Food, culture and heritage with The Lazy Makoti

Food, culture and heritage come together in Mogau Seshoene’s debut, The Lazy Makoti’s Guide to the Kitchen. Released in 2018, the cookbook came in second place in the Best First Cookbook category at the 2019 Gourmand Awards, a global food culture event, renowned for pushing taste buds a step further each year.

The awards saw cooks, chefs, foodies, culinary writers, and food experts from all over the world come together at the annual gourmand for a celebration of food and culture. Mogau said receiving the award felt surreal as her book was recognized for its celebration of black traditional South African food while attempting to bridge the gap between modern life and African heritage.

“My heart overflows with joy and pride unimaginable! So proud to have represented my country at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards,” Mogau said.

Mogau left the corporate world to pursue her love for cooking and food by giving cooking lessons before turning her passion into a full-fledged business and brand. Identifying a gap in the culinary market, Mogau used the moniker, The Lazy Makoti, to create a space where people learn to prepare traditional South African food with a modern twist.

“I realised that there is a demand. I remember when we were putting the book together and I approached a number of publishers and everyone was adamant that the book won’t work. Throughout the three years of giving classes and seeing that there is a demand I saw that people do want to see themselves represented everywhere and that includes cook books,” Mogau.

Going through the book, the reader does not only get the chance to upskill on their culinary skills but sees their heritage and gets feelings of nostalgia as Mogau documents the food that we eat as South Africans.

“Food is a big part of our heritage and culture. Unfortunately, like many things that represent our heritage, we are losing. Food is a huge vehicle for preserving who we are,” she said.

Mogau’s best-seller and accompanying win are proof that there is a demand for the preservation of culture and heritage. Mogau said SA chefs need to be proud of their heritage and use that to show the rest of the world what they can do.

“A lot more South Africans should endeavour to learn more about their heritage,” Mogau said.

 

The Lazy Makoti’s Guide to mastering the Kitchen:

Always read the entire recipe before you get started.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, try something new.

If you are baking, follow the entire recipe.

Try different dishes and different restaurants.

Try food that is South African.