Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium came to a standstill on Saturday as A-listers and fans of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini came together to celebrate his reign as the new king of the amaZulu nation.
Look: VVIP suits is jam-packed at Moses Mabhida stadium for the #ZuluKingCoronatiion former head of states, kings and queens graced the historic ceremony.
— IOL Lifestyle (@IOL_Lifestyle) October 29, 2022
Video Siboniso Mngadi/Sunday Tribune@IOL #coronation #kingmisuzulu #KingMisuzuluCoronation pic.twitter.com/jY9DYz3Ntu
At the ceremony, President Cyril Ramaphosa handed the king his certificate of recognition.
When it came to the food served in the VVIP section, there were many options.
Moses Mabhida executive chef Thobile Khoza said the catering for the king's coronation was intended to feed 4 000 VVIPs.
Khoza said the menu was a mix of traditional and Western cuisine, as the ceremony was attended by people from different cultures.
"On the menu we had hard-body chicken, which is a favourite among many Africans. We also had lamb casserole, rice, roast chicken, chakalaka, and seasonal vegetables, which accompanied all meals.
“Everything went well – people loved the food. Umleqwa (hard-body chicken) and ujeqe (steamed bread) were the popular dishes of the day,” she said.
Khoza said that, when it came to special dietary requirements, there were no specific requests, but they had catered for those people in any event.
And how did they prepare food for such a large crowd? She said they were an operation that did “cook and chill”, meaning they prepared the food in advance, especially when they were catering for big numbers, and on the day of the service they reheated it.
"The pressure was very high at the venue, but there is always a plan. I allocate quantities to each and every club or suite based on the number of people there. Even when the food is taken to the venues, there is a breakdown of each food item, so that there is no confusion.
“The pressure on a service day is much lower than on a production day. Event day is only a matter of us reheating (the food) and serving the guests," added Khoza.