Entrepreneurial spirit merging the delights of soulful food
Covid surviving caterer regaining her strength to rebuild
With family, love and memories, to stir a pot is to stir the essence of the soul.
For many a family, food is as important as the air they breathe. Yolande Buckley discovered her passion for food at the tender age of nine, as her time in front of the stove preparing meals for the family became more frequent. “I come from a food-loving family that gossips food, and shares tips, ideas and recipes. It’s all about food with us,” said Yolande.
Currently staying at Maranatha Retreat and Conference Centre, Yolande has been running the popular function venue’s kitchen for roughly five years. Along her journey she refined her skills, combining all her tricks and tips into the Simply Deli Cook in Sauces brand. With 15 different flavours on offer, each sauce is carefully crafted into an easy-to-use sachet that amplifies any meal with taste bud tingling delights.
Unfortunately, Yolande’s raise up the culinary ladder received a tragic mis-step earlier this year when she and members of her family contracted the coronavirus. A glitzy product launch for Simply Deli was scheduled for the first week in July but she and her son-in-law became desperately ill, postponing the event. Yolande would survive but sadly, her son-in-law would succumb to the virus the first weekend in July.
Still reeling from the loss, Yolande is channelling her efforts into Simply Deli and her already established catering company, Thanda Bantu Catering. Only just regaining the physical strength sapped out of her by the virus, Yolande meticulously creates the sauce and marinades through a combination of spontaneous seasoning methods and an educated palate. “Thank God I didn’t lose my sense of taste,” she chuckled, wearily.
Having tried several other professions, all paths led her back to her instinctive love of the scents and tastes unleashed in the kitchen. “Food is my breath, not just an income, even though it has kept my family needs met throughout the years. I spent years entertaining guest with my passion for food and because I was gifted to just throw things together and present a tasty meal, the end results being my Simply Deli cook in sauces and marinades.”
