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Women In The Alcohol Industry – Meet Scotch Whiskey Nikki

Women In The Alcohol Industry – Meet Scotch Whiskey Nikki

28-year-old Nikki Gomes is the South Central Africa Scotch Whiskey Ambassador for leading Wine and Spirits group Pernod Ricard, home to some of the world’s most famous brands, including the much celebrated, awarded and loved Chivas Regal, which we enjoyed as we sat down for our chat. 

“Double shot, neat, please,” was Nikki’s request as our server took our order. Mine, a single shot with Lemonade. The whiskey novice in me was hesitant as I ordered my drink before this whiskey aficionado. So, naturally, my next move was to check if it got her mark of approval. “What’s the best way to have whiskey?” I asked. “Personally? I’d say it is best enjoyed neat; that’s how I like it. We call it our Perfect Serve. But I appreciate that we all have different preferences; one can have it on the rocks or in a nice cocktail. It is so versatile, and it’s a drink for everyone!” Mark of approval? Check! 

Relatively new to the alcohol and beverages trade, Nikki joined Pernod Ricard in November of 2022 after a seven-year-long stint in the South African Telecommunications industry. Her admiration for whiskey, however, is nothing new. This is what she was always meant to do, “it’s God’s plan”, she says passionately, “I’m a daddy’s girl through and through. When I was younger, my dad and I always shared a glass of whiskey. He introduced me to it.”

Fast forward a few odd years later, she hosts experiences on behalf of the Chivas Brothers (CBL) portfolio of whiskeys, namely The Glenlivet, Chivas Regal and Ballantines in ten African countries, including Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Reminiscing about how it all came to be, she remembers the Portuguese Society sharing the job opening with her and encouraging her to apply as she would be “the perfect fit for the job.” The vacancy was for a Portuguese-speaking Scotch whiskey brand ambassador for the region. She applied and after going through the entire interview process, got a call that she landed the role and should be ready to jet off to Scotland in two weeks. 

Nikki is particularly passionate about redefining what whiskey has been known to be. “When you switch on the TV, who almost always has a glass of whiskey in hand? An old, white man.” She says this particular imagery in the media intimidates other groups of people from even trying the drink. She is determined to address these misconceptions through her brand advocacy and education work. These limiting stereotypes also give life to some of the challenges she faces in the day-to-day business of her work. When one hears there’s a whiskey tasting or masterclass taking place, the last person they’re expecting to show up to conduct the class is a 28-year-old woman. “People automatically assume it’s a man. The number of faces I’ve seen change when they see a woman coming through the door – it’s an instant shock. I encounter a lot of men who consider themselves whiskey connoisseurs. They assume they know better than I do because I’m a woman. To their detriment, they think they can hit me with questions out of this world that I couldn’t answer, and they’re always proven wrong. I want women to know that just because something is labelled as a man’s job doesn’t mean you can’t get into it and change people’s stigma around it.” 

Following our chat, Nikki conducted a Whiskey masterclass curated for women, starring the quintessential Chivas Regal. Somewhere between the whiskey sours and the Chivas piña coladas, the ladies unanimously decided that whiskey is definitely not just a man’s drink!

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

Restaurants Itinerary For Our Holiday Travels

Restaurants itinerary for our holiday travels

Siba The Restaurant - Cape Town

Siba The Restaurant offers an iconic 5-star dining experience in the heart of Cape Town. Serving unique recipes that encompass world flavours with an African flair, passionately prepared by inspirational chefs.

Hero - Nairobi

A new kind of eatery at the intersection of design, fantasy, indulgence and individuality. Built as a speakeasy with a discrete entrance and prohibition-style bar; the concept invites you to be members of a secret space. “Bridging fantasy and reality, the space and food celebrate heroes from comics and from our own community; the thought leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, authors, do-gooders, champions of humanity and protectors of the environment.”

Marc's Eatery - Maun

A thriving Eatery run by a dynamic team who proudly express their passion by creating delicious home-made temptations served in a stylish, sociable oasis that indulges all the senses.   

The Sorghum Agenda With Queen Finxa

The Sorghum Agenda with Queen Finxa

The Sorghum Agenda
While Vogue and much of the West call it the new quinoa, Queen Finxa and the 500 million people to whom sorghum is a dietary staple would beg to differ. Sorghum, a grain indigenous to Africa, has been around for centuries. If anything, the reverse should ring true, Quinoa is the new sorghum, or at least it wishes it was. While the two may have an almost similar nutrient and flavour profile, sorghum rises head and shoulders above, packing 3.4grams of fibre per ¼ cup, while quinoa contains none. It not only surpasses quinoa but many other grains for nutrient density.
Queen Finxa, a Consumer Scientist, chef and recipe developer, is well acquainted with sorghum and all it has to offer. The brilliance of the grain inspired the iconic Sorghum Agenda, a passion project that, at its core, is simply about getting more people to embrace the grain. According to Queen, sorghum is just the beginning, “It starts with sorghum, and then we slowly bring more awareness to the vast rainbow of indigenous grains found within our African soil. To have people embrace African Indigenous grains more and for our culinary contributions to matter. For our food to matter. For our voice to matter. And this, I hope, will end with institutions such as retail and academia embracing our food and giving it better access. Can you imagine how much our communities will benefit from not only seeing themselves reflected on the shelves but also seeing their food not simply regarded as an afterthought?”
Did you Know
Just ½ a cup of sorghum perfectly serves up 37% daily value (DV) of magnesium, 18% DV of iron, 25% DV of vitamin B6, and 30% DV of copper, in addition to the significant amounts of zinc, potassium, phosphorus and thiamine.

Despite being a staple in more than 30 countries worldwide, the general perception is that its consumption is reserved for lower-income households. Completely and irreverently neglecting the memories so well ingrained of fermented porridge, known in Setswana as mabele a ting cooking away on a stovetop somewhere as the pungent scent makes known what’s on the menu. This perception is what really kicked the Sorghum Agenda into gear; while pursuing their Consumer Science studies at the University of Pretoria, Queen was awarded the prize for the most innovative and creative product when they chose sorghum as the hero ingredient for their Recipe Development module. “I realised how little exposure the food I considered a staple had. And when it did? It was looked down upon as poverty food or discarded as animal feed”.

Traditionally, sorghum is widely enjoyed finely ground as sorghum meal and served in African homes as stiff and soft porridge. But Queen Finxa, through the Sorghum Agenda and brands such as Local Village Foods, have shown that with this holy grail grain, the possibilities are truly endless! Sorghum grain salads? Check! Buddha bowls featuring sorghum? Check! Sorghum flour pancakes? Check! Sorghum… cookies? Check! And that’s not all. Some of Queen’s creations include sorghum bread, biscuits, muffins and brownies. 

Regarding access, spotting sorghum flour and the whole grain is not as easy as walking into your local corner grocery store. Still, Queen credits brands such as Local Village Foods for being instrumental in making these products available. “The brand, like myself, is devoted to creating agricultural connections across the continent to supply sustainably grown indigenous African ingredients that go beyond just sorghum.” 

The existence of platforms like the Sorghum Agenda and businesses like Local Village Foods is essential to preventing the erasure of the food that is at the essence of our core as Africans. Seeing authentic African cuisine not relegated to poverty food or perceived in economic terms as an inferior good. And certainly not waiting for the Vogue’s of the world to give us permission to celebrate it. So, while quinoa is great, on your next shopping trip reach for sorghum instead. It’s delicious, it’s nutritious, and it’s authentically African.

Founder of the Sorghum Agenda, Queen Finxa is a 27-year-old chef, consumer scientist and recipe developer based in Cape Town, South Africa. A recipient of the Secret Ingredient Award at the 2022 Food XX Women in Food Awards for her incredible work through the Sorghum Agenda.

Bar Essentials

Bar Essentials

Regardless of how big or small your space may be, you can set up a beautiful functional bar, in your home. Bar carts are full of character, not only are they nice to look at and display with their luxe modern brass and mirror finishes, they are perfect for all the essentials you need to host family and friends and whoop up some delicious cocktails! And if you don’t have a bar cart, the good old-fashioned way of packing away your essentials in a cupboard and bringing them out when needed works just as well. When it comes to your home bar, there are no set rules! You can tailor everything to suit your needs. Here’s our top 10 list of a few basic elements you can customize to your taste for the PERFECT BAR!

  • 1. Liquor

There are five types of liquor that you should absolutely always have on your bar cart, a tequila, vodka, rum, gin and whiskey. Olmeca silver or gold tequila, Absolut Vodka, Beefeater London Dry Gin, Jameson triple distilled Irish Whiskey and Havana Club rum are great options. You never know what your guests may be in the mood for, a margarita, a mojito or maybe Tom Collins? With this selection of spirits, you should be able to pull off a wide variety of cocktails on demand.

  • 2. Mixers

These are standard for any bar. Almost every cocktail is a combo of liquor with one mixer or another. From your ginger ale, to the wide variety of tonics that are now available on the market. Mixers also help dilute the alcohol content in a cocktail, which means you can adjust drinks to match different palates and also cater for guests that do not consume alcohol.

  • 3. Bitters

If like many people you enjoy an ice-cold Malawian Shandy every now and then, you’ve tasted the bitters in it which is really what makes this cocktail special. Bitters are flavourful extracts that have added a whole other dimension to the basic cocktail. They introduce herbs, spices and other delicious notes to a drink. Aperitifs to also be considered for your home bar are Vermouth and Negroni.

  • 4. A small hand juicer

Many cocktail recipes will call for the juice of some fruit or another, lemon or lime etc. And as tempted as you may be to reach for the store-bought processed box of juice, don’t! Just get the lemons and a small hand juicer to extract fresh juice for your cocktails. It tastes so much better!

  • 5. A shaker

Do you really have a home bar and are you really making cocktails without one of these? Multiple varieties currently exist that are so convenient and easy to use. Reach for one with a strainer, it keeps the chunks of ice and fruit from slipping out when pouring into the serving glass.

  • 6. A bar jigger

This is the hour glass-esque creation takes the guess work out of your cocktails. It helps you with measuring how much, of what, is going into the drink. The really nice ones come pre-marked with measurements for the perfect cocktail serve, reach for those.

  • 7. A muddler

This is an essential tool, mostly wooden, to help you crush your berries, lime and mint on the go. It is small and compact, making for easy storage.

  • 8. Ice bucket and tongs

This is a no brainer. A bar without ice is unacceptable. You want your drinks to be cool at all times. Place your ice bucket and tongs in area that is easily accessible so that guests can refill at their convenience.

  • 9. Garnishes

Not only do these make your drink really good to look at, they can also add flavour as well. For fresh garnish, storing longer than recommended would not ] be a good idea. Luckily, a bunch of dehydrated citrus and pineapple options as well as dried herbs make for easy long-term storage.

  • 10. Cocktail Book

Every amateur mixologist needs one! Beyond cocktail recipes, it comes loaded with many tips and tricks on how to elevate your drinks for the perfect at home enjoyment.

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

The IT Girl of the Cocktail Menu

The IT girl of the cocktail menu

Ever heard people speak of the magical healing powers of a nice yummy cocktail? Well, as far the iconic Gn’T is concerned, that’s exactly what you get, literally and figuratively, or at least for the former that was the case back in the 1700’s. As it turns out, its rise to fame was founded on the belief that quinine (the key ingredient in tonic) could heal malaria. Legend has it that soldiers in those days would treat malaria with quinine and to make the bitter compound more palatable, they would mix it with sugar and water, creating what we know today as tonic water. These unknowing taste makers would mix the supposed medicine with their daily ration of gin. It is unclear as to why they did this, but it probably had something to do with gin making everything better (this is tried and tested).

Whatever the case may be, through time this legendary concoction has found its way onto cocktail menus the world over and continues to dominate centuries on. The writing is on the wall – in big block letters, it reads  ‘SCANDALOUSLY DELICIOUS’ and together with the world’s most awarded gin – Beefeater, we’ve got you covered with tips on how to get the most out of your gin, for the best Gn’T or should we say Bn’T, you know – Beefeater and tonic?
  • Break SOME of the rules

The classic Gn’T has evolved over the years, for better! So many variations currently exist that don’t fit the traditional ‘double shot gin and just pour in the tonic water’ mold, no sir! Mixologists are experimenting with the blue print and one way they’ve taken it up a notch is by serving it frozen! We’ve already established that the classic taste ticks all the boxes, but changing its texture could result in a more nuanced drinking experience. Freezing your gin makes it thicker and more viscous, and as the gin begins to warm up it opens up the flavour profile. So beyond having a literally frozen ice gin and tonic cocktail, keeping your Beefeater gin in the freezer also goes a long way.

  • Details matter

The classic Gn’T has evolved over the years, for better! So many variations currently exist that don’t fit the traditional ‘double shot gin and just pour in the tonic water’ mold, no sir! Mixologists are experimenting with the blue print and one way they’ve taken it up a notch is by serving it frozen! We’ve already established that the classic taste ticks all the boxes, but changing its texture could result in a more nuanced drinking experience. Freezing your gin makes it thicker and more viscous, and as the gin begins to warm up it opens up the flavour profile. So beyond having a literally frozen ice gin and tonic cocktail, keeping your Beefeater gin in the freezer also goes a long way.

The curve of the glass, which at the top does curve back in, helps trap the aromas of the gin within the glass, yet still allows it to breath. This helps open up the flavors of the gin. Allowing the gin to breathe is important, especially if you’re using a distinctly floral and nose heavy gin.
Additionally, the bowl shape of the glass does allow for additional ice, plus your hand is not warming the liquid but instead is holding the stem, so the ice doesn’t melt as quickly.

The best way to enjoy Beefeater Gin would be in a classic Bn’T serve

Oscar Bhengu

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Brand Ambassador Gin Squad at Pernod Ricard

Do This

For the London dry, the serve would be 50ml Beefeater London dry topped with Indian tonic, garnished with an orange slice and a lemon slice. Keep the garnish nice and simple because the garnishes are there to bring out more of the flavours in the gin.

They complement all 9 botanicals that are used to make every drop of Beefeater. Our London dry is a traditional dry gin with its unique process of steeping our botanicals for 24 hours, to give it a perfect full body and long finish ensuring that the gin is the star of the show with every sip.

The Beefeater Pink Strawberry is a delicious, easy to drink and fun looking strawberry gin made in London and based on the classic award-winning Beefeater Dry recipe. The soft fruit flavours of strawberry tune perfectly with classic notes of juniper and citrus to produce a finely balanced contemporary gin. It’s the real, young and urban pink Gin for the new generation of Gin drinkers, who drink with their eyes. The Beefeater Pink should be enjoyed in a Gin and tonic with the following ratios: 50ml Beefeater Pink, Ice, Indian tonic and garnished with sliced strawberry with the additional option of adding a lemon slice to bring out citrus flavours  whilst still complimenting the natural strawberry flavoring.

How to make a pink gin & tonic

Difficulty:  2/10

Ingredients:

  • 50ml Beefeater Pink 150ml tonic water
  • Fresh halved strawberries

Step 1

• Add all ingredients into a mixing glass and add ice

Step 2

• Stir until chilled

Step 3

• Strain into glass and add ice

Step 4

• Garnish GARNISH Strawberry Slices & Mint Sprig

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

The Courtyard Restaurant

The Courtyard Restaurant

You know it’s a great craft shop when the “ooooh! look at this” and the “ahhh! look at that” don’t stop coming. It is for this reason that craft shop excursions are best done in two’s (or more) because who are you going to show the interesting Ostrich egg shell to if you are by yourself? Add to that a coffee shop or restaurant through the hall and you’re already gunning for the brunch and lunch destination of the year. Botswana Craft together with our restaurant pick for this edition – the Courtyard Restaurant beautifully delivers this. With a traditional touch of Tswana Charm throughout out its offerings, it’s an experience 52 years in the making. This was a particularly interesting pick for me, because a younger version of myself would look in disbelief at how much I enjoy traditional Setswana food today. We need to study this, there is a science that if explored could back this up. How, in especially African households, the younger you are, the more you can’t stand the food from your culture, and the way that changes as the years go by. Now, let me make something clear, I am older and wiser now and I think there is no food that speaks to the soul quite like traditional Setswana cuisine, but – if there is ever a time that I’m said to have been involved in the gourmandizing of a morula fruit or any morula flavoured product, know that it was under duress. According to Khaya Groth, the restaurant and events manager at Botswana Craft who I sat down with for a chat, their morula juice is amazing, which I’m sure is great if the rather strange sweet, tart, fermented combo taste of morula fruit is your thing. As for me, mother nature and the food gods are alive and mighty because the juice was out of season and had it not been for that, I may have had to try it for the purposes of this article.

Naturally, we spoke about the rich history of the establishment, which precedes both of us as it first opened its doors in the year 1970. Back then of course, all it was, was a craft shop with beautiful artefacts all proudly sourced from independent creators in the local community and from across the Southern African region. Today, the craft shop in its two-story glory, is covered on every inch from top to bottom with beautiful African trinkets, woven baskets & bags, traditional teas and herbs. The wonder that overcomes you as you enter is almost as consuming as what it feels like to walk through a museum or art gallery, because in it’s true essence, it is both of those things – but unlike a museum you can take the stuff home, and unlike an art gallery, there is no need to call in your banker to facilitate the transaction.
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It’s no surprise that many travelers from all around the world do not complete a visit to Gaborone without first stopping by Botswana Craft. With its idyllic city central location, situated just along the A1 which is one of the main highways in the country, it’s easily accessible whether you’re stopping by for a last-minute souvenir on your way to the airport or an immersive traditional culinary experience at the alluring Courtyard restaurant which the craft shop opens up to. It is apparent how the name came about; the restaurant is literally in the courtyard. Shaded beautifully by a boscage of trees, it is picturesque with rustic décor that ties in perfectly with the craft shop. If you slobber over the fusion of family, passion and food like most people do, you'll be happy to know that this entire establishment is family owned and run. Khaya and I speak briefly about how there aren't many of those in the city – restaurants that aren't imported franchises. He says that through Botswana Craft, the family wants to share Botswana's culture with the rest of the world, referencing their slogan 'sharing culture’.


The best part about The Courtyard Restaurant is its food! With a café style menu of simple breakfast offerings that deliver on those delicious classic flavors that we all know and love so much and an indulgent traditional Setswana lunch with a few western variations for choice. I was tempted to try the Lamb Curry because it sounded exquisite based off the description on the menu; “lamb cubes in a creamy spinach curry sauce” - not the traditional Setswana cuisine that I've been going on about but it really was screaming EAT ME. Meanwhile through the corner of my eye, I could not help but notice 'plate after plate’ those miniature 3-legged pots move from the kitchen through the pass to very eager diners. I came to learn from the head chef Portia Garegope or Sis Portia as she's affectionately known that most of the pots had oxtail in them, a top favourite amongst customers, served up in 3 different ways; fried, stewed in gravy or simply boiled the traditional Setswana way. And in the end that is what swayed my lunch decision, the boiled oxtail delivered on all fronts.

On the menu 'Mma D's morogo’ also stands out – named after Mma Dambe, Khaya's grandmother. A special piece of home that the family so graciously shares with its patrons. Sis Portia, who has been with the restaurant since its inception in the year 2009, is a self-taught cook. Prior to her tenure at The Courtyard, she worked at various contemporary establishments in the city’s restaurant scene. She fondly shares memories of renowned South African Jazz fusion musician Ray Phiri’s visits to The Courtyard and how he would always order Koko Ya Setswana from the menu. On Steve Harvey's visit he had the T-bone steak with chips. She can't quite remember what Steve Kekana would order on his visits but strongly emphasizes that on most of these occasions there were no special events taking place and that the people were simply there for the food. Botswana Craft delivers on the entertainment as well. With a particular focus on live music and performance, they have branded Live Sessions where talented musicians from across the globe headline shows periodically. Every event is a sold-out show, which on its own tells us everything we need to know about how good the live sessions are.  Their stage, has in the past been graced by legendary acts - Sereetsi & the natives, Oliver Mtukudzi, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Socca Moruakgomo, Salif Keita and many more. Unfortunately, due to Covid 19 the venue has not hosted Live Sessions since the start of the pandemic.

Tayla Naika

Tayla Naika

Food has been the cornerstone of Tayla’s home and family life. With her gran being South Indian, she describes how watching her in the kitchen was like watching a scientist in their laboratory. The assortment of flavors and her ability to make something delicious out of almost nothing was what got her hooked. In 2019, she was finishing off a 6-month contract working for a global tech company. At work, she would often tell her colleagues what she had cooked the night before or tell them about meals she had made over the weekend. It was then that her colleague and very good friend, Mpumi suggested she start a food page on Instagram, where she could visually share her meals. VERY HESTITANTLY, she did. Another colleague Collin, gave her the name TaylaMadeFood, not knowing that her passion was being branded at that very moment.

“I finished off at the company in mid-July of 2019 and knowing how ‘rough’ job-hunting was going to be, I made TaylaMadeFood my little boredom buster, while I looked for a full-time job. I did a ton of research on food styling and food photography and used my last salary to purchase an assortment of equipment to help me start this project. What initially was just supposed to be a side project to keep me sane, has now become my business, passion, and entire life. In terms of scaling my food business, I want to go into full-time food styling and eventually professional food photography. I want to start hosting my own dinner parties, aimed at bringing black creatives together around a dinner table. I’d also like to publish a recipe book and hopefully do more brand partnerships.”