Always living up to its mission, !Khwa ttu embarked on a range of new training programmes. Thanks to funds from the US-based MSST Foundation long-term training courses in cooking, herb and vegetable gardening, nursery school education and tourist guidance could begin in the second half of this year. In addition, a series of training workshops in both basic photographing and extensive communication skills are being run on a weekly basis. Young and elderly San, women and men, literate and semi-literate are eagerly engaging in at least one of the manifold hands-on training offers.

This first article focuses on young Mukose Kabembe's training in cooking at the !Khwa ttu restaurant.

"He has a true love for cooking," is the way Johan describes his colleague's passion for preparing food. "Yes, even before I began my training at the restaurant kitchen I cooked macaroni, rice and chicken for my mum and brother", Mukose points out. He is clearly delighted to be trained by Thomas Portmann, the professional chef at !Khwa ttu. Not only is Thomas currently introducing the 16-year old !Xun youth to a well-thought through course of cooking and garnishing food, baking bread and pastry and understanding about both nutritional food and kitchen hygiene. Also Afrida Jackson, his assistant has already successfully taught Mukose to bake delicious foccacia bread. "I actually like more to bake than to cook," he admits, although he is very fond of tasting "what I have cooked; most of all potato mash."

During the first training phase, Mukose learned about all aspects of the 'cold kitchen' and the use of spices. He knows how to prepare mouth-watering sandwiches and salads. Mukose states, "I also learned the names of spices, how they look like and I know what they are used for. For example Thomas uses rosemary for preparing meat, but he only adds the spice later on." Thomas is glad that Mukose "is such an attentive observer and although an extreme shy person he likes to ask questions, which is very positive." Recipes of all the dishes he has been trained to cook have been meticulously written down in Mukose's notebook.

His performances are regularly assessed and if he completes his yearlong basic training successfully he stands a fair chance to enter a higher level of training next year. Thomas will certainly explore which requirements have to be fulfilled to get this kind of on-the-job training officially accredited as everyone at !Khwa ttu believes Mukose instantly when he humbly whispers, "I would like to cook in a big kitchen for the rest of my life."