Since we’re in the month of love, we thought it fitting to catch up with a foodie couple who fills social media with mouth-watering meals. Tess and Matt, the dynamic duo behind Mush Kitchen, are redefining the way we think about simple cravings. Their feed is a feast for the eyes, filled with colourful dishes and inventive combinations that showcase their love for seasonal ingredients and bold flavours. Dive into the world of Mush Kitchen and discover the secrets to their delectable creations.
Hello Matt and Tess! Please tell us about yourself.
We met in Vietnam while working as English teachers. While living there, we moved in together, fell in love and really connected over cooking and the incredible flavours of Vietnam.
Matt then decided to come back to South Africa with me and study cooking. Tess studied graphic design and worked in social media. When we decided we wanted to work together, we started our own business where we could combine our strengths, which was how Mush Kitchen was born.
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Please share the story of how your foodie journey began.
Matt We both come from families that live to eat rather than eat to live. It was a massive part of both of our upbringings. For me, it was always watching my mom baking cakes at our home in Manchester and then connecting with Tess over the food in Vietnam, which really made me want to go into food as a career.
Tess I’ve always loved food too and secretly always wanted to be a chef. I was working as a graphic designer and wasn’t loving what I was doing when Matt suggested we start making food videos. It started as a hobby at first and then turned into a career. We’re still so grateful.
What are some of your favourite South African ingredients to work with?
Matt One thing about South Africa is its amazing climate for growing fruits and vegetables. I wouldn’t say that we necessarily have a favourite, we just prioritise eating seasonally as our produce is so fresh, of the highest quality and you truly can’t get better.
Looking at your page, it seems that you love using simple ingredients and turning them into something delicious. Where do you draw inspiration from for your recipes?
Matt The food we make for Mush is very much cravings-based. It’s honestly as simple as making things that we would love to eat. There are also some incredible cooks in the food scene at the moment who inspire us to take things to the next level.
Can you tell us a bit about the name ‘Mush Kitchen’ ?
Matt Mush is actually my personal nickname for Tess and has been for years.
What do you believe sets your cooking apart from others, and how would you describe your food philosophy?
Tess I think that one of the things that set us apart with what we do, is that Matt is a chef and I have a background in video and social media. It felt like almost an obligation to go into the social media side of food. Our philosophy around food is that we take simple, well-loved food and try to make it even more mouth-watering.
Can you share a particularly challenging moment that led to personal or culinary growth?
Matt I would say that we haven’t had a kitchen challenge as such. However, when we began this journey, we threw everything at it – our free time, our savings and eventually quitting our jobs without the promise of work. We took a big risk putting everything into Mush Kitchen. We had to be delusionally confident in our ability and thankfully it has paid off.
What advice would you give to those who want to take on a career in food?
Matt That taking on a career in the food industry does not mean you have to be a chef in a restaurant kitchen. In
a restaurant, you do learn so much, so quickly, and I would always recommend someone working in food to have a stint in a restaurant but there are also so many avenues you can eventually go down that are also really exciting.
What can we expect from Mush Kitchen in the next 3–5 years?
In the next 3–5 years we can’t wait to watch Mush Kitchen grow and watch our community continue to grow and get stronger. Additionally, we are really excited to see what’s to come within the online food scene in South Africa – it’s constantly evolving and there are some really cool people doing some really cool things. We are doing our dream job, so just keep doing what we are doing.
ALSO SEE: Get to know Fehmz
Originally published in Food&Home Spring 2024.
Feature image: Mush Kitchen/Instagram
