After a few years spent trying to obtain a degree in politics and philosophy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Mmabatho Molefe could no longer put her culinary dreams on hold. She called it quits and enrolled at Capsicum Culinary Studio, graduating with a diploma in food preparation and cooking. After making a name for herself with the Long Table Experience gourmet pop-up restaurant, Molefe is now making strides in her efforts to celebrate and elevate Nguni cuisine, having recently opened Emazulwini Restaurant at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. Molefe says the hospitality industry lacks representation and she’s putting her money where her mouth is by working with an all-black female team. To her surprise, Emazulwini’s modern take on Nguni cuisine has been embraced by South Africans across the board, something that bodes well for her dream to preserve a culture that could be diluted due to a lack of written history. —
Knowing that I am working on relevant, timely and necessary work gets me out of bed every day.