Tbose Chats To Entrepreneur And Restaurant Owner Keitumetse Molatlhegi
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Keitumetse Molatlhegi embodies the notion of living one’s dream. In less than two decades she has risen from a call-center agent to establishing and managing one of Johannesburg’s most popular and ambient restaurants and music venues.
The married mother of two used her retrenchment from ABSA in 2018 to follow her longtime entrepreneurial dream. No sooner had she suffered the indignity of being at the receiving end of her organization section 189, came Corvid 19 and its subsequent lockdown. Instead of being overwhelmed by the gloom of that followed Molatlhegi, born and bred in Naledi Extension, Soweto, took the plunge. To better understand the journey, she was about to embark she took culinary studies in 2019 – the year she describes as her gap year. That same year Molatlhegi joined two others to partner in the restaurant world. They opened Moeng in Rosebank, this at the height of Covid. The three entrepreneurs broadened Moeng’s palate by adding the aural delicacy of live music to their intimate space. Sadly, the Moeng odyssey ended when they had to close down the venue.
A year later, now with only one of her partners in chef Absalom Kotsokoane, they took their Moeng experience to the more vibrant Braamfontein. Here, the two restauranters re-opened the shut doors of The Orbit, this time under the new banner of Leano – Setswana for plan. The new management drew up the curtains of the restaurant and live music venue with a memorable performance by the evocative Simphiwe Dana.
Saturday, November 12 will mark a year nurturing Leano. In that time Leano hosted some of the country’s leading musicians – from Dana, Dumza Maswana, Musa, TitiLuzipho, through to McCoy Mrubata, Lwanda Gogwana, Feya Faku, Nduduzo Makhathini, Iphupho Lika Biko, the BhacaSoul Experience, Tlale Makhene and Luyanda Madupe, to name but a few. In the coming weeks Leano will host Femi Koya, Zarcia Zacheus and Herbie Tsoali. Leano has since has expanded on its past legacy with its down-to-earth management, growing into one of Johannesburg’s premier music venues. In addition to being the music and foodie haven, Molatlhegi has reinforced the idea of Leano being an authentic experience by including poetry performances, food and beer (traditional and craft) tastings, fringe cultural festivals, jam sessions and discussions onto Leano’s ever-expanding roster.
Under Molatlhegi’s management, Leano has sown all these elements to skillfully and expertly collaborate with the warmth exuding from chef Kotsokoane’s creative take on African cuisine in the kitchen. His broad take on food has seen him describe himself as a chef, restaurateur, content developer, food stylist and part-time lecturer.
This is a far cry from the food artist who hails from Kgabalatsane in North West, where his love for all things food was inspired and nurtured by the guiding hand of a loving grandmother. From there and his humble professional beginnings as a landscaper, Kotsokoane has gone on to bring much pleasure to the palates of many with his modern twist to indigenous food and ingredients that were at one time only eaten at traditional and cultural functions. The graduate of the HTA School of Culinary and SA Chefs University is also a full member of the SA Chefs Association, World Association of Chefs Society and member of Chaine des Rottisseurs.
The married mother of two used her retrenchment from ABSA in 2018 to follow her longtime entrepreneurial dream. No sooner had she suffered the indignity of being at the receiving end of her organization section 189, came Corvid 19 and its subsequent lockdown. Instead of being overwhelmed by the gloom of that followed Molatlhegi, born and bred in Naledi Extension, Soweto, took the plunge. To better understand the journey, she was about to embark she took culinary studies in 2019 – the year she describes as her gap year. That same year Molatlhegi joined two others to partner in the restaurant world. They opened Moeng in Rosebank, this at the height of Covid. The three entrepreneurs broadened Moeng’s palate by adding the aural delicacy of live music to their intimate space. Sadly, the Moeng odyssey ended when they had to close down the venue.
A year later, now with only one of her partners in chef Absalom Kotsokoane, they took their Moeng experience to the more vibrant Braamfontein. Here, the two restauranters re-opened the shut doors of The Orbit, this time under the new banner of Leano – Setswana for plan. The new management drew up the curtains of the restaurant and live music venue with a memorable performance by the evocative Simphiwe Dana.
Saturday, November 12 will mark a year nurturing Leano. In that time Leano hosted some of the country’s leading musicians – from Dana, Dumza Maswana, Musa, TitiLuzipho, through to McCoy Mrubata, Lwanda Gogwana, Feya Faku, Nduduzo Makhathini, Iphupho Lika Biko, the BhacaSoul Experience, Tlale Makhene and Luyanda Madupe, to name but a few. In the coming weeks Leano will host Femi Koya, Zarcia Zacheus and Herbie Tsoali. Leano has since has expanded on its past legacy with its down-to-earth management, growing into one of Johannesburg’s premier music venues. In addition to being the music and foodie haven, Molatlhegi has reinforced the idea of Leano being an authentic experience by including poetry performances, food and beer (traditional and craft) tastings, fringe cultural festivals, jam sessions and discussions onto Leano’s ever-expanding roster.
Under Molatlhegi’s management, Leano has sown all these elements to skillfully and expertly collaborate with the warmth exuding from chef Kotsokoane’s creative take on African cuisine in the kitchen. His broad take on food has seen him describe himself as a chef, restaurateur, content developer, food stylist and part-time lecturer.
This is a far cry from the food artist who hails from Kgabalatsane in North West, where his love for all things food was inspired and nurtured by the guiding hand of a loving grandmother. From there and his humble professional beginnings as a landscaper, Kotsokoane has gone on to bring much pleasure to the palates of many with his modern twist to indigenous food and ingredients that were at one time only eaten at traditional and cultural functions. The graduate of the HTA School of Culinary and SA Chefs University is also a full member of the SA Chefs Association, World Association of Chefs Society and member of Chaine des Rottisseurs.
