Meet Pinkie Nage of the beloved MyhomecafeBW
Nestled away in the rolling hills of Mogobane village – with the tranquil Mogobane Dam as its scenic backdrop – MyhomecafeBW is not your typical eatery.
It’s a mobile café and catering service, lovingly crafted and led by the ever-sunny Pinkie Nage, a 53-year-old woman whose warmth is only rivalled by her flavourful creations.
Whether she’s curating bespoke menus for private events or collaborating with local experiences like TatsoConnekt and the Village Development Committee (VDC), Nage brings flavour, heart, and soul to everything she touches.
Voice Woman sat down with the culinary creative to talk about her journey, her brand, and the magic of turning passion into purpose- one delicious dish at a time.
Nage’s story begins far from the kitchen, in the rigid world of banking and accounting.
“Right after national service, I started working. I had a child to support, so I enrolled in an accounting course at the University of Botswana, studying in the evenings while self-funding my education. That meant my salary was stretched thin, so I began cooking on the side to earn extra income,” shares the driven entrepreneur.
Her big break came when a client, blown away by her home-cooked meals, entrusted her with catering a training academy.
“I started my first catering gig the very next week! With no proper equipment or ingredients, I turned to my mother for a loan to get started. I was determined to deliver food on time and at the highest standard – and it was a hit with the clients,” she recalls, and adds, “That job opened doors. One of the facilitators at the training booked me again, and then another trainee did the same.”
This time, Nagefound herself catering for the Telecommunications Training Centre – for a much longer stretch.
She attributes that sustained success to more than just good food.
“Customer relations are everything, thus word of mouth became my default way of marketing. I’d work five years, then go back to catering. That’s when I realised the 9-to-5 life wasn’t for me. I needed the freedom and fulfillment that comes with entrepreneurship,” she reflects with a smile.
After years of balancing catering and corporate roles, including her last job as a corporate sales executive at Mascom Wireless in 2018,Nage eventually embraced catering full-time.
“I’d always miss the freedom and joy that comes from doing what I love. The beauty of that is I have a lot of repeat customers. Like, this Friday, I’ll be doing a menu sampling for a couple based overseas who I met many years ago when I did cater for one of their family members. The long paid for my services, now that we’re closer to the wedding date, they will be sampling their menu,” she discloses.
Indeed, Nage’s culinary skills and positive personality have earned her a loyal following.
Over the years, she has expanded beyond event catering to include private chef services and the production of homemade organic condiments.
“The pandemic dealt us a serious blow as many businesses haven’t fully recovered even now. But it was during that time that I started bottling some of the sauces that had become favourites with my clients, like our signature curry sauce. I truly believe MyhomecafeBW makes the best curry in the country, and my clients missed it,” she declares.
In response to growing demand, she began packaging other items as well: bean and bone soup, chilli sauces, pestos, and homemade pastes.
“It all started as a way to keep busy and lift my spirits during lockdown. But before restrictions were even lifted, we had already carved out a niche,” she says proudly, adding, today, her customer base extends as far as London, UK.
In 2022, Nage rented a rustic restaurant space by the Mogobane Dam to take advantage of the idyllic setting.
The location operated for a year before she transitioned the business to be fully mobile due to soaring rental costs.
“Mogobane Dam has a similar legacy to the University of Botswana – ‘Motho le Motho Kgomo’.
“It was built by our grandfathers to water their livestock. Later, the government helped expand and desilt it. It’s owned by the village and managed by the Village Development Committee (VDC),” she explains, and adds there’s a P20 fee to access the dam for picnics or activities.
With this opportunity, Nage has partnered with the VDC to draw more visitors to the natural attraction.
“I decided to bring the restaurant into the bush – that’s been one of my biggest collaborations. After a two-year hiatus, I’m preparing to reopen the restaurant with a renewed vision. We’re curating more experiences for hikers, campers, and all kinds of excursions. We’ll be rolling out tailored packages for different clients,” she adds, her optimism unmistakable, adding, “I’m hopeful about attracting the discerning client who will appreciate fine foodand outstandingservice.”
