Blaque Continental’s Sizo Henna: Success with ‘this thing of cooking’

Sizo Henna’s father did not want him to become a chef – associating the profession with “uneducated people wearing huge white hats”.

But little did he know that years later, his son would wear a similar hat. Speaking to the Saturday Citizen over lunch in his popular Blaque Continental Bistro in Bryanston, Henna – an accomplished, British-trained chef – laughed when remembering what his father used to say.

“My father never wanted me to become a chef. We would go and eat out at Amatola Sun in the Eastern Cape owned by Sol Kerzner – up the road from where we stayed. When we would go for dinner on a Wednesday night – there would be a nice ambiance, with a guy playing classical music from a piano.

“While enjoying his favourite meal – roast and vegetables – my father would remark: ‘You see when you are uneducated, you will look like these people, wearing those big white hats’.

“The funny thing is, I ended up wearing similar hats which my father regarded as for the ‘uneducated’ – and buying him a ticket to visit me in London. He then said: ‘I see you really like this thing of cooking’. He also thought cooking was meant for women – not true because males have always been chefs and hairdressers.”

Henna, who studied in the UK’s Stone Waters, has 20 years’ experience as a chef and five as a restaurateur. His love for cooking started at the age of eight.

“At eight, I got to understand different textures, flavours and cuisines. I understood how to tell a difference between hotel and restaurant food,” he said.

At 18 he received a scholarship to study culinary arts in London.

“There were two schools in the UK – the Westminster, the Rolls Royce of culinary schools of chefs, and Stone Water, the second-best in the southeast of London, where I studied culinary arts as a chef in 2003.

“I specialised in French cuisine. Like in any culinary school in Europe, you first learn French cuisine, which is basic. From there, you learn British cuisine,” he said.

“My classmate was a Jamaican who taught me a lot about Caribbean cuisine. My Polish girlfriend taught me Polish cuisine.”

He was inspired by a legendary British chef and restaurateur known for his love of English cuisine, choice of ingredients and distinctive spiked hair – made popular in shows like MasterChef, Hell’s Kitchen and his own series Rhodes Around Britain.

“The late Gary Rhodes – one of the guys who changed British cuisine – was the man I looked up to as role model. He influenced me a lot, from what is today known as bangers and mash, to classic dishes. He inspired me to be who I am today.”

Recalling school life in the UK, Henna, who’s brother is actor Sisanda Henna, said: “It was the most challenging thing, because I was in a foreign country.

“I got to understand the word kwerekwere (foreigner) when I was there because you are very far from everyone. My father used to propel me to ‘stomach it’.

“Those were difficult yet easy days because I was passionate – making everything smooth and easy. Working with different chefs from different walks, was challenging. I had to understand a Spanish or Portuguese guy, when he speaks his language.”

Henna found Blaque Continental Bistro five years ago, with the first location in Parktown North, before settling in Bryanston.

The popular restaurant has become home to many events – loved for its good food, relaxed vibe and community by ordinary and well-known people.

“I love people and good food. Starting Blaque brought me closer to my passion – food and community. “Celebrating five years is a big milestone, especially having survived Covid as an establishment.

“We have been thrilled to host our Blaque family, with the fun of quality food, great wine and music – making it a memorable experience,” said Henna.

He has been featured on a number of cooking shows – having made a name for himself, working with high-profile individuals in politics, business and entertainment.

“I always say Blaque is you and me – beautiful and rich with flavours. Because I am an ’80s baby, I remember a sitcom called Cheers, which had a jingle that went ‘Cheers, where everybody knows your name’. It was a pub where all the locals went and all knew each other.

“When I opened Blaque, it was about a place we could all come in together as black people, celebrating each other – a place for locals to come in and dine.

“That is why we see our locals three or four times a week. I see Robert Marawa and the Zungus here four times a week, because they have gone through the menu. Knowing what is in the menu, they have requests – a place where people come in and enjoy each other’s company.

“The menu is quite simple – we have breakfast, lunch and the chef will decide what is for dinner. We also have classic traditional meals from Thursdays to Sundays – from umleqwa (hard body chicken), ulusu (tripe), isibindi (liver) and trotters.

“A lot of African-Americans come in to dine here because hotels are closer here. From Vilakazi Street in Soweto, they come here – about 20 of them – and then back to the hotel.”

What’s his favourite meal?

“While I like roosterkoek (griddle cake) with jam and cheese – a very weird combination – I don’t have a favourite dish. On the healthy side, it is always important to eat clean, enjoy raw ingredients.

“When we make pan-fried spinach, we do not make them creamy, because we have grown spinach in a garden where we take it from. Pan-fry, salt and pepper. Although I don’t like salt and pepper, I like the taste and a touch of butter. While it’s important to eat clean, you can have cheating days like on Fridays. But eat clean as much as you can.”

Blaque Continental Bistro is a place to enjoy a good meal, washed down with a glass of Aslina wine by Ntsiki Biyela – the first black woman winemaker in SA, and the continent