Sibahle Mtongana is a multi-award winning freelance food writer, celebrity TV chef and food judge who is highly reputed for her coking show on DSTV Food Network Siba’s Table. She won a South African Film and Television Award for her previous cooking show, Cooking with Siba which had amazing reviews and followership.
Sibahle Mtongana Background
Sibahle Mtongana grew up in East London where her parents encouraged her to eat healthily (her mom was diabetic, so healthy food options were always a must in the household). She grew up loving to cook and whilst her mom made the breakfasts and lunches at home, Siba cooked the evening meal – meat, veggies and rice or Samp (South African food consisting of dried corn kernels that have been stamped and chopped until broken but not as fine as Mealie-meal or mielie rice) and beans.
What this means is her fascination for food and creating culinary content was fanned really early. She soon left home for Cape Town where she had her teriary education which in turn bagged her a fantastic career and wait for it a boo haha. Siba met her graphic designer husband Brian in Cape.
If you watch Siba’s show regularly, you’ll probably know Brian quite well, as he is always enjoying meal times with his wife and their young son. It’s a real family affair.
Sibahle Mtongana Education and Cooking Career Debut
Once Siba completed her degree in Food and Consumer Science at Cape Technikon, she was desperate to become a food buyer for Woolies, but fate stepped in and she landed the plum role of Assistant Food Editor at Drum Magazine, eventually becoming Food Editor for the publication two years later.
She soon landed a TV series called Cooking with Siba which aired on the Africa Channel in 2010. Using her own original recipes for the show, her dishes offered traditional fare with an international twist so that audiences abroad could adapt the recipes in line with ingredients available in their countries. Food Network began to see a rising star, but they would have to wait patiently for Siba to start work on Siba’s Table which they were keen to start shooting, as Siba revealed that she was pregnant with her son. After the birth of her first child, Sibahle Mtongana began writing recipes for and filming her new series called Siba’s Table, which airs currently on DSTV Food Network Channel (175).
Siba also sits as a judge on Chopped South Africa a cooking-competition show where the skills, speed and creativity of four chefs are tested as they compete against each other and the clock.
This article was originally posted on International Hotel School Website. You can read the full article here
