The Braai Ceremony Keeper

Tshepo Mokoena

In Johannesburg, Tshepo learned that a braai is never just about the meat—it is the architecture of gathering, measured in wood choice, coal readiness, and the patient timing between flame and plate. He treats each braai as a sacred appointment with fire and community, perfecting his wood-fire techniques across hardwoods like mopane and building flavor through slow, reverent cooking on the grill. His signature dishes—vlambe (flame-grilled) wors, peri-peri chicken, and charred corn with braai spice—reflect the Rainbow Nation's love affair with fire-cooked food.

South African BraaiSADCC GrillingPeri-Peri AfricanBushman Fire Cooking

Voice · Storytelling, Reverent, Warm, Direct, Grounded

Signature Dishes

The essential curation of Tshepo's favorites.

40 MIN

Charred Brussels Sprout and Bean Bites with Hot-Sauce Crema

Crispy bean bites cradling charred Brussels sprouts, finished with a fiery hot-sauce crema that ties the smoky char together with cool tang. A bold braai-inspired starter that rewards patience at the coals.

38 MIN

Fire-Kissed Corn and Ground Beef Wors Bites

Tshepo's celebration of braai flavors — smoky ground beef wors bites paired with charred corn kissed by peri-peri heat, finished with fresh herbs and lime.

60 MIN

Peri-Peri Lamb Chops with Pumpkin-Seed and Fennel Crust

Lamb chops marinated in fiery peri-peri paste, finished with a crunchy crust of toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh fennel fronds — a braai tribute to the Rainbow Nation's love affair with flame and heat.

45 MIN

Smoked-Paprika Sweet-Potato Bites with Charred Scallion and Lime

Tender sweet-potato cubes roasted with smoky paprika, finished with charred scallions and bright lime — a soulful side that brings fire-kissed warmth to the plate.

45 MIN

Peri-Peri Charred Butternut Spears with Smoked-Paprika Butter

Thick butternut spears charred over high heat, kissed with a fiery peri-peri rub and finished with a smoky paprika butter that melts into every golden edge. This is braai vegetables with purpose — the smoke, the char, the heat, all building on each other.

40 MIN

Smoky Corn and Pinto-Bean Fritters with Smoked-Paprika Aioli

Golden, crispy fritters loaded with smoky charred corn and hearty pinto beans, served alongside a vibrant smoked-paprika aioli for dipping. A satisfying vegetarian braai side or main that channels the warmth of fire-kissed flavors.

70 MIN

Peri-Peri Lamb Chops with Toasted Buckwheat and Charred Fennel

Tender lamb chops marinated in fiery peri-peri, rested and grilled to smoky perfection, served alongside nutty toasted buckwheat and caramelized charred fennel. A braai that honors fire, time, and the patient art of gathering.

45 MIN

Smoky Butternut and Bean Tacos with Paprika Crema

Charred tortillas loaded with smoky roasted butternut, cumin-spiced pinto beans, and a silky paprika crema that ties the whole braai-inspired taco together.

45 MIN

Toasted Buckwheat Flatbreads with Lamb, Feta, and Charred Scallion

Nutty buckwheat flatbreads toasted on the braai, topped with spiced lamb, crumbled feta, and fire-charred scallions. A celebration of texture and heat.

50 MIN

Fire-Kissed Bean Flatbread with Smoked Paprika Oil

Caramelized kidney beans nestled on hand-formed flatbread, kissed by smoke from the coals and finished with a glossy smoked paprika oil.

50 MIN

Peri-Peri Roasted Butternut Spears with Bean Smash

Fire-kissed butternut spears crusted in smoky peri-peri seasoning, served over a creamy bean smash infused with garlic and brightened with fresh lemon and cilantro. A celebration of braai flavors in a vegetarian embrace.

65 MIN

Smoky Bean and Vegetable Pot with Braai Spice Crust

A hearty South African braai-style bean pot with caramelized vegetables, slow-simmered in smoky broth, finished with a golden cheese and braai-spice crust.

55 MIN

Bean and Butternut Braai Bowl with Peri-Peri Drizzle

A hearty braai bowl featuring flame-charred butternut and smoky beans, finished with a fiery peri-peri drizzle that brings the heat of South African coals to your plate.

55 MIN

Paprika and Honey-Glazed Chicken Thighs with Braai Corn

Bone-in chicken thighs glazed with a smoky paprika and honey blend, finished over coals alongside charred braai corn. A celebration of fire, smoke, and the patient art of the braai.

75 MIN

Smoky Bean Hand Pies with Cilantro

Handheld pastries filled with smoky spiced pinto beans, inspired by the patience and soul of a braai fire. These golden hand pies carry the warmth of wood-smoke through paprika and cumin, finished with bright cilantro.

35 MIN

Charred Corn and Bean Salad with Braai Vinaigrette

A smoky South African-inspired salad of fire-charred corn kernels tossed with tender black beans, crisp bell pepper, and a bold braai vinaigrette fragrant with smoked paprika and cumin.

45 MIN

Smoky Buckwheat Koftas with Mint Yogurt and Sriracha Drizzle

Grilled buckwheat koftas infused with smoky braai spices, rested and served over cooling mint yogurt with a bold sriracha drizzle—where fire-kissed flavors meet the ceremony of gathering.

60 MIN

Mopane-Roasted Butternut with Smoked Paprika Butter

A whole butternut squash roasted until its flesh is tender and caramelized, finished with a rich smoked paprika butter that melts into the warm surface, infusing every bite with gentle heat and smoky depth. A tribute to the patient ritual of fire-cooked vegetables.

45 MIN

Rested Chicken Thighs with Smoky Parsnip Puree and Radish Salad

Bone-in free-range chicken thighs rubbed with braai spice, roasted until golden and rested, served over a silky smoky parsnip-potato puree with a fresh radish and herb salad.

33 MIN

Peri-Peri Scallops with Snap Peas and Fennel Seed Butter

Tender scallops kissed by peri-peri heat, served alongside crisp snap peas and finished with fragrant fennel seed butter—a celebration of flame and flavor.

40 MIN

Mopane-Inspired Portobello Steaks with Kale and Maple Glaze

Large portobello caps rubbed with a smoky braai-inspired spice blend, char-grilled to perfection, resting on a bed of silky braised kale and crowned with a glossy maple-soy glaze that captures the spirit of mopane wood smoke and fire-kissed gathering.

40 MIN

Charred Corn and Cantaloupe Bowl with Braai Spice and Sour Cream

A smoky, charred corn bowl meets sweet cantaloupe under a braai spice rub, finished with cool sour cream and fresh herbs. The fire-kissed sweetness of the melon and the earthy heat of the spices make this a celebration of braai flavors in bowl form.

40 MIN

Fire-Kissed Ground Beef Wors with Braai Spice and Charred Onions

Courageous coils of seasoned ground beef, kissed by mopane fire and finished with smoky braai spice, served alongside sweetly charred onions that weep their sugars into the coals.

95 MIN

Peri-Peri Lamb Chops with Charred Fennel and Pumpkin-Seed Crust

Fire-kissed lamb chops coated in a fiery peri-peri marinade, crowned with a crunchy pumpkin-seed crust, served alongside fennel charred until sweet and smoky on the braai.

28 MIN

Wood-Fire Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze and Sesame-Seed

Charred Brussels sprouts kissed by open flame, finished with a glossy balsamic reduction and a scattering of toasted sesame. A side that holds its own at any braai.

From the Pantry

Signature staples

BoereworsPeri-Peri ChickenBraai CornChakalaka RelishMopane Wood Charcoal

Favorite tools

Braai Grid and TripodLong Braai TongsCast Iron Potjie PotMeat CleaverBraai BrushChimney Starter for Coal

Reaches for

Aged WorsFree-Range ChickenMopane WoodPeri-Peri ChilesBraai Spice Blends

Steers clear of

Synthetic SmokinessMicrowave ThawingFlavourless Supermarket MeatPre-Packaged MarinadesImported Substitutes

Flavor Profile

The Loves

Smoky CharPeri-Peri HeatWood-Fire BitternessBraai Spice RubsCaramelized Onion

The Defaults

Rested MeatsBalanced HeatUmami DepthEarthy SpicesSlow-Built Flavors

The Avoids

Rushed CookingFlavourless MarinadesCold FoodPre-Ground SpicesOverly Sweet Sauces