BEHIND THE APRON
Home economist, dietician, cookbook author and cooking class extraordinaire, Christine Capendale has built a career around making food both beautiful and approachable. From her sunlit studio in Hermanus, she develops recipes, creates content for leading brands and inspires home cooks of all levels. We caught up with her to find out what really goes on behind the apron.
With several cookbooks, a thriving studio offering cooking classes and a loyal following, did you ever imagine your career would grow into all of this? I always hoped I would build a life around food: cooking, teaching, and inspiring people to enjoy good food and the act of cooking itself. In many ways, I’ m doing exactly what I dreamed of. Sharing food and inspiration, developing easy, healthy and interesting recipes and creating connections is exactly where I want to be.
You’ ve taught hundreds of people to cook. Is there a student success story that still makes you smile when you think about it? There have been quite a few over the years. What stands out most are the students who arrived a little reluctantly, often unsure or lacking confidence, and then leave completely transformed. Some of them went on to become my most loyal followers, but more importantly, they discovered a genuine love for cooking and now do it with real passion. That shift is always incredibly rewarding to witness.
Is there a dish that looks impressive but is actually much easier to make than people think? What is it? A beautifully roasted whole chicken with seasonal vegetables. It looks abundant and impressive on the table, but it’ s actually very simple, just good ingredients, proper seasoning, and the confidence to let the oven do the work.
Which three ingredients do you think are criminally underused in South African home kitchens? Preserved lemon, capers and limes. They each bring such depth and character. They can transform very simple dishes into something much more interesting and delicious.
What’ s the dish you’ ve made more times than you can count and still love? Meatballs, without a doubt. I’ ve made them in countless variations over the years and I never tire of them. I like to think of myself as a bit of a meatball queen. They’ re comforting, versatile, and a perfect canvas for flavour.
When you sit down to eat someone else’ s cooking, can you ever truly switch off the food professional in you? With friends and family, I really can switch off and just enjoy the moment! That’ s what food is about, after all. But when I’ m paying for a restaurant experience, it’ s much harder. I naturally start analysing the flavours, the balance, the value! I do often find myself wondering how I would approach the dish differently.
Is there a chef( local or international), whose work genuinely stops you in your tracks? Like many food lovers, I really admire Yotam Ottolenghi. His approach to flavour is inspiring. I’ m also drawn to chefs who have come through his kitchen and developed their own voice, like Ixta Belfrage. There’ s a boldness and creativity there that I find incredibly exciting and inspiring.
essentialflavours. co. za • Winter 2026 | 15