When South Africa went into a countrywide lockdown due to the Coronavirus on 27th March 2020, renowned chef and cookbook author Jason Whitehead decided to use his time wisely, to raise funds for Streetscapes, the NGO he has been supporting and working with over the years.
He will be doing this by documenting his daily recipes in an e-book called “My Lockdown Cookbook”. “It is not your run-of-the-mill cookbooks,” says Jason. “As the cover depicts, it’s a diary of sorts, with stories and recipes from a chef in quarantine. Readers can expect 30 easy-to-make recipes – some more challenging than others varying from the very basic End Of The Month Salticrax to Beef Ragu, Basil & Mascarpone Raviolis – with pictures and in essence a fun escape from reality. 50% of all “My Lockdown Cookbook” sales will be donated to Streetscapes which will result in close to half a million rand if we reach the goal of selling 10 000 copies.
The team at Streetscapes does such amazing work for the homeless community in and around Cape Town. They offer street people caught up in the criminal justice system, and with chronic and progressive drug / alcohol addiction a second chance. By creating work opportunities that are rehabilitative and reintegrative, it provides this vulnerable population with a real opportunity to rebuild their lives which reduces crime and grime in the inner city. It’s a ‘hand-up’, not a handout. Work provides income, routine and structure and dignity allowing participants to be useful again.
“I have been supporting Streetscapes for years and as they have very little in terms of funding, I thought I could utilise this time in lockdown to raise some much-needed funding for them. I know this is a difficult time for all of us, but at least most of us have a roof over our heads and food in our fridges. The homeless community have neither”, comments Jason.
The e-book will be available to purchase online on Jason Whitehead’s website from 24 April 2020, with 50% of the proceeds going directly to Streetscapes. Jason wants the e-book to be accessible to as many people as possible far and wide. “The cost is just R99 a copy, with the goal of selling 10 000 copies – we want to donate close to half a million rand to Streetscapes and we can only do that with everyone’s help.Please do not share the book with your friends and family, but rather see your purchase as a donation to Streetscapes with a free cookbook as a Thank you from us. The e-book is a witty, very real and a honest story of a chef in quarantine, packed with over 30 recipes and pictures of each dish.” says Jason.
Extracts from Jason’s My Lockdown Cookbook
“DAY TWO: Decided to weigh myself this morning… big bloody mistake! Not too surprising though, as I find myself in the kitchen at least 8 times a day, with no actual reason for going there, and it’s only day two. I had a feeling this would happen to be honest, but not putting too much pressure on myself as I ease my way into this new way of life.
Mood: Hungry. All the time!
…COVID-19 stats: Infections reached 1170 today; deaths down to 1 (the second death was not due to the coronavirus); recoveries only at 31, but hopefully this will begin to climb.”
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“Do you ever have those days when as soon as you wake up, there’s a certain dish in your head that you are craving? You can almost taste it without anything passing your lips and you become fixated on having it. Today mine was French onion soup. I had to have it!
Mood: Having to try and distance myself from my beloveds today so that I don’t accidentally bite their heads off while passing down the corridor. Irritable as all hell today and for no apparent reason. It’s a real case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. So I decided to do two recipes today so I can escape to the kitchen and do what I was put on this earth to do, and try to shake this irritability. COVID-19 stats: 1380 infected, 5 deaths, 50 recovered. ”
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“Super excited about going to the shops today to buy essentials for the week. What to wear? Which cologne? What colour face mask? Oh, but the excitement was real. Anyway, all dressed up and smelling absolutely fabulous, off I went. My wonderful mood came to an abrupt end however, when I tried to buy some very fluffy and warm looking blankets (it’s freezing at the moment and winter is fast approaching) that were advertised on special, right in the middle of the supermarket. You see, our government has stated that only “essential” items are allowed to be bought during lockdown, which was decided by The Department of Trade and Industry. Apparently blankets are not on this list.”
For more info, and to buy the book for R99, please visit www.jasonwhitehead.co.za.
