After more than 15 years of working in government communications, Lwazi Jiba has finally followed his dream of being a businessman, with his new venture of opening a family restaurant in The Quiqney.
The father of three said Elahleni Food and Braai was conceptualised in 2014, after he noticed that people, particularly women with children, struggled to find a good braai eatery that was not a tavern.
This dream, a joint venture with his partner Lwandy Ngebe, opened for business last month, serving traditional dishes like pap, steam bread and salads, and has been warmly received by the public.
“As a father myself, I often had trouble taking the kids out with me when going to a braai establishment for supper.
“I would be forced to leave the kids behind because I can’t take them to the local tshisa nyama because it serves alcohol, and obviously there would be people under the influence and it just wasn’t a conducive environment for children,” he said.
“I then realised there are single mothers who would often have to consider a different meal as a result because going to a tshisa nyama or driving to Ebuhlanti with children is just not an option.” Jiba said his vision was to have something that spoke to this need, but with a better offering in terms of professionalism, class and child entertainment.
“In an attempt to get the business up and running, I applied for funding from some of the government funding agencies, but because it was not a franchise or something they understood, my proposal was rejected.”
Jiba said at the time, he had already invested more than R1m in acquiring the historical 1932 building that once served as a surf shop, salon or spaza, situated on 119 Caxton Street, just behind Grazia. “I saw the building in 2017 while on my way to the airport and instantly knew it was the perfect spot, exactly what I’d been looking for.
“A restaurant close to the beach, with exquisite sea views and in a building with original, historic architecture, yet modern, trendy touch-ups,” he said.
The businessman said they opted to consult Alfresco International Academy of Food and Wine for guidance for their menu and staff complement, which consists of three chefs from the academy.
“To provide the professionalism, good service and quality food and cleanliness, we had to work with people who are experts in the business and they have been managing operations while we focus on the business.
“Elahleni Food and Braai is the only place that can braai your meat and serve it on a decorative, well-dressed plate and not in a Castle Lite box,” he smiled...