Lorna Maseko on taking South African cuisine to the global stage

South African celebrity chef, author, and entrepreneur Lorna Maseko is on a mission: to show the world the richness of South African cuisine.

Speaking on "World of Travel", the globally acclaimed docuseries and podcast that explores destinations through the people who shape them, Maseko shared her journey from ballerina to culinary ambassador.

“I’ve always known South Africa is amazing and will always be amazing,” she said. “I’m South African, so I’m very biased in this conversation.”

For Maseko, taking her career to the United States wasn’t about leaving home, it was about sharing it. While South African culture has already captured the world through the likes of Trevor Noah and Black Coffee, she believes food should take its rightful place on the global stage.

“You want to laugh with us. You want to dance with us. Now eat with us. Let’s make this thing holistic,” she said.

Maseko’s journey is unconventional. A former professional ballerina, she says the discipline and perseverance learned in dance helped shape her approach to cooking. “Everything culminates into something,” she said. “The lessons I learned in ballet still show up in my cooking today.”

In the kitchen, Maseko wears many hats, sometimes cooking simply for her family, sometimes crafting elaborate dishes for pop-ups or TV shows. But at the heart of it all is a desire to showcase South African flavours.

“I’m always a South African chef who wants to showcase the diaspora, its diversity, and its incredible culinary finesse to the world,” she said.

Maseko is passionate about changing perceptions of African food. Dishes like oxtail, tripe (magodu), chakalaka, and chicken feet are now being celebrated worldwide.

“Things that were once embarrassing or all you could afford are now the very things people are chasing. Now it’s trendy. Now it’s the juice,” she said.

Through her supper club, Ekhaya Dining, and collaborations with chefs like Cape Town’s Chef Riku, Maseko elevates South African street food, turning everyday ingredients into culinary experiences that tell a story. “It allows people to know more about South African food because that’s who I am,” she said.

Even as she builds her brand internationally, Maseko carries South Africa with her. She found warmth and familiarity in cities like Atlanta, comparing the friendliness and community spirit to Johannesburg.

“One thing people always say about South Africa is how warm and kind the people are. That’s something I carry with me everywhere,” she said.

Through her cooking, TV appearances, cookbooks and pop-ups, Maseko continues to bring South Africa to the world table, one dish at a time.

IOL