From bestselling cookbooks to international awards, Siba Mtongana has made her mark on South African palates and culture. This is the story of how she got here
It was magic. When she thinks back to her days in the kitchen with her mom, cooking up a storm with no recipes or measurements in sight — magic is the only way to describe it.
Her mom, fondly known as Mthobo wo Lwazi (which translates to ‘well of wisdom’), was full of all those things. She just threw in a little bit of this, some of that and it always tasted delicious. This is the woman who became Siba’s culinary hero as a child.
Today, the name Siba Mtongana is synonymous with culinary greatness and the South African food scene — both locally and internationally. But this chef, TV presenter, cookbook author, restaurateur and business mogul is more than just the sum of her foodie parts — she is also a mother to four children Lonwabo, Linamandla, Buhle (also known as sister boss) and Nthando. She’s also a wife to Brian. In short, she’s living her dream.
A moment in time
Siba’s mother made it look so easy. Some of Siba’s fondest memories are of being seated at the kitchen table, watching her mother whip up delicious traditional meals for the family right in front of her eyes. “My mother’s kitchen was not very big, quite homey and the back door led out down the steps into our beautiful backyard. The kitchen itself was quite well equipped, from blenders to non-stick pans as well as the usual traditional equipment you’d find in any black household. Having a blender was a status symbol,” she chuckles, “as at that time, most households didn’t have those items yet.”
“There was very little measuring when it came to ingredients, and no meticulous cooking by recipe, as most cooking was drawn from my mother’s experience,” she shares. When it came to the way her mother did things in the kitchen – like all the generations before her — cooking was about feeling.
The making of a true culinary star
It was not an easy task for Siba to convince her parents Mncedisi and Noliza Mnwana that she wanted to pursue a career in food. At the time, celebrity chefs and TV cooking stars had not piqued local interest yet, so it was difficult for her parents to imagine a successful career in the food industry for a black woman in South Africa.
Siba’s mother was convinced that although her daughter possessed the passion and love for food, she would still end up cooking for a “madam” in a suburban kitchen somewhere, with no room to create and inspire others. With this in mind, Siba knew that it was important that she studied, so that there would be a substantial professional backing to her dream. She got her degree in Food and Consumer Studies at CPUT in 2003, majoring in Food Science and Nutrition.
It was around this time that she also met her now husband, Brian — her biggest supporter, and sometimes toughest critic. “Brian and I met just before I started studying, at the tender age of 17, and we started dating exactly a day after my 18th birthday,” Siba recalls. Her parents might have made them wait seven years to get married, but the pair have always been an unbreakable unit. “My achievements are his achievements, as we’re a team, a partnership and an empire,” she says. “I am grateful to my parents for making Brian wait until my studies had been completed before getting married, as it solidified my educational background to get the foodie career I currently have.”
A seat at the table
While working at Drum magazine as food editor, recipe developer and food stylist, Siba embarked on the road to food fame with nothing but hope and a stash of delicious recipes to share. This magazine position ignited the fire to inspire but it was the TV channel Food Network that gave Siba the opportunity to be welcomed into our homes, hearts and kitchens with her very own cooking show — Siba’s Table.
The show was broadcast in over 135 countries, reaching around 60 million homes in the USA alone. Viewers adored her bubbly personality, gorgeous smile and the way she could add a Sibalicious twist to any classic dish – elevating it in a way that is now her signature style.
From page to screen to page
With all the love and accolades pouring in from her cooking show, Siba’s loyal fan base were hungry for more. Enter her very first cookbook – My Table. “What really pushed me towards this goal was an email from a mother of a nine-year old girl from the USA, which I received in November 2014,” she tells us. Her daughter had requested a copy of my cookbook as her Christmas gift but she could not find one – as one did not exist yet.” Siba and her team made the decision right there and then, that although this might be a daunting task, a cookbook was something that the fans were ready for. This book became an instant bestseller, winning Siba two prestigious awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2017. The best part? “A year after my book was published, I was able to meet the little girl and deliver her a signed copy in person. It was such an incredible moment for me.”
An accolade well worth mentioning is that Siba was contacted by Harvard Business School to become a case study in its MBA (Master in Business Administration) programme, where she shared her recipe for success. “Now, my case study is being taught as part of the curriculum, inspiring the lives of many, it gives me a great sense of joy to have represented my country in this manner,” she reflects.
Siba was also the first-ever South African to have won the Special Award of the Jury for the legacy that her book leaves and the pop culture impact it has among us as South Africans. Her second book, Let’s Cook, was a completely different affair – geared towards kids and teens. Her narrative through food had changed ever so slightly since she became a mom of a “squad”, as she likes to call them.
Built for the future
Even as an established doyenne of food media, Siba has not stopped innovating and expanding her skills. She’s been a judge on The Great South African Bake Off and ventured into restaurants, with Siba The Restaurant and Siba Deli not only winning awards but also hearts. With all the accolades and fame, it’s not led her to rest on her laurels. It’s just made her even hungrier to keep the South African food revolution rolling.
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Words: Chad January
Photography: Zhann Solomons
