Goodwood’s 'Mr Koeksister' Arno Arpin's daughter to continue his legacy

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Madeleine Arpin, daughter of the late legendary koeksister maker Arno Arpin.

Listen below: 

On Saturday 13 September, Arno Arpin – fondly known as 'Mr Koeksister' and a beloved figure in Cape Town's Goodwood community – sadly passed away at the age of 73.

For many years, Oom Arno was a familiar and cherished presence in Goodwood, where he faithfully sold his signature twisted koeksisters, come rain or shine... in his famous red golf shirt, faded shorts, and hat.

His sudden passing has prompted an outpouring of condolences on social media, as locals and loyal customers fondly remembered the warmhearted man behind the sweet treats.

Apin's koeksisters featured on many local and international travel and cooking shows, where they were tried and tested to be just simply the best.

Arpin’s legacy will live on through his daughter, Madeleine Arpin, who has lovingly learned her father’s treasured recipe and technique. She plans to continue sharing his famous koeksisters with the community he loved so much.

In 2022, Kiewit visited Arpin's kitchen to see him in action and remembers how 'Mr Koeksister' was assisted by his daughter.

Madeleine explains that her dad's secret recipe was passed down by her mom's aunt, which she learnt 99.9% of.

"We're hanging in there... it's basically been an ocean filled of water of people who absolutely loved him and who cared and people coming from all over to offer help during this time. It was extremely sudden... he went into the hospital on Thursday evening and passed on Saturday."

- Madeleine Arpin

"He shared everything that he could share with me because I worked with him every night over so many years, so I learnt about temperature, water... everything. People all over the world flew to Cape Town to taste his koeksisters."

- Madeleine Arpin 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.