Soweto entrepreneur wins Healthy Kota Challenge

12 October 2015

 

Soweto entrepreneur Thato Molotsane makes the tastiest, most nutritious and healthiest kota (bunny chow) in town.

 

Molotsane, of Dlamini in Johannesburg’s Region D, was crowned the winner of the City’s inaugural Healthy Kota Challenge after beating six other finalists in what has been described as “a closely contested affair” at the HTA School of Culinary Art in Randburg on Saturday October 10.

 

For her creativity and innovation, Molotsane walked away with a branded chef’s uniform, a gold medal and a R20 000 catering equipment gift voucher following the Master Chef-style finale.

 

Coming in a close second was Bongani Nyathi of Midrand, Region A, who received a R10 000 voucher, a silver medal, chef’s jacket and mushroom hat. Third-placed Lindiwe Nonyukela of Snake Park, also in Region A, took home a bronze medal, mushroom hat and a R5 000 voucher.

 

Four other finalists – Carol Dooms (Region B), Troy Nkosi (Region E), Nkosinathi Ntsongwana (Region F) and Nombulelo Xoseka (Region G) – each received a Mandela Cookbook and R2 000 vouchers.

 

The judges – dietician and Chow Nutritional Solutions CEO Stefan van der Merwe, Executive Chef and Member of the Southern Africa Chefs’ Association George Georgiou and the City of Johannesburg’s Go Jozi Lifestyle Programmes Coordinator Simon Motsusi – praised the quality of the entries.

 

Equally impressed was Wandile Zwane, Executive Director of the City’s Department of Health and Social Development, who congratulated all the finalists. He said the success of the Healthy Kota Challenge was proof that Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development Cllr Nonceba Molwele’s vision of a healthy city was achievable.

 

“I was impressed by what I saw here today. This has been an incredible journey. We must never forget why we are doing all this – to get our people healthy so we can avoid the lifestyle diseases that are killing our people. We have to promote healthy eating habits, starting with the children to whom we sell this kota. We’ve to take good care of our bodies.”

 

Van der Merwe said the kotas had his stamp of approval.

“The final scores were extremely close,” said the dietician.

 

Chef Georgiou said his association would give the winners support whenever they needed it.

“You’re now the ambassadors of the healthy kota, spread the word,” he said.

Motsusi told the finalists that the “wonderful journey should continue”.

“This is just the beginning, the first of many competitions,” he said.

 

First prize winner Molotsane said: “This is the kick-start I’ve been praying for. Now I can launch my business and serve my community healthy food.”

 

Two years ago Mayor Tau launched the Go Jozi Healthy Lifestyle Programme to encourage residents to embrace a healthy lifestyle to fight chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and heart ailments and to substantially increase the city’s life expectancy. The Healthy Kota Challenge forms part of the programme.