Top 3 Tips from a Successful Farm to Table Restaurant

As a vegan hospitality consultant trained by Vegan Hospitality, I am always on the lookout for restaurants that are doing things right. The Sunshine Food Sprouting Co is one of those. 

Elisha (owner) and Anthea (that's me!)

Elisha Madzivadondo, owner and founder of THE SUNSHINE FOOD SPROUTING CO, is larger than life and a force to be reckoned with. He has a commanding presence and speaks with such enthusiasm and conviction that he inspires and humbles the listener. He always has an infectious smile and a kind word while he’s preparing his amazing vegan whole food for customers. He’s one of those rare breeds, owner of a successful business that has little time for cell phones or social media. He’s a farmer at heart, a man of the soil, and that is what makes him tick.

When I spoke to Elisha, he was fully present, and when he talks about his business, it becomes clear that he is absolutely passionate about what he is doing; and what he is doing, is service to people. Elisha grew up in deep rural Zimbabwe, where he and his family lived off the land. He grew up growing and eating mainly plants. Elisha points out that it’s only the wealthier in the urban areas of Africa that eat meat, the majority of Black Africans eat plants. Spinach, Kale, Covo (African Kale) leaves, and homemade bread. When there was meat available, he preferred not to eat it. He also grew up eating sprouts which his grandmother used to grow. In Shona, Elisha’s mother tongue, they are called Mumera, and his face lights up when he talks about them. A traditional African beer, known as Opaque or Umqombothi, is made using sprouted millet. Elisha gave me a great explanation of how to make it, and I’m very tempted to try it. 

Sprouts have been a part of the African culture for many years, and it is on sprouts and microgreens that Elisha has based his business. He was a butler before starting his business and saw how wealthy people chose to eat unhealthy food and suffered the consequences. His passion for helping people really shines through when he talks about his food. When he decided to go it alone, he started by going back to his roots; growing sprouts and microgreens and vegetables on a small allotment. He started with nothing, and he could have made money from these nutrition powerhouses by selling them as garnishes to fancy restaurants, but instead, he chose to be the one using them as main ingredients in his own restaurant for people’s health. Not as lucrative, but he is a man of principle and is guided by service, not money. He was helped along the way by a kind doctor who gave him a small space, originally intended for medicine, to create his “farm-acy”.

Which brings me to tip number one. 

A farm to table restaurant, especially one such as The Sunshine Food Sprouting Co, takes a lot of passion. It is this that drives Elisha, along with his wife Abigail, to work as hard as they do. He will finish a long day at the restaurant and go straight from there to water the sprouts. If you’re doing it all, it takes dedication; sprouts wait for no one. For Elisha, the reward is feeding people healthy vegan food. Food that is uplifting and life-giving.

Tip number two.

Elisha’s famous “bun-less burger”

Although healthy food is not a requirement for vegans, food quality is paramount. Sprouts are one of the most nutritious foods, and Elisha has based his whole menu on them. It really is the main ingredient in all his dishes, including his patty which includes sprouts, butternut and sweet potato. One of his best sellers is the bun-less burger which is one of the prettiest dishes I’ve ever seen. A pyramid of goodness with a crown of sprouts. All the dishes come with a delightful fermented lemon sauce which aids digestion as well as making the flavours sing. 

Tip number three is service.

I’ve already mentioned this, but I believe Elisha’s success is a result of being driven by service. He always has the customer in mind and believes that people need to have the option of eating healthy food that nourishes the body. Despite it being as healthy as food gets, Elisha does not sacrifice taste. The servings are large and absolutely delicious, and each dish is served with a side of hot, comforting dahl. He also serves freshly made juices and smoothies. It does not get more wholesome than that. The food looks good, tastes good, is good.

He recently catered for a vegan wedding and it was very successful. He has stalls at many of the markets around Cape Town and surrounds, including Root 44 in Stellenbosch and The Village Market on Wednesdays, and has the tiniest restaurant in Seapoint, Cape Town, which is open every day from 8am to 8pm. This little place is a hidden gem, considering what one can get there. They also have another outlet at Maker’s Landing at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfont from Thursdays until Sundays. 

The SUNSHINE FOOD SPROUTING CO can be found online on Facebook as The Sunshine Food Co or IG as @sunshinefoodct

 Article written by Vegan Hospitality Consultant Anthea Jackson. Read Anthea’s full bio here.

Click here to connect with Anthea on instagram.

All photos provided by Anthea Jackson and Sunshine Food Sprouting Co, copyright Andrew Lovegrove Photography.