S2-46. Food Fanatics - Elaine Rousseau

In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I chat to Elaine Rousseau of Food Fanatics and Homestead Venue about a career in hospitality that began almost by accident and has grown into catering, events, mentoring and community food projects.Elaine traces her journey from learning the trade at the Swartland Hotel and working at Paddagang Restaurant in Tulbagh, to starting Food Fanatics in 1998. We talk about the practical realities of catering, the importance of logistics and site visits, and the role she has played in mentoring young chefs, including Clara Bubenzer of the Lebanese Bakery.We also talk about the GRAPA Garden, a community vegetable garden in Plumstead that has turned a neglected piece of city land into a productive growing space, employing two people and involving around 30 volunteers. Elaine explains why keeping produce affordable and making the garden genuinely accessible to the surrounding community matters to her.And finally, we talk about Homestead, the venue she developed as a home for Food Fanatics, and how the business has evolved from predominantly off-site catering to a combination of events, Friday pop-ups and public food occasions.It's a conversation about hospitality as work, business, teaching and community, and the people who make all of those things possible. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay