Lorna Maseko ignited my passion for cooking, says Ayanda Thabethe

My friend Lorna Maseko, a South African culinary princess and celebrity chef, has been my greatest inspiration. Her passion for discovering new dishes, making food that satisfies the soul and her overall love for cooking has ignited my own passion and love for making good food. 

Lockdown has certainly served me well in the area of cooking. Because we had all this time and were forced to think creatively, cooking became a much-needed outlet and I picked up some neat tricks. I must say that I make a mean pesto and mushroom pasta — it’s an easy dish, but heart-warming and yummy. 

I tried out multiple dishes from Luyanda Mafanya during lockdown. I find this [food blogger and former My Kitchen Rules SA contestant’s] recipes absolutely tasty and easy to follow. She’s managed to make cooking less intimidating for me.

I’m so proud of the South African women who have released cookbooks including Zola Nene, Lorna Maseko, Chef Nti, The Lazy Makoti and more. I follow all their pages for inspiration and recipes. 

Sweet or Savoury? I’m kind of famous for my sweet tooth! I absolutely love my desserts and my favourite indulgence must be brownies and ice cream. 

Apron or no apron in the kitchen? I don’t generally wear an apron when cooking as I’m prone to making quick, simple dishes, but Christmas is around the corner and, in my family, everyone contributes a dish on Christmas Day. There’s something special about wearing a Christmas apron that invites the positive and beautiful spirit of Christmas in and so I make sure to wear one every year when I make my dish for our family lunch.

I’ve been enjoying Aurum restaurant in Sandton and love the beautiful setting and atmosphere, and I always order the salmon dish. Irresistible!

What do I do for fun? Because I’m always on the go and interacting with people all the time, my days off are usually spent in solitude at home with a good book or movie, or in the company of close friends.

I’ve also been exploring our beautiful country of late, but, in what seems like distant times, I enjoyed going on big international holidays too.

My new show Africa Modern is all about putting the outstanding creative talent that we have in the continent on display.

We explore the worlds of fashion, art, design, cuisine and dance and chat to the visionaries and thought-provoking leaders who make this all happen on African soil. We find out what makes them extraordinary in their craft and successful in their chosen path. 

Being behind the camera for Africa Modern was incredibly nerve wrecking. The understanding that I carry the energy and flow of the show comes with a lot of pressure, but the people we got to interview, their stories and craft made it easier for me to carry the excitement of their creativity forward.

The beautiful and authentic locations we shot in also contributed to the overall good vibes the show possesses.

• 'Africa Modern' premieres on October 21 at 8pm on The Home Channel (DStv 176).