A tale of two chefs...

Meet Feline Fields culinary geniuses Moss and Gao

When you're sitting at Feline Fields Vintage Camp on the edge of the Mbudi Channel with a feast spread before you or tucking into a bush dinner beneath the stars in the middle of the Kalahari, it's easy to wonder how such incredible food gets made in such wild and remote locations. We spoke to two of the wonderful ladies responsible for creating culinary magic for Feline Fields to find out how they do what they do...

Make no bones about it, Mosetsana "Moss" Musika is a bush masterchef. The bubbly 36-year-old reigns supreme in her small, tented kitchen at Feline Fields Vintage Camp in the heart of the Khwai community reserve. Surrounded by the African wilderness and with the added challenge of having wildlife in and around camp, this is where she feels she belongs.

Born and raised in Maun, when she finished school, she went looking for work and quickly decided that a career in tourism would give her the opportunities for personal growth she was looking for. She began at the bottom as a scullery assistant in a lodge kitchen and soon rose through the ranks, becoming a staff chef, preparing meals for the lodge staff and then began training as a chef, working for five years honing her craft before moving to Feline Fields in 2018. She started out at Feline Fields Lodge and has been at Feline Fields Vintage Camp for the last 18 months.

"I prefer Khwai to the Kalahari," she laughs. "It's much more challenging working in a small bush kitchen surrounded by wildlife and I love it," she says.

"I love expressing myself through food and take my inspiration from wherever I can find it, from TV chefs to local Botswana chefs. 

It's just me here at Vintage Camp - and I get to do everything. I love baking and am a keen fan of the Great British Bake Off. My favourite thing to bake is cakes and I'd love to learn more about cake making and baking in particular in the future," she explains.

"I am enjoying my career so much and am taking each day as it comes, and I love working here as part of a small team, meeting people from all over the world." 

Moss has a 10-year-old daughter who stays with her sister in Maun. "It's sometimes hard working in the bush and not seeing her every day, but I am used to it now and so is she. When I am at home we spend a lot of quality time together. And we cook!"

Moss is happy she chose to pursue a career in tourism. "There is so much opportunity for young people in the tourism industry, so it's really important to Botswana. I am really fortunate to be working with Feline Fields because being here is like being part of a huge family and we all take care of one another."

For Gao Dipateletso, chef at Feline Fields Lodge, the journey to Feline Fields began in her home village of Shorobe village, not far from Maun. She fell in love with food and cooking as a small child and always knew she wanted to work as a chef. 

"When I left school, I commenced chef training immediately and got a job as a trainee with &Beyond for six months. After this they offered me a permanent job at a camp in the Delta and I loved it. It was very different working in a bush kitchen, but I learned a lot. I moved to Feline Fields two years ago now and am loving being here in the Kalahari, even though it does have its challenges being in such a remote location," she explains.

Like her Feline Fields Vintage Camp counterpart Moss, Gao loves baking. She gets her inspiration through watching YouTube and cooking shows. "Cake baking is my favourite - especially a peppermint chocolate cake which is the best," she laughs. "We also make our own bread and rolls here, which I enjoy," she adds.

All of the fresh produce used in the kitchens at both Vintage Camp and the Lodge comes from Maun. Both Moss and Gao have to stay on top of ordering to ensure they get only the best vegetables and salad items, as well as meat and fish. 

"I would like to become an executive chef further down the line," says Gao. "I work along with our Head Chef Pauline to keep our menus fresh and exciting, and she encourages me to contribute with ideas for new dishes," says Gao.

The mother of three daughters is a provider for her family. "My mum looks after my kids for me when I am working, but we chat on the phone every day and we're all used to me being away for long periods," she explains. 

For working mothers like Moss and Gao, enjoying what they do every day is a blessing. "I always look forward to what each new day brings," says Moss. "I love my job and it's a pleasure and a privilege to do what I love," adds Gao. That love transfers directly to the incredible food these two amazing chefs create. So, when you come to visit Feline Fields, you'll not go hungry!