who we are – COOKtastic

Meet the team

Mbuyi Jongqo

Director, Programme Manager, Co-Founder

Mbuyi is a dedicated single mother who is passionate about community and youth development. Cooktastic is her brainchild, founded to bring about positive transformation. Inspired by her own experiences of adversity and her vision for a better future, Mbuyi is committed to using social entrepreneurship as a means of addressing pressing social issues in South Africa. She aims to empower marginalized communities, drive economic growth, and promote sustainable development through impactful initiatives. Mbuyi believes that social entrepreneurs can play a key role in tackling challenges such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment, leading to a more equitable and prosperous society. Through Cooktastic, she seeks to pioneer change and create sustainable pathways for social progress.

Chef Caley Gray

Head of Culinary Training

Grew up in Zimbabwe and studied at Silwood School of Cookery. Her Culinary track has journeyed through a few of Cape Town’s finest restaurants. At Cooktastic she is Head of Culinary Training.

“I have fierce flame burning inside me to help the next generation of chefs become the best version of themselves, through the simple art of perfecting the basic culinary skills, following a recipe and letting them discover the magical world of cooking, while exploring every corner of their palate and bringing to life taste buds they have never unlocked”.

Arifa Parkar

Chairperson, Director

Arifa is full of diversity, both as citizen and as business women. Born in Zanzibar, lived for some years at the Seychelles, later completing her formal education in Mumbai, India achieving both a BA in Economics and Politics, as well as an LLB.

Arifa has had a highly varied career and is literally a “network city” who can effortlessly match business people together. She is CEO of Wecbof and owner of Aasha Investment Solutions. She brings along her years of experience to Cooktastic, mentoring, networking and business strategies will be her main focus.

Brigitte Sachs-Schaffer

Board Member, Director, Co-Founder

Brigitte is a Vienna/Austria based Business Consultant and forest manager, with a Master in Economics and Psychology. She shaped Cooktastic from hour zero. Together with Mbuyi, she developed the basic vision & concept and got the first supporters on bord. She brings in purpose, strategic development, international connections & funding. Brigitte has been acting as Pro Bono Director for both the Cooktastic NPC and PTY, remotely from Europe and for several weeks per year in Cape Town.

Togara Mabharani

Head of Bakery

Togara Mabharani was born and grew up in Zimbabwe. He has been passionate about baking since he was young. Togara completed his Hotel and Catering Management course at Harare Polytechinic in Harare.

“Throughout my career , I had the privilege of working in renowned establishment and great chefs such as, The Meikles Hotel, Mount Nelson and The Silo, where I developed a keen ability to create exceptional baked goods, managing bakery and pastry kitchen operations and train talented bakers and pastry chefs. My journey as an Artisian Baker has been a perpetual learning process, filled with challenges and thrills at the same time. Cooktastic is the perfect place, to bring in my passion and dedication, creating a legacy for the next generation and share my passion and expertise with others, bringing them joy, and changing their lives through simple pleasure of delicious baked goods.”

Amyna Salomo

Junior Baker, Cooktastic graduate

Tanaka Chigunwe

Junior Chef at Bistro and Catering

Shama Pindura

Junior Chef at Bistro and Catering

Lionel Tinotenda Chaniwa

Front of House, Bartender at Bistro

OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS

Rolf-Stephan Nussbaum Foundation

Individual donors from Europe

Affiliates

If you or your company would like to get involved, click on the following button to go to our contact page

The COOKtastic HUB has been founded in March 2019 as NPO, registered in June 2019 as Non Profit Company with the No 2019/287104/08. This is the South African legal entity for an organisation whose purpose is to earn own income to invest it responsibly and sustainably in social and societal development. Being accredited a Public Benefit Organisation, we may apply also for public and private funding, however, not being dependent on it. The public accreditation of our entry-level culinary training with CATHSSETA is in progress

(Status – March 2025)