Johannesburg – As a child, Mthatha-born Mahle Mihlali Vellem would sit on the kitchen counter for hours watching his mother prepare meals.
Little did Vellem know that his mother’s passion for cooking would become his and that he would one day cook for thousands of guests at Sun International hotels.
“After school, I enrolled at the HTA School of Culinary Arts, where I had an opportunity to polish my skills, graduating two years later with a Diploma In Professional Cookery,” said the 29-year-old Executive Sous Chef, who joined Carnival City & Entertainment World on 1 June.
He is currently responsible for running “back of house” for the kitchens in the hotel, casino’s Salon Privé, banqueting, and staff canteen, with three sous chefs reporting to him.
This month Vellem launched a new menu within Carnival City’s luxurious Salon Privé, which offers Sun’s MVG guests an exclusive sanctuary to play high-end slots games and tables in a chic setting.
“I believe in flavour, so that is always important when I create dishes,” said Vellem.
“There are certain items on the menu that are close to my heart as they remind me of my family, such as the fileto, (the filleto is a pasta dish) salmon poke bowl, Korean chicken poke bowl, and smoked salmon and smashed avocado.”
Fresh out of cooking school, Vellem was hired as a Chef de Partie at Sun International’s Time Square in Pretoria in 2017.
“Being part of the opening team of Time Square was a huge opportunity for someone just starting in their career,” Vellem said.
At the hub of Pretoria gaming and entertainment, Mahle worked his way up to sous chef and ran two restaurants under the guidance of chefs Adrian Vaughan, Nonkosi Vellem, and Jaco Truter.
“They taught me a lot about how an operation works and how to deal with staff and set me on my leadership path,” Vallem said.
His most recent posting was setting up the restaurant at Sun City’s new luxury Leloko Villas, where he had the opportunity to expand his creative juices.
“I had to create the menu from scratch – playing around with flavour profiles and touching places in me that I did not know existed,” said Vellem.
“When I look at the menu, I can proudly say I’ve done well, and I’m pretty sure my mentors would agree that they have done their job – now it’s my time to spread my wings and fly, showcasing what they taught me.”
Vellem is spreading his wings wide across the Sun International group, gaining valuable culinary experience while also mentoring younger staff by teaching them new cooking methods.
“I am proud to be succeeding on this journey that started with my mother and hope to one day pass my passion for cooking on to my children.”
Chef Mahle’s Salmon Poke Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
· 100g Norwegian Salmon
· 50g Cucumber
· 100g Avocado
· 40g Edamame Beans
· 30g Radish
· 20g Spring Onion
· 1tbs Sesame Seed
· 60g Mixed Peppers
· 100g Sushi Rice
· 100ml Mirin dressing
Method
· Cut avocado into cubes
· Cut peppers into strips
· Cut cucumber into ribbons
· Thinly slice the radish
· Julienne the carrots
· Toast sesame seeds
· Pan-sear salmon for about 5- 6 minutes
· Pour in the dressing in the pan and glaze the salmon
· Assemble the dish
· Finish with sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds
Mirin Dressing
Ingredients
· 60ml Mirin
· 60ml Soy Sauce
· 60ml Olive Oil
· 30g White Sugar
· 60ml Apple Cider Vinegar
· 2ml Sesame Oil
Method
· In a mixing bowl pour in all your ingredients and whisk
· Transfer into a container and store
Sushi Rice
Ingredients
· 100g Sushi rice
· 20ml Mirin vinegar
· 20ml Rice vinegar
· 200ml Water
Method
· Wash your rice until all the starch comes out
· Soak it for 30 minutes in lukewarm water before cooking
· Cook the rice until soft
· Strain water and cool down rice
· Add mirin and rice vinegar
Serves one person, double up ingredients for a dish for two people
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