Life’s too short not to eat cake and at Thornybush we believe in making the most of it, especially while you’re on your South African safari. That’s why we have Caroline Chabangu on our team at Chapungu Tented Camp. This passionate and enthusiastic chef sees to it that there’s no shortage of delicious treats for guests at this lodge.
Caroline Chabangu has been baking the world a better place since she could lift a mixing bowl. She grew up in a household that was always filled with the aroma of freshly baked goodies and home-cooked meals, thanks to the expertise of her mum.
She was educated at Phulani School and Ntxhexeko High School, after which Caroline enrolled at Phalaborwa college to hone her culinary skills. Here she achieved a diploma in cookery and set out in search of a career in the kitchen.
Her first job was at Impala Inn Restaurant in Hoedspruit. At this busy inn, she had her first taste of tourism and learned the knack of catering for guests as well as conference delegates and special events. After a year at the inn, she took a position at Butterfly Bakery. Here she got to indulge her passion for cakes and confectionery baking before joining us at Thornybush.
Caroline has been wowing guests with her creations for over 11 years and has developed a deep appreciation for the bush. She finds her job in the kitchen at Chapungu extremely satisfying and inspiring, revelling in the chance to indulge her penchant for cookery in a natural environment.
Her favourite animal is the giraffe, which she admires for its graceful and peaceful demeanour. This fondness was in no way tempered by a bad experience which she once had with these animals.
Hoping to impress her friends with her newly-earned baking skills, Caroline decided to craft a cake in the likeness of a giraffe for her birthday. She underestimated the length of the giraffes’ most distinguishing feature – it’s neck, and ended up with a half-baked attempt at impersonating this creature. True to form she pulled off the baking perfectly, except there were not enough berries to effectively portray her subject’s magnificent markings.
Although disappointed with her creative efforts on this single occasion, Caroline has continued to thrive in the friendly environment at Chapungu, and loves the chance to experiment with different cooking styles, all the while learning to bake both traditional and modern pastries.
Guests at this camp agree that Caroline takes the cake when it comes to cooking. Book your South African safari now and you too could indulge.
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