Between extensive travel adventures together, Kimon and Diego combined their passion for food, art and community when they launched “Ferdinando’s Pizza” from their rented home in Loader Street, De Waterkant in April 2012. The inspiration behind the name was a street-savvy, orange, fox-like rescue dog – Ferdinando – who to this day can be seen cruising the streets of Observatory, adorned with his legendary bandana around his neck. The underground restaurant became famed for its authentic Italian pizzas and distinct home-style environment, where bills were settled by putting money in an “honesty pot” and locals would come through the back door for an evening of eating pizzas off couches, coffee tables and the front door stoep. Diego’s pizza started getting the attention of foodies and bloggers, and Kimon would beg people NOT to publicly review them, as watchful neighbours began reporting the growing bootlegger-style pizzeria to the authorities. Eventually, de Waterkant could no longer accommodate all the cars and as people spilled out onto the balcony, pizza slices in hand, Kiki and Diego decided it was time to formalize their legendary creation and moved the pizzeria to Upper Kloof street in Cape Town central, October 2014. Kimon’s distinctive artistic direction, continued to define the kaleidoscopic vibrancy that  Ferdinando’s pizzeria is so well known for. 

During these legendary years of pizza and party-making, a friend introduced Kimon to the Art of Living, an organization inspired by the teachings of Indian yoga guru and spiritual teacher, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Kimon’s life was forever changed. The philosophy of Sri Sri’s teaching gave a container in which her passion and enthusiasm for spreading love and helping people could now express itself. Through meditation, breathwork and organizational service, Kimon’s spiritual life became deeply enriched, and she inspired many friends and family to pursue a lifestyle of caring for one’s body and promoting a world of peace and non-violence through deep meditation and acts of service. Kimon began teaching healthy stress management with YES! For Schools (Youth Empowerment and Skills) and in 2014, started facilitating Kiki Toga Laughter Yoga.

 In 2015, Kiki and Diego decided to move Ferdinando’s pizzeria  to a bigger venue in Observatory. While their pizzeria grew in popularity among locals, there were many people in need that would knock on their door for leftovers. Kiki and Diego responded with open hearts and a passion for harmony within their community. In 2017, the Obs Pasta Kitchen was founded , serving the displaced and dispossessed people of the city with warm bowl of pasta every week. More than just providing a meal, the pasta kitchen provided and continues to provide connections with the people living on the streets, helping provide long-term strategies to elevate their lives.