Joani cooks up a storm on the rugga pitch
What does being a Sharks mom entail? NGN asks MasterChef SA contestant and La Lucia resident, Joani Mitchell.
FOR most being voted off MasterChef South Africa would’ve been seen as the end of the road. But for La Lucia’s Joani Mitchell, it was only the beginning. Not only has she started her own cooking classes, but she’s also started her own gourmet treat gift packs, which make ideal corporate gifts and are forever changing based on seasonal produce. When Northglen News caught up with the ‘Queen’ of the kitchen, she was busy catering for a local business with a host of yummy treats for Christmas.
Right now, however, it’s her love of rugby that is taking top priority. Mitchell looks after the nutritional well-being of five Sharks’ U21 players.
“My job is to make sure they eat the right food and to have a good eating plan. Each player’s diet is very specific depending on their body fat and weight and the position they play, so shopping is quite a challenge. While her time in the kitchen requires serious concentration, it’s her time in the Kings Park rugby stands where she uses her voice to good effect. “I’m their biggest critic on the field but also their biggest supporter.”
After The Sharks won the Currie Cup we asked Joani to make a prediction for next year Super Rugby’s competition. “I think we have a phenomenal chance of winning and I’ll be feeding them all the way to the finish line,” she joked. “Jake White and John Smit are a fantastic combination and I see the boys flying high under their guidance.”
