Sibalicious magic is coming to eSwatini for the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival.
After its hugely successful inaugural edition, the event will return on August 2 and 3 bringing global sensation Siba Mtongana to headline the culinary programme.
Mtongana is highly in demand hosting her own cooking shows and as a judge on 'Chopped South Africa'. As her accolades continue to get her noticed as a force to be reckoned with, Mtongana still remains humble, never forgetting where it all started for her.
Her passion for cooking and food started back in the Eastern Cape where she would spend hours out in her family garden with her parents.
“Those are honestly some of my fondest childhood memories. I would be sent to forage fresh produce from the garden for dinner and was tasked to choose the best ingredients and to make sure they were clean and ready to be prepped and cooked. It was here that my appreciation for food and great quality produce flourished. My mom was a wonderful teacher in the kitchen, cooking from memory and by feeling, no recipe books in sight. It was this wonderful experience that made me choose food as my career path.”
She went on to study Food and Consumer Sciences with majors in Food and Food Science and Nutrition.
Siba needs a sous-chef for Luju! Go to https://t.co/964TGZHODS for details. pic.twitter.com/6aC2BIVgwk
— Luju Festival (@LujuFestival) July 3, 2019
Since then her career has hit the ground running and being able to balance her work life and family life has become a priority.
“That is the secret. To prioritise and get the support you need. I don’t believe that you can’t have everything in life, why not? If I work hard, know what I am working towards and have a team of skilled, knowledgeable and experienced people around me, anything is possible. The secret is in the planning, working ahead as far as possible and in focusing on what I am doing at the time, so that when I move on I do so with focus and precision. My life is only going to get busier, so I embrace the chaos, and push through the more challenging times.”
The FoodBank South Africa Ambassador heads to eSwatini for the first time to take part in the House on Fire Amphitheatre Culinary Programme that will see her, regional culinary experts, sustainable food practitioners, craft beverage distillers, regional breweries and wine-estates, as well as crafters and artisans showcase their talent.
In the US alone Siba’s Table airs in over 60 million homes on the Cooking Channel, a first for a South African chef.
“I truly believe that the next culinary wave is going to come from Africa. We have such bold flavours, interesting produce combinations and an overall unique offering that I have no doubt will be soaked up by the international market, more so the foods that are the new superfoods. I feel that as an African standing on a culinary global stage it is my responsibility to share with the world what African food really is – beyond the negative perceptions as well as how we have evolved as people in what we eat.”
Her advice to upcoming foodies and chefs is to get an education.
“Don’t think because you are going to work in a kitchen you don’t need an education; this is the biggest misconception out there. Create a strong firm foundation by getting an education if you can, and from there, work as hard as you can, soak up every opportunity, and be wise about who you choose to mentor you. Never give up, keep pushing, keep knocking on doors, and explore what’s out there, the culinary world has changed drastically over the last five years and there is so much more out there in terms of options now, the kitchen doesn’t necessarily need to be your end point should you choose the culinary world.”
The two day Luju Festival, taking place at the House on Fire Sculpture Garden in e’Swatini, the home of the MTN Bushfire Festival, is a not-to-be event missed for any food enthusiasts, culture buffs and travellers.
Read more about the festival
@mane_mpi