“Three to four quality ingredients are all you need for a perfectly flavourful meal.”
That’s what Byron De Carvalho’s father, Ricardo “Shesha” De Carvalho, taught him. His father has passed away but he lives on in the food philosophy of his son’s catering company, Shesha Film Food.
De Carvalho’s parents both worked in the film industry and ran a deli in Johannesburg.He grew up working in the deli, before moving to Cape Town, where his first job was cleaning a kitchen.
He attended the South African Chefs Academy under Garth Stroebell and, at the age of 19, started Shesha Film Food. In the decade since his first job on the set of SABC soapie Isidingo, De Carvalho has grown Shesha out of his home to operate four kitchens in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
He has fed the cast and crew of shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Fear Factor, and even an international film, Chappie. On any given day, his 400 employees are feeding about 3 000 people in each city. He cooks fresh, uncomplicated food influenced heavily by his Mozambican and Portuguese heritage.
From a food truck to baristas brewing fresh coffee on set, Shesha has the recipe for success, it seems.
