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GOING OUT IS STAYING IN

Home cooking has come out from behind the kitchen door and is fast becoming one of the most popular ways to entertain. So pull up a chair and take a look at the new trend in gastronomy and guests.

No longer the domain of housewives and floppy-wristed bachelors, cooking for fun is fast emerging as the hottest form of recreation this century.

With the wealth of glossy food and home-oriented magazines, plus the plethora of sexy cooking shows on television, cooking has never been more popular. Throw in the current lifestyle curve towards cocooning, and it’s easy to see why amateur chefs are popping up in every household.

Although restaurants appear to be as full and vibey as ever, inviting a few close friends round for an evening of good food and intimate conversation at home has become increasingly fashionable. ‘Yes, it’s true,’ says Cape Town psychologist Janet Earl. ‘More and more people are entertaining friends, family and business colleagues in their own homes.’

As we’ve gone into the new millennium, we’ve turned our focus inwards and are looking for intimate and stress-free experiences to enjoy. Instead of heaps of acquaintances, people now nurture close emotional connections with a carefully chosen few. ‘We’ve reverted to more traditional values and styles,’ Janet says, ‘and are focusing on self-growth, family and spirituality rather than hectic action.’

So what are the motivating factors for this cosy trend? The high crime rate plays a role: families prefer to stay home to entertain. Also, people want to avoid crowds, and Janet says there’s a move towards nesting in a safe environment. Not only that, but as the world has grown more accessible so people have become more educated about cuisine and different dishes in various cultures, and diners have become more curious and adventurous.

Last but not least, many people use cooking as a creative form of relaxation and recreation, and no longer feel overawed by cooking by the book. As FAIRLADY Food Editor Abigail Donnelly points out, ‘Cooking has been demystified with its recent high media profile, and it’s become less intimidating to people wanting to try their hands at making something special.’

The quirky dinner parties at the home of Johannesburg’s flamboyant artist, restaurateur and cookbook author Braam Kruger are reputed to be some of the best in town. ‘I love having people round so I can show off my cooking and showcase my paintings – and I don’t have to drive home drunk!’ he says. ‘I try out all my new ideas and spend quality time with people I care about. It’s a charming and civilised way to entertain.’

As for the growing emphasis on the quality of the meals that hosts prepare, Braam says it’s a sign of the times that cocaine – that ‘after-dinner mint’ of late-80s gatherings – is now the rudest thing to bring to a dinner party, and an ‘absolute slap in the face’ to the host. ‘People put a lot of time and effort into making something special, and we’ve learnt to respect food now,’ he says.

Although it seems a given that ‘foodies’ would prefer to entertain at home, lots of other people are taking cooking courses and impressing friends and colleagues with their newfound skills. Angela Day’s Cooking School in Johannesburg, which was established two years ago, is now battling able to cope with the flood of folk wanting to learn how to cook something different.

Across gender, race and age, they pack themselves into the hands-on courses for an instructive evening of wine, conversation and a fine meal. And it’s not only individuals who’re cooking up a storm at the school; companies are sending groups of people for an evening of cooking as a team-building exercise.

And if you think it’s only the ‘oldies’ who’re eschewing eating out in favour of staying in, think again. The younger set, too, is doing less clubbing-and-pubbing and more guests-and-gastronomy. M-Net’s Idols presenter Sami Sabiti and his model fiancée, Mel van der Merwe, are much more likely to invite a few friends over than hit the cocktail circuit. ‘Home is warm and friendly and I play my favourite music. At the end of the day, I want to avoid lots of people and just chill out,’ says Mel. ‘I’m a vegetarian, and it’s seldom that restaurants prepare better food than I can make myself,’ she adds.

And even those who can’t (or don’t want to) cook aren’t letting this little fact put them off entertaining at home. They’re calling in caterers. Fiona Hardie of Out to Lunch, who caters for special occasions and also small, informal dinners and lunches, says her client base has soared in the past year. Fiona’s clients decide on the menu and she goes to the house to prepare and serve the meal.

Mark Cameron, from Deli Diner in Joburg, even does the washing up. ‘It’s no longer just the wealthy who’re calling in caterers. It’s ordinary, middle-class people who want to entertain in the privacy of their homes but don’t have time to cook,’ he says.

It’s also not unusual for people to zip into their restaurant with bowls and serving plates, get them filled with mouth-watering meals, then dash home to pop them into the oven. And of course there’s always Woolies, Melissa’s or your nearest deli for something quick!

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