Durban - Durban’s reality TV star and private chef is on a mission to discover and explore the most palatable South African cultural and traditional cuisine.
Sanelisiwe “Chef Nesh” Bhengu, who starred in the third season of The Real Housewives of Durban, will be visiting all nine provinces, cooking, sharing recipes and enjoying what other cultures have to offer.
All of this will be filmed and broadcast on her social media platforms. She said that, unlike other shows, her episodes would not be rehearsed and would be offered raw to followers.
So far Bhengu has been to the Free State and the North West and today she is in Mbombela in Mpumalanga on Sunday. “Food is my love language and the purpose of the tour is to experience other cultures. I’ve discovered that there are many similarities. No matter the tribe, there is always something in common even though dishes are prepared and named differently,” she said.
Bhengu said in each province they choose an elder to visit and spend about three days cooking various traditional dishes. “Grandmothers have a lot of experience so we allow them to share their cooking wisdom with the aim of merging the old with the new to share with food lovers,” she said.
Bhengu, who qualified as a chef two years ago, told the Sunday Tribune that her passion and love for food led her to the profession. She said she frequents KZN restaurants and that the majority were world-class. However, there was room for improvement.
“Restaurants are confused a bit. They aren’t sure if they are just regular restaurants or fine dining establishments. That ultimately affects the food, dropping the standard. Owners need to decide who and what they are,” she said.
The third season of The Real Housewives of Durban premiered on Showmax at the beginning of February. Bhengu was introduced as the friend of the show during its second episode. She stirred the pot, saying that cast member Annie Mthembu, who is married to businessman Kgolo DaGuru Mthembu “slept her way to the top”. She also told a former cast member, singer Londie London, that her failed marriage to wealthy businessman Hlubi Nkosi was partly her fault.
Had she not been “all over the place” she would still be driving her Range Rover. South Africans did not take kindly to Bhengu’s words. When asked if she would want to be part of another season of the show, Bhengu was not so sure. “It’s something that I would need to think about, and maybe request a few changes, then I would do it.
I made authentic friendships and I have become close with two of the women,” she said. Although there were some aspects of the show that she was unhappy about, she could not say more as the show was still streaming.
She urged South Africans to be part of her food tour through her social media platforms to learn about the country's rich culture and also to get to know her better. “I’m funny, I’m a nice person, plus nothing is scripted. There are no retakes, just pure reality,” she said.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE