[imagesource: Ina Paarman]

Chances are you’ll recognise that spice rack above.

Walk into a suburban South African kitchen and there’s a high likelihood you’ll see an array of Ina Paarman spices on a shelf or tucked away in a cupboard.

Any roast veggies I chuck into the oven (load shedding dependent) usually get a solid once-over with a spice or two and I’m not alone on that front.

You may also find a cookbook of hers, depending on the age of said kitchen owner.

As for the woman at the centre of the empire, it’s a story told far less often. Writing for The Daily Maverick, Bianca Coleman sat with Paarman and unpacked her rise to the top.

Paarman is punting her new cookbook, My Favourite Recipes, and shared how she came to find a place in so many homes:

A senior lecturer at the Cape Technikon for seven years, Paarman loved her job and loved her students, but didn’t love the head of the department, becoming so unhappy she developed stomach problems.

“My husband said to me, every day you come from work and you are miserable, and then my mother gave me R4,000 and said why don’t you start your own little business?

Image: Facebook / Ina Paarman

…“That money I used to kit out the garage as a classroom and it was the best thing I ever did.” Paarman’s health problems soon disappeared.

Her big break came when her adult cooking classes received a glowing review in The Cape Times:

Then the classes became really popular. The Jewish ladies from Sea Point came, and initially they didn’t want to tell too many people it was their little secret, said Paarman, but eventually the Afrikaans elite picked up on the grapevine…

Image: Facebook / Ina Paarman

Then came Die Burger, for which Paarman wrote a regular column for several years. When Jane Raphaely launched Femina, she asked Paarman to be the food editor.

Graham, her son (with Ina above), first suggested the idea that they launch a business outside of the classroom and the next step was a factory in Diep River with four employees.

From there, things went from strength to strength with her son, Kevin, also on board and Graham heading up operations.

The business now makes close to 200 products which are exported to more than 30 countries.

As a lifelong anti-condiment campaigner (wholegrain mustard aside) I feel it’s important to share Coleman’s closing paragraph:

And for the record, Paarman butters both sides of the bread when making braai broodjies (traditional with cheese, tomato and onion, no chutney), which is the way it should be.

The spice expert’s words, not mine.

Sweet, sweet vindication.

[source:dailymaverick]