Rivonia resident and chef Neo Nontso has launched her new book, Love and Lobola: A Modern African Romance Told in Recipes and Rituals, at Sandton City.

The publication offers readers a glimpse into the personal experiences, family connections, and cultural traditions that shaped her understanding of love.

Describing the work as more than a traditional cookbook, Nontso explained that the release brings together food and storytelling, inviting readers to discover the emotions and memories behind each dish. “Food has always been my way of expressing love, so it felt natural to tell this chapter of my life through it,” she said.

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One recipe holding a special place in her heart is a cosy spring onion soup in the chapter “Meals He Made for Me”. The dish takes her back to the first time her husband cooked for her. “The soup was so good I legit thought he had bought it from a shop and decanted it, until he shared the recipe with me,” Nontso said.

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For Nontso, these moments make food memorable long after a meal ends. Through the book, she hopes to inspire readers to appreciate everyday gestures that strengthen relationships. “You don’t need a special occasion to gather the people you love around a table,” she added.

Love and Lobola is available at Exclusive Books, Wordsworth, Woolworths, Takealot, and bookstores across South Africa.

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