The business operates out of a ‘ghost kitchen’ near Manchester Piccadilly
The Manchester business has picked up a major food award (Image: Supplied)
The man behind a successful South African food pop-up based in Manchester has spoken of his delight after his business picked up a major award just a year after opening.
Huggy, who launched his street food business Saffa Soul in Manchester last May, has taken home one of the main accolades at the British Street Food Awards. The business, which operates out of a ‘dark kitchen’, also known as a ‘ghost kitchen’ near to Piccadilly railway station hosts events, pop-ups and kitchen takeovers.
Bringing the flavours of Johannesburg to Manchester, Saffa Soul founder Huggy has said taking home ‘The People’s Choice’ award at the Northern heat in Sunderland this past weekend was a ‘huge milestone’ for the business.
The British Street Food Awards (BSFA), part of the world’s largest street food competition, sees the UK’s best food traders compete for the British Street Food Awards’ ‘Northern Champion’ accolade.
Huggy (L) picked up the People’s Choice Award (Image: Supplied)
The finalists showcase two signature dishes, with judges then selecting who will go through to the UK final in London later in the year.
Judges in the past have included the likes of Michelin-starred chefs and acclaimed food writers such as Ed Cooke, Richard Corrigan, Gizzi Erskine and Giorgio Locatelli, and this year Hairy Biker Si King and restaurateur Siân Byerley judged the Northern heat.
Food enthusiasts also have the chance to vote for their favourite vendor in The People’s Choice award – and it was the latter that Saffa Soul took home.
Following the North of England judging stage, successful regional finalists will take their dishes to the UK final in London in September, as they compete for the prestigious British Street Food Awards Champion. The competition then continues at the European Street Food Awards grand final in Munich in October.
Huggy, who was born and raised in South Africa reinvented South Africa’s iconic Bunny Chow for the street food market heats in Sunderland by packing his grandmother’s recipe for chicken curry into a hollowed out, crusty loaf of bread.
His second dish was the Flaky Roti Wrap, which involves combining 24-hour-marinated thighs cooked over Sekelbos wood imported from South Africa, with one of their hand-stretched flaky roti.
Saffa Soul in Manchester (Image: Supplied)
The roti are layered with butter then rolled and fried to create multiple flaky layers, they then add the chicken, masala Slap chips, raita, pickled carrot salad and one of their homemade hot sauces.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News about his journey, Huggy said: “I started in London, became a chef, worked in Europe, but then came to Manchester and worked at the restaurant Sparrows.
“I’m very proud I started the business here, and I wanted my family’s food to have a platform.
“Judges at the heat said the sheer volume of votes and interest meant we got the People’s Choice award – there were so many people around the stall.”
On why he set up Saffa Soul, Huggy said that he wanted to bring people authentic street food with personality and feel rather than food that is simply handed out over the counter.
While they have previously sold food on delivery platforms, for now they’re focusing on events and pop-ups.
“We don’t sell food, we sell culture, so I try to teach my staff not just sell the food as fast as possible, but we have fun, we are jovial and a little crazy.
Huggy (L) from Saffa Soul alongside judge Si King (Image: Supplied)
“With street food, there’s always fire, music or dancing, it’s about celebrating family history, and we want to bring it back to that, and how people a new culture.
“I genuinely wasn’t expecting to get the award, but having a place where I could show off, making everything from scratch, made fresh – it was quite overwhelming. Getting the response for the hard work felt surreal.
“I saw people enjoying food from my grandma’s table, and that feels like not just a win for me, but for my family and all of South Africa – it’s putting us on the map.
“It’s like having a huge microphone to shout about who we are – we are selling something people don’t know about yet.”