WORDS BY LARA MOSES
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREPHINE
22 years old, Owner of Kiwi Catering and Little Cake Queen
After matriculating in 2006, Kim Meierhans obtained a Cookery Certificate from False Bay College and got her industry training at Upper Crust in BCX in Century City. In 2008 she obtained her Professional Chef Diploma from Capsicum Culinary Studio and did some more industry training for Entrée Catering. For the next few years she worked as a private chef while starting her own catering company called Kiwi Catering. Kim ran Kiwi Catering, by herself, from her parent’s kitchen catering to small events and specialising in fancy party foods. In 2010 she returned to studying and obtained a Patisserie Diploma at Capsicum Culinary Studio. In early 2011 she was able to obtain her own kitchen space and this, with her Patisserie Diploma, inspired her to start a second company called Little Cake Queen. Focused on beautifully made and presented cakes, Little Cake Queen is now stocking to various coffee shop and market in and around Cape Town.
1. Who/what are your influences?
I’m influenced by magazines, recipe books, the occasional show on BBC Food but largely my friends I studied with. 
2. What is the best part about making cooking/baking besides eating everything?
Being able to be creative. I enjoy the process of making something out of plain and simple ingredients and seeing a final product. It doesn’t ever feel like work to me and just comes naturally which is great.
3. What have been your career highlights?
I worked at the Good Food and Wine Show in the Chef’s in Action Theatre during my chef diploma and got to meet some celebrity chefs. I’ve carried out some hectic catering jobs on my own, and I learnt to make loads of those fancy things out of icing during and after my Patisserie Diploma. I was also involved in the recording of the 2nd album of Red Earth and Rust. They employed me as their private chef and my name went on the album!
4. What are the biggest challenges for Kiwi Catering, Little Cake Queen and you?
Kiwi Catering and Little Cake Queen is really just me, and I do everything in my kitchen in my apartment so the main challenge comes when taking on big jobs. Getting exposure is also a slow process so can get frustrating.
5. What’s next for Kiwi Catering and Little Cake Queen?
I’d really just like to expand, start doing corporate catering and supply coffee shops and boutiques with my baked goodies, and perhaps even eventually open a unique Patisserie coffee shop of my own.
Lara is a Soapbox Editor. Visit her blog, Words By Lara Moses.
Trephine Photography is based in Cape Town.
