From discovering the world of food through family gatherings and television as a child, to building his own culinary platform through the Round Table lunches, Chef Eric Mphela’s journey has always been rooted in one thing: bringing people together.
Currently hosting the monthly Round Table lunches at Mamakashaka & Friends in Johannesburg, Eric is creating a space where food, music, conversation, and collaboration meet. We sat down with him to talk about his journey into cooking, the kitchens that shaped him, and the vision behind creating experiences that go beyond the plate.
1. Before you were a chef, what first made you gravitate towards food? Was becoming a chef something you always knew you wanted?
It actually came to me when I was very young. I was around 10 years old when I first started becoming interested in cooking. That was the year we got our first DSTV decoder. I remember coming home from school, scrolling through the channels, and discovering the Food Network. I would sit there for hours watching shows like Barefoot Contessa and Chopped.
At the same time, I was always around my family when they were cooking. Sundays were a big thing in my household. My aunts would go all out preparing these massive lunches, and I would always find myself in the kitchen watching them, helping wherever I could. At first, everyone thought it was just a phase or something I was saying because I was a kid. But the more I researched cooking and the more I started cooking at home, the more serious it became.
2. Looking back at that younger version of yourself, what do you think you were chasing when you decided to pursue cooking professionally?
I think the biggest thing was community. Growing up, I noticed how food had this ability to bring people together. During the week, families can have their disagreements, little tensions, or things that people don’t talk about. But when Sunday came and everyone sat around the table eating together, everything changed.
You would hear spoons hitting plates, people laughing, having conversations, and just enjoying each other’s company. Everyone was there together.
That feeling stayed with me. I realised that food wasn’t just about feeding people. It was about creating moments where people connect. That is the same thing I try to recreate with my pop-ups now: bringing strangers into the same room, giving them good food, and creating an environment where people can actually interact.
3. You’ve worked in different kitchens and culinary environments throughout your career. What did those experiences teach you personally and professionally?
Personally, it taught me toughness.
Some of my foundation came from Cape Town, which was where I learned proper international techniques and styles. When I started, I thought being a chef was this cool, exciting thing. Then you enter an actual commercial kitchen and realise how intense it can be.
It’s a very high-pressure environment. People are shouting, things are moving quickly, and mistakes have consequences. My first kitchen experience was so intense that I actually left after two months.
After sitting with myself and thinking about it, I realised that they weren’t trying to break me. They were pushing me to become better. I went back, asked for my job back, and stayed. That taught me resilience, teamwork, and how important it is to work with people.
Professionally, kitchens taught me structure. I learned mise en place, preparation, and organisation. Before that, my cooking was much simpler. Working in professional kitchens taught me that everything needs planning. If something takes hours to develop, you prepare it beforehand.
It also taught me people skills. A lot of the kitchens I worked in had open concepts where customers could watch you cook. You have to communicate, interact with guests, and manage pressure while still delivering.
4. Was there a specific mentor or kitchen that changed the way you think about food?
When I moved to Cape Town, one of my biggest mentors was Chef Braam Beyers.
I used to follow him on Instagram when I was still a culinary student. He would post these incredible food stories with Drake songs playing in the background. As someone who loves Drake, I thought it was really cool seeing someone combining those worlds.
One day he posted that he was looking for chefs to join his team. I was based in Johannesburg at the time, but I messaged him, booked a flight, and went for the interview. Working with him completely changed how I looked at food. I’ve always been attracted to beautiful plates, but he showed me that the flavour has to match the presentation.
His food had so much depth. He combined East Asian flavours with classic French techniques, and that really changed my perspective. A lot of what I learned from him still influences how I approach food today.
5. At this point in your journey, do you see yourself as someone who is creating experiences rather than just making meals?
I think that realisation really clicked during the last event.
The Round Table started from a different place. In 2023, I was doing my own kitchen takeovers called My Table at places like Artivist in Braamfontein. At the time, I was very focused on fine dining, doing five-course menus and wine pairings.
Later that year, I did a collaboration at Acid with Chef Jess. We created a more casual, East Asian-inspired brunch experience, and I loved the energy of it. It felt more relaxed, soulful, and connected. That helped me realise that I wanted to create spaces where people could enjoy great food without the feeling of being intimidated.
Then Nandi from Mamakashaka & Friends approached me to host one Round Table event. The concept was based around a traditional family-style Sunday lunch with people sitting together around round tables. The first one went really well, and afterwards she asked me to take over the residency for the winter season.
6. Why was it important for you to bring music and collaboration into the Round Table experience?
The first Round Table felt a little empty because it was just me cooking. I realised that if I was going to continue doing this, food alone wasn’t enough. Music is a huge part of my life. I listen to music when I cook, when I’m relaxing, everything.
So I started bringing in my friends from the music space. I brought back my friend Kaddy to DJ, and we’ve had live performances from different artists as well. It changed the energy completely. It became a full experience.
Collaboration is also a huge part of what I want to build. I use the platform to bring in chefs who might not have the space or resources to create their own events.
I give them the freedom to bring their ideas, and we build the menu together. I think there needs to be more collaboration between black chefs. You see it often in other spaces where people support each other and build together. I want to create that culture too.
7. What do you hope people leave with after attending a Round Table lunch?
I want people to realise that cooking is an art form, but it’s also accessible. Food doesn’t have to feel intimidating. You can take simple ingredients and create something meaningful.
The dishes we create have technique behind them, but they’re still approachable. I want people to go home and look at what they have in their own kitchens differently. I want them to feel inspired.
The other part is connection. The tables are designed so people interact. You might sit next to someone you’ve never met and end up having a conversation that leads somewhere unexpected. Food creates that opening.
8. Years from now, what do you hope people remember about you and the spaces you’ve created?
I want to be remembered for shifting the way people see chefs and culinary spaces. I want young chefs to know they don’t have to only exist inside traditional restaurants or hotel kitchens. I want to show that there are other ways to build.
I want to represent that possibility for people coming from places like Tembisa, Soweto, Alex, Sandton, anywhere.
The biggest thing is community. I want people to look back and say ‘Eric created spaces where chefs supported each other, collaborated, and helped each other grow’. I’m not trying to be the best chef in the world. I want to work with the best chefs and create opportunities where people can express themselves.
Experience the Round Table Lunches with Chef Eric Mphela
The Round Table takes place on the first Sunday of every month at Mamakashaka & Friends in Braamfontein.
Doors open at 1:00 PM, with the experience running until 4:00 PM. Guests can expect family-style dining, shared plates, music, and a space designed around connection and conversation.
Tickets vary depending on the menu, but they remain under R500. The upcoming experience is priced at R480.
Tickets are available through Quicket here: Round Table Tickets
