A large crowd arrived to Exclusive Books in the Rosebank Mall last night,for the launch of the mouthwatering cookbook, 'The Cake The Buddha Ate'. All gathered in support of the latest addition to the Quiet Food venture. It was a lovely event, wine was served and flavourful food tastings were presented for us to try from the cookbook....delicious vegetarian snacks!

The Buddhist Retreat Centre (BRC) in Ixopo, KZN, has been renowned for its excellent, innovative vegetarian cuisine for thirty years. It published its first collection of recipes in 2005 under the title Quiet Food-a Recipe for Sanity-now in its sixth reprint. This book, The Cake The Buddha Ate: More Quiet Food,  takes this culinary success story to another level. These are flavoursome and nutritious dishes created by an exceptionally talented chef, Daniel Jardim, himself a vegetarian, while he cooked at the Centre.  

But there is more to the BRC than outstanding food. This book also gives one a glimpse of its magnificent setting and the range of captivating workshops and retreats conducted there.

Photographer:James Fox

Myself, Shaamila Cassim and Melpo

Daniel Jardim grew up in a Portuguese family, born to the owners of the Jardim School of Cookery. At age 13 he made the decision to become a vegetarian, and has subsequently spent some of his years in London, feeding his love for Indian and Asian food, with his biggest passion being for Sushi. His training as a chef includes working at Japanese restaurants and at the Buddhist Retreat Centre.

Photographer Angela Shaw started her career in Hong Kong following which she spent two years documenting the rich Buddhist traditions of Burma. Now living in South Africa, Angela works for an international trend and research company, and has had many of her photographs featured in the country’s major newspapers and magazines.

Louis van Loon, the man who initiated the Buddhist Retreat Centre (BRC), thanked lead author Daniel Jardim who lived and cooked at the BRC for many years, for all his endeavours, particularly in training the local Zulu women to cook food “compatible with any vegetarian restaurant in SA”.