By Nkhensani Mthombeni
- Chef Jetrou, from Phalaborwa, says he is absorbing costs on oil, bread, meat and packaging instead of raising his prices.
- His kota business, started in 2020 after Covid-19 hit hospitality hard, now sells kotas ranging from R40 to R90 each.
Chef Jetrou would rather absorb rising food costs than lose his customers.
Kgapane Machete, 38, known as Chef Jetrou, is a private chef and caterer from Phalaborwa who also runs a kota stall in Mashishimale Village. He says the cost of nearly everything he needs to cook has gone up.
“Everything has gone up: oil, bread, meat, even packaging. I’ve had to absorb a lot of the cost so that I don’t lose my customers,” he said.
Machete says most of his customers are everyday people, so he does not want to price them out. He buys in bulk, supports local suppliers, and keeps waste low to manage costs. He has raised his prices slightly, but says he has tried to keep them fair.
His kotas, a township sandwich filled with options like russian, atchar, polony and chips, range from R40 to R90 depending on what’s inside.
The kota business began in 2020, after Covid-19 hit the hospitality industry hard.
“Financially things were tough, I had to come up with something that would bring income and I thought kotas are perfect,” he said. What started at home grew enough that he had to move into a proper kota shop.
Machete’s love for cooking started as a child, watching his family cook. After matric, he wanted to study winemaking but could not afford it, so he studied hospitality at Mopani TVET College instead, then did a learnership at Moshate Hotel School. He has worked at Sefapane Lodge and Tzaneen Country Lodge.
He still hopes to study winemaking one day and create his own wine range.
His advice to unemployed young people: start with whatever skill you have, whether it’s cooking, braiding hair or fixing phones. Sell from your yard, market yourself on WhatsApp and Facebook, and stay consistent.
Pictured above: Chef Jetrou busy at work.
Image source: Supplied
