Driven by her determination to put food on the table, a local, award-winning chef has not only built a successful business but also created employment for others. Well known for her delicious meals at the Nelspruit Taxi Rank, Dudu Mhlanga is cooking her way to the top.

After losing her job several years ago, Mhlanga knew she had to find a way to make ends meet. That was when she founded Dudu’s Kitchen. Her journey was not always easy, but she persevered and continued to work hard.

She said support from her pastor and family members helped her take the first steps in starting her business.

“I stayed at home for about two weeks after losing my job. As a single mother, I was stressed and did not know what to do. By God’s grace, my pastor, Leonard Ngwenyama, gave me R2 000 so that I could start my business,” she said.

“My neighbour lent me three chairs and my aunt gave me a table – that is how it all started.”

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The first six months were particularly challenging, as Mhlanga struggled to attract customers.

“I would cook one small 500g packet of rice and one braai pack, but the food wouldn’t get finished. At the time, I was working alone. I can’t remember exactly which festive season it was, but I decided to work on Christmas day. To my surprise, people came to buy my food. That day I built good relationships and received positive feedback about my meals. That’s when the business started to grow.”

In 2024, Mhlanga was named ‘Entrepreneur of the year – small business at the Sunrise Excellence Awards. She was also recognised at the Hustling Honeys Awards, where she scooped the ‘Best chef – small business’ award.

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She said that following these achievements, she was able to hire her first employee, and soon after, four more people joined her team.

“It was hard to find a team that shared the same vision, but now I have a great team that enjoys working with me.”

Mhlanga encouraged people who are starting fresh in life not to give up, reminding them that the challenges they face today are lessons and experiences they will need in the future.