We had the good fortune of connecting with Jasmyn Krynauw and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jasmyn, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up on our heritage family farm in a small South African town called Hartbeespoort. It has been in our family for roughly 200 years and passed down through generations. In Afrikaans history, my great great grandfather, Andries Pretorius was a prominent figure whose son became the first President of South Africa. He traded a gun, a horse and a heifer for this beautiful piece of land bordering the Magaliesberg Mountain Range and, 6 generations on, we still call it home. I was raised by 2 wonderful, entrepreneurial parents in a God-loving household and Homeschooled along with my 4 sibling. Most of our childhood days were spent on the farm, exploring, horseriding and finding joy in simple things.

I thought I was trading farm life for city life when I went off to varsity to study Communication Design but that strong sense of a simple life, finding riches in the little things and having only the sky as the limit kept following me around the city for the better part of 10 years where I always felt like a misfit. I worked in Advertising for several years in my 20’s, which was a really pivotal time in my life and career. This is where I picked up some of my most valued skills as an entrepreneur and, although I loved every minute of it, I always felt a strong pull back to my roots. At age 28, I had an epiphany as I overlooked this, mostly untouched, beautiful piece of land from a nearby hilltop. It dawned on me that the time has come to do something really special here that will enable people to experience God’s peace as I always have; something that will make them feel richer leaving than when they arrived.

I thought of a name that will speak to both my heritage as well as the vision I had for the space. Seeing as Andries Pretorius was from Dutch descend, I started there and came across the phrase ‘Kleine Rijke’, which means ‘Little Riches.’ I designed the logo and started planning a fresh Food Market with stars in my eyes. I took a giant leap of faith and quit my job as an Art Director and Graphic Designer to start something on the beautiful blank canvas with absolutely no funds or any idea of how to raise the necessary capital. Along the way, I met Furniture Designer-Maker David Krynauw and, together with my parents, we managed to find the necessary capital and built a beautiful Cape Dutch building made of wood with a 3 month deadline. David and I got married and officially started Kleine Rijke in October of 2018. In the past 5 years, we have lived through several failures, a thousand mistakes and many learnings but, by the grace of God, the vision is finally starting to fall into place. It has now turned into an Earth to Table Restaurant and Vegetable Garden, Co-Work Space, Product Shop and David Krynauw Showroom with a Deli on the way.

Due to this great love for my heritage, I am actively trying to incorporate it as best I can into the products and food we serve. I like to believe, after baking about 2000 Milktarts in this timeframe, that I have now nearly perfected the craft of this truly, proudly South African Dish.

Currently, we are in the process of developing and launching a Chilli Crisp Oil named after Andries Pretorius’s great grandson, Lood Pretorius, who started the Boer War in 1899 with a very accurate and devastating Artillery Gunshot. After that, he became known as ‘Skote Petoors’, which became an idiom in the Afrikaans language referring to something that is really well done. Needless to say, it was the perfect name for a Chilli Crisp Oil that really hits the spot every time. I am having so much fun developing this brand as I have a lot to work with due to the richness of my heritage and tapping into a place of authenticity and celebrating where I come from.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I wear many hats at Kleine Rijke, which is what excites me the most. I love the moving parts and the fact that no two days are the same. It really helps that I do have a Marketing and Design background because it enables me to build my brand quite authentically and organically. I manage my own social media accounts and client relations which provides valuable insight. I engage with people who come to the Restaurant on a daily basis which is most rewarding. Most people genuinely seem to leave feeling happier.

I also started experimenting in the Kitchen. After opening in 2018, I realised that I have to acquire a high level of culinary skills in order to keep the dream alive. Since I was already knee deep in it, I had no choice but to learn on the fly. I am a foodie and I absolutely hate a boring meal. I am also obsessed with Middle Eastern Cooking so I discovered Yotam Ottolenghi, bought all his books and started to work through them, recipe by recipe. I sensed a language in his cooking style which I adopted and then learned to incorporate into my own style. We opened our restaurant in May of 2022 and simultaneously started our Vegetable Garden. Nothing will ever be more exciting or rewarding than growing from seed and serving that at table.

Throughout this process, I realised that cooking is no different from Art Directing or Creating anything for that matter. The starting point is to use the correct and best elements or ingredients you can find, to put all your heart and passion into the creative process, to perfect your craft, to find the synergy, develop your own identity and style in that, arrange it in the most beautiful way and achieve the end goal; which is to inspire, make people feel something or, the best of all results; to make people happy. Be it by making Food, Music, Photography, Design or Art. If you have achieved that, you have succeeded.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being such an avid foodie, I really love visiting restaurants and getting inspired. My itinerary would probably be very food centred.

My favourite Johannesbug Spot is Olives and Plates. Middle Eastern Style Cooking, beautiful plating and all the flavour with the best Flourless Lemon and Poppyseed Cake. They are hidden away in a bookstore so thats just the best of both worlds.

This is not in my area but I would totally fly my best friend all the way to Cape Town to experience the culinary genius that is Elgr Restaurant. To anyone visiting Cape Town, I cannot recommend this enough. All the love and passion goes into that food. Hats off! Five Stars.

Seeing as I am now in Cape Town, I will then make my way to my favourite Wine Farm, Boschendal for a day picnic on the lawn with live music. In this hypothetical scenario, the main act will definitely be Spoegwolf. We will stay a few nights at their incredible cottages and do a trailrun at Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.

Next, we will stop by Oranjezicht Market for the best Glutenfree bakes by Thank Goodness Foods and finish it off with a sunset on the rocks at Bakoven Beach.

Salt in Kalk Bay will always be my favourite coffee spot.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To My parents, Andries and Barbara Pretorius, who lead by example and taught me to be a dreamer that does, to never give up and to think and exist outside of boxes.

To my Chef sister, Chara, who often helps me navigate my newfound role as a Chef in a daunting but most thrilling kitchen environment.
To my sister, Lente, for that Chilli Oil Recipe!

To TBWA Hunt Lascaris, where I picked up most of my valuable skills in Marketing, Design, Art Directing and how to navigate professional life in general. In this chapter I gained two wonderful and incredibly inspiring mentors. They showed me how to lead with hard work, passion, humility and kindness. I had the great privilege of working under Peter Khoury and Kirsten Leeuw who, to this day, offer the best of advice and are invaluable to my growth. During an extremely difficult time, Kirsten recommended I read the book: ‘The One Thing’ by Gary W. Keller. It is a book that everyone should read as it changed my entire headspace and suddenly, everything seemed possible and doable again.

To Zydia Botha! She is like the sun and wants to shines on everyone. Someone who will, guaranteed ,leave you feeling inspired after a chat, short or long. She believed in me from the getgo and stocks our shop with both her wonderful brands Something Good Studios and Romaria.

To my husband and partner in life and business, David Krynauw, who always encourages me to shoot for the stars. As an eternal optimist with a can do attitude, nothing is ever impossible or too hard for him. His work is incredible and most inspiring. His mind just operates differently and he sees the world in the most spectacular of ways, which is really thrilling to observe. It is such a privilege to work alongside him on this common goal and figure things out as we go.

Most of all, I would be absolutely nowhere without God who gives me purpose everyday and who gifted me with these incredible humans and experiences. He is my North Star.

Website: www.kleinerijke.com

Instagram: @kleinerike / @kleinerijkekitchen / @krynauwjasmyn

Facebook: Kleine Rijke / Jasmyn Krynauw

Image Credits
Deen Schroeder Nicola Fundaro JC Click

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