South Africa’s trailblazing Black food writer dies of virus
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s trailblazing Black food writer Dorah Sitole’s latest cookbook was widely hailed in December as a moving chronicle of her journey from humble township cook to famous, well-traveled author.
The country’s new Black celebrity chefs lined up to praise her as a mentor who encouraged them to succeed by highlighting what they knew best: tasty African food.
Now they are mourning Sitole’s death this month from COVID-19. She was 65.
In “40 Years of Iconic Food,” Sitole engagingly described how she quietly battled South Africa’s racist apartheid system to find appreciation, and a market, for African cuisine. Her book became a holiday bestseller, purchased by Blacks and whites alike.
Sitole’s career started in 1980 at the height of apartheid when she was hired by a canned foods company to promote sales of their products by giving cooking classes in Black townships. She found that she loved the work.
In 1987, Sitole became the country’s first Black food writer when she was appointed food editor for True Love, one of the few publications for the country’s Black majority.
The magazine, and its competitor Drum, were known for giving Black writers, photographers and editors the freedom to write about the Black condition and experience.
With stories that were about much more than food, Sitole described how traditional African dishes brought pleasure to families and communities in troubled times. She was known for her distinctive takes on well-known recipes and tips on how to make them on a budget. She won an avid readership and became a household name, even as South Africa’s townships were roiled by anti-apartheid violence.
When apartheid ended and Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, Sitole found new opportunities. She trained as a Cordon Bleu chef and got a diploma in marketing. She traveled across Africa to learn about the continent’s cuisine, producing the book “Cooking from Cape to Cairo.”
In interviews, she pointed out her East African fish dish with basmati rice that she developed while traveling through that region, and the seafood samp recipe, which is basically a paella using chopped corn kernels instead of the traditional rice.
In 2008, Sitole’s success was acknowledged when she was appointed True Love’s editor-in-chief.
Sitole’s warmth and generosity is credited with opening doors for many Black chefs, food writers and influencers who are thriving in South Africa today.
“Mam (mother) Dorah’s approach to food was a mixture of things. First, it was something that was driven by her background, she was very true to who she was,” said Siba Mtongana, one of South Africa’s brightest new chefs, who started out as food editor for Drum magazine and now has a television series and cookbooks.
“She would take what we grew up eating and add a twist to them, and add flavors that we would not ordinarily have thought of putting together,” said Mtongana who has opened a restaurant in Cape Town, featuring food from all over Africa.
She said Sitole imbued her with a passion for exposing the world to Africa’s many cuisines saying she loved describing to her readers what others enjoy eating across Africa, and around the world.