FIVE MINUTES: Natasha of Nourish'd

Q+A WITH ‘BOOBALICIOUS’ NATASHA NAPOLI OF NOURISH’D, CAPE TOWN:

HOW TO LOVE FOOD, BE BAD-ASS AT PLANT BASED, EXPERIMENTAL AND FEARLESS

On one of my many visits to Nourish’d in Gardens, Cape Town, I met the owner, Natasha Napoli. We immediately became friends, bouncing off each other with pure energy and laughter.

She opened her first space in the garage underneath her father’s Italian restaurant, with a lot of people thinking she was crazy. Responses like ‘How will that be a success?’ and ‘South Africa loves it’s meat!’ only drove her further and harder to make it work. And work it does!

I took my parents there during their visit, and they LOVED the menu almost as much as I do. I wanted to feature Natasha’s clever, vibrant and fun approach to nourishment, as well as a little bit of her inspiring story.

Its all about COLOUR

The busiest kitchen I’ve seen in a long time – at the original Nourish’d in Gardens.

Who are you? Five words.

NATAAASHAAAA : Voluptuous, Naturalist, Eco Warrior, Eccentric, LOVE

What is your life’s passion?

Creating awareness around Health Mind Body Soul Planet.

Tell me about your project, where you work, or what you are accomplishing – in no more than TEN words.

I have a juice bar that I use as a platform to create awareness about living inlove/inlight with the Planet (oops i went over haha)

What is your favourite thing about food beyond nourishment?

It just tastes sooooo damn good. I cant get enough of it and how it makes me feel when I bite into a bright purple juicy plum and all the flavours go crazies in your mouth and you make a mess everywhere.

The ‘Moonshine Bowl’ – one of my favourites…

Have you ever had an experience or moment that led to a dish or towards a meal concept?

I didn’t have anything in my fridge the other night, other than dried figs, grapefruit and chillies. I was so hungry I cut up the cold grapefruit in slices and the figs. I then cut up the chilli and made a paste with some organic Karoo dessert salt and extra virgin live oil. I smeared the chilli paste onto the grapefruit and toped it with thin carpaccio slices of fig…oh my hat the chilli-bitter-sweet-salty taste sensation in my mouth was just unexplainable…

What is your favourite plant based protein to work with?

Hemp Seeds/powder all the way!! Its also a low water, low planet damaging crop to cultivate.

Like most people, I have very passionate meat eaters in my life: How do I share the delicious aspects of the plant-based diet with them (outside of the obvious health, social and environmental factors)?

I also struggle with this one. i have just accepted that we cant chamge everyone and they will have to want it themselves in order to convert. I have tried and tried with some of my friends but they are just not there yet to move over fully. I think instead of trying to get them to stop all together maybe I should just encourage them to cut down and be conscious of hw much they are eating and where it comes from.

Effortlessly cool interiors – Natasha’s signature.

What moves you?

Yoga literally. but also the mountains. i am so drawn to trail running. the Mountain calls me to move.

Share one random thing about yourself.

I have crossed the Atlantic ocean on a boat – three times.

Alongside its original cozily beautiful Gardens location, Nourish’d recently opened a second juice bar in Observatory, also in a disused garage.

My favourite items on the menu are ‘Boobalicious’, ‘Moonshine Salad’ and ‘Green Goddess’ – a visit and a sample of these two are a must on your list for Cape Town!