with a variety of salads, including chakalaka, mashed potatoes, and cabbage.
