Orgasmic Gawulo (pronounced Ga-wuu-lo) founded and run by Thulani Mguda and Tumi Mayende delivers on all food fronts. When you think of grabbing something to eat in the township you immediately think braaied meat or tshisha nyama, where you can have your meat and sip your drinks, although tshisa nyama’s are the go-to for a quick meal in township communities, these two young men realised the need for quick, healthy-balanced meals and decided to bring a different type of dining to Gugulethu.
When Tumi Maynge (a qualified chef) mentioned that one of his dreams was to open his own restaurant neither of them could anticipate the journey they were about to go on, his friend Thulani says, “He tapped on the subject that it’s about time to start doing the thing he has always dreamt of, then we took it from that idea and put action into it and here we are.”
Chef Tumi then started teaching Thulani what he knew. They started off small by running a catering truck and doing functions around the city, until they decided to expand and started renting a small space from “H&M Gugs”, a favorite lounging place in Gugulethu, which is now home to their outlet.
Orgasmic Gawulo, established only three months ago, has already made a name for itself within Gugs and surrounding neighbourhoods. Often hailed as the township version of Primi, it is easy to see why it has received so much traction. This unique restaurant is the first of its kind, not only in the immediate community, but in townships across Cape Town.
When deciding on the menu the two men opted for meals that would cater to everyone, appetizing food that would appeal most especially to the locals. They also made sure to do some research as to what people were interested in and what they would like to eat. Thulani highlighted that everyone loves their current dishes. “Our angle to food is a bit different to what has been done in the township before”, he said.
One aspect they put a lot of emphasis on, is the presentation of their food, as we are taught presentation is everything and this also keeps customers intrigued with this place.
Orgasmic Gawulo boasts delicious wholesome meals. For those that enjoy breakfasts you will be happy to know that they have an ALL DAY scrumptious breakfast consisting of egg yolk omelettes, a cheesy bacon infused melt-sandwich and of course the mandatory English breakfast.
And if you’re looking for a meal more filling, succulent – mouthwatering platters are available, with items ranging from chops, eggs, dunked chicken wings and riblets, to kebabs. You even have the option of creating your own platter. All platters usually come with a side of salad, wedges or fries, their meals are also very affordable ranging from R50 to R70 for meals and their platters, depending on your choices, are R130 to R190.
Unfortunately the restaurant doesn’t have a license to serve alcohol yet, but patrons are welcome to bring their own and there is no corkage.
When asked what motivated them to open a restaurant, Tumi said that they hope to inspire other young chefs in the Western Cape to rise as young entrepreneurs. “We need to change the structure of our current reality. Not everyone has opportunities, we need to create our own opportunities and that was the whole idea behind this initiative.”
The two never estimated that within three months they would be this popular. They believe there is a gap for young chefs especially those from local townships. Their motto is don’t wait for an opportunity to come, create your own opportunity then make a success of it, and what a success they have made of their new and thriving establishment.
Images courtesy of Orgasmic Gawulo
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