GOODNIGHT MARKET SERVES UP MASTERFUL LITTLE DISHES

MasterChef contestant Khayakazi Kepe was able to kick-start her career in the local food industry through the TOPS at SPAR Goodnight Market and SPAR Eastern Cape Valley Market. Photo: Supplied

Among the traditional favourites, visitors to the Goodnight Market can look forward to a selection of dainty dishes prepared by MasterChef contestant Khayakazi Kepe this week.

The popular artisanal night market, which takes place at the Tramways Building in Port Elizabeth on September 21, will have her treats on the menu and she is once again keen to impress with her culinary combinations.

Kepe and her team will offer delectable pulled pork roosterbrood, chicken burgers, pork belly with Asian slaw and out of this world spiced coffee-rubbed roast beef.

She described her food – which also includes tasty delights such as confit pork belly with hoisin sauce and citrus BBQ pulled pork – as a “fusion of everything” and said the secret was in their variety and diversity.

Her cooking dreams started as simple child’s play, but it was under the guidance of her grandmother that they became a reality.

One of six children, she grew up in the small village of Mlamli in the Transkei playing amandlwani (play house).

“I’ve always loved cooking and I was doing it as early as five years old. We’d use tins as pots and I used to go into the kitchen at home and bring out ingredients to go and play with my friends.

“Then, when I went to Cape Town for the first time, when I was 10, my grandmother introduced me to baking and flavours that I had never been exposed to before.”

Kepe was hooked and continued to bake. Years later, she decided to take the plunge and entered the first season of MasterChef South Africa, where she finished sixth.

“Before entering the competition, I had the itch to move into food but never really had the courage to take that leap of faith. It became my springboard really.”

Kepe said the Goodnight Market, sponsored by TOPS at SPAR, and Valley Market, sponsored by SPAR Eastern Cape, had been the perfect platform to launch her Dainty Bites brand and further her career in the food industry.

The idea for the business came about when she lived in Johannesburg and the City of Gold’s loss became Port Elizabeth’s gain when she and her family relocated to the coast.

“I wanted to find a platform where I could launch myself within the PE market. The Valley and Goodnight markets were those places.”

Patrons will also be able to do some bargain hunting when stallholders get the opportunity to sell their last few items at a discounted rate as part of the Last Hour Special promo.