‘My parents are shocked by my success because I was a naughty child,’ says The Funny Chef

If it weren’t for changing a simple Facebook setting, Pretoria chef, comedian and actress, Lebogang Tlokana, known as The Funny Chef, would not be a common face on the screen who is now the presenter of popular TV show, Our Perfect Wedding.

She has made thousands of people laugh with her comedic videos where she played different characters while adding the unique ‘Spitori’ dialect which led to her going viral but the 31-year-old had faced serious challenges in her childhood.

Growing up in Theresa Park, Pretoria, she was the only black girl in an Afrikaans school, which made life difficult as she felt left out and experienced racism.

But she disappointed her family when she failed grade 9 and 10.

“My educational background was quite tricky because I failed high school twice, which is something that I really don’t like talking about but if it is going to motivate somebody then let it be known. I then left high school and went to college and got a qualification which is equivalent to a matric, which I am thankful for. I was doing marketing management.”

How her love for cooking began

She eventually lost interest in this and while sitting at home for a year, the Food Network soon became her favourite channel. This sparked a love for cooking, she said.

“I was in love with cooking and it really blew me away and I started experimenting with food and my father decided to try one more time and took me to a cooking school. That was literally his last money. After that he had nothing and couldn’t find a job. His last bit of money went to me which I think did him proud because I passed.”

After working at a hotel, restaurants and a game lodge, The Funny Chef was created. While she was confident her videos would circulate what was puzzling was that they were not.

“At that time, The Funny Chef wasn’t created yet. I just did these videos and had been doing them for quite some time. But they didn’t really blow-up. They only started blowing-up when I realised my account was private and no one could see my stuff. I changed my settings and funny enough within a month, I was booming,” Tlokana said.

But she was confident more was yet to come and warned her parents that despite being a failure, she was going to do something unexpected and quit her job.

She quickly gained success, featured in comedy movies with comedian David Kau, having a cooking show on SABC 1 and landing a role in multi–South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) winning telenovela The River.

While reflecting on her first professional acting gig, she criticised herself for infusing a bit of comedy into her character and her time on the set during her appearances in two seasons.

“I regret that and I wish I could go back re-do it and I would do it better. You are surrounded by people like Sindi Dlathu and Presley Chweneyagae and there is no joke. I am an over-thinker but it’s a little too late. It put me out there. I want to do it again,” she said.

As she now returns to the screens to present the highly-watched Our Perfect Wedding, Tlokana said she did not expect to win the audition. Her attempt in taking the presenting role serious was actually not preferred. She was instead asked to include her humour and jokes.

“I was nervous because of my past on The River and I tried to be a presenter. They told me they don’t want that and how about we add a funny element. I did it and left there knowing I got it, even though there were big names that were also auditioning. And I got it. A month later I got a call that I was hired.”

Tlokana was however self-conscious about two things – body shaming and trying to speak isiZulu on the show as she already criticised herself on a daily basis.

“I will bring humour to the show but also the Zulu. Me and Zulu are not friends. I am looking forward to that and this weekend it is a Zulu episode. I hope they don’t criticise me for not knowing or not being able to speak it fluently. I was also afraid of being body shamed because they take you on on Twitter. Once it starts, I am going to de-activate my account because I criticise myself everyday already and its going to break me.”

But she took pride in being from Pretoria and speaking the street lingo and wants to give viewers the city’s experience through the show.

“But I am looking forward for people to see ‘Pretoria’ and how we talk. We might sound aggressive and not soft but this is how we are. Go to Pretoria and experience that yourself.”

Her aim was to eventually have her own production company and create movies and series. She would be releasing a cook book during the course of the year.

As for her parents, they are still shocked by her sudden successes.

“I think it’s still a shock to them compared to how I grew up. I was very naughty. My parents cannot believe it, even until today. They would be grateful for the things I would provide for them and would pray for me. They are happy for me.”

rorisangk@citizen.co.za