Skip to content
Search
Cuisine Noir Magazine
Support Our Work - Donate
Support Our Work - Donate
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Book Grub
  • CN Review
  • Marketplace
  • Print
  • Events
  • More
    • The Culinary Scoop (blog)
    • Black Wineries
    • Videos
    • Donate
Cuisine Noir Magazine
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Book Grub
  • CN Review
  • Marketplace
  • Print
  • The Culinary Scoop (blog)
  • Events
  • Black Wineries
  • Videos
Support Our Work - Donate
Support Our Work - Donate
Search
Cuisine Noir Magazine
Support Our Work - Donate
Support Our Work - Donate
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Book Grub
  • CN Review
  • Marketplace
  • Print
  • Events
  • More
    • The Culinary Scoop (blog)
    • Black Wineries
    • Videos
    • Donate
Cuisine Noir Magazine
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Book Grub
  • CN Review
  • Marketplace
  • Print
  • The Culinary Scoop (blog)
  • Events
  • Black Wineries
  • Videos
Support Our Work - Donate
Support Our Work - Donate

Top South African Chefs Speak Out About Representation in the Kitchen

March 7, 2018
CN Staff
Share this article
       

Originally published by Food & Wine

Zola Nene, celebrated TV chef and co-host of The Great South African Bake Off, is known for her wit and warmth on screen. Between offering cooking tips on television to sharing home-style recipes on Instagram from her first cookbook Simply Delicious, Nene can be spotted at the country’s snazziest food and wine events dressed in her trademark bright colors and Zulu bead accessories.

“I’ve been told many times during my career that I only got to where I am because I am a Black woman,” she says. “What those people don’t understand is that I have to work twice as hard to earn any recognition because of these very stereotypes. I’m a good chef and stylist and food writer—I hate it when people undermine that.” Nene says that it started when she was the only Black student at her cooking school back in 2010. “I remember being singled out a lot to do certain appearances because I was the only ‘token Black,’” she says. “They never used those words, but it was obvious.”

Nene’s career has taken her from top professional kitchens into the creative world of television, but overall, there remains a dire lack of Black representation at the head of South Africa’s established fine-dining restaurants. This conspicuous absence continues across food publications – writers, editors, photographers and, to a lesser degree, stylists.


Read more…

logo
Food Advertisements by

  • Blueberry Recipes for summer
    under Food & DrinkBush to Kitchen: Blueberry Recipes To Try This Summer
  • Celebrity chef and The Great Soul Food Cook-Off Champion Razia Sabour
    under Black Chefs, Food & DrinkCelebrity Chef Razia Sabour Honors Soul Food’s History with Competition Win
  • Derrick Green of Waffles and Whatnot
    under Black Chefs, Food & DrinkAlaska’s Derrick Green Expands Waffles and Whatnot With Well-Being in Mind
  • Patrice Cunningham, Chef & Owner of Tae-Gu Kimchi
    under Black Chefs, Food & DrinkChef Patrice Cunningham’s Tae-Gu Kimchi Offers a Fresh Take on a Korean Tradition
logo
Food Advertisements by
Share this article
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
CN Staff

A diverse group of global journalists who love to write and talk about all things food, wine and travel.

Related Articles

Loading...
World News

Ashtin Berry Takes a Hard Look at the Restaurant Industry—and How It Can Be Better

World News

The Kenyan Chef That Cooked for Record 75 hours Non-Stop

World News

The Latest Dreams of Barbara Hillary, the First African-American Woman to Travel to the North Pole

Be the first to know about the latest online, industry updates, world news, events and promotions that connect the African diaspora through food, drink and travel.

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising
    Menu
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising

    #IAmCuisineNoir

    This site participates in affiliate programs. See our full disclosure for more information.

    © 2022 The Global Food and Drink Initiative d/b/a Cuisine Noir Magazine. Privacy
    Site by ACS Digital

    Any unauthorized duplication, download or reprint of images or content from this website for promotional or commercial use is strictly prohibited without written permission from The Global Food and Drink Initiative. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Trademark pending.

    YES!  We’re excited you are signing up too!  

    Get ready to receive our weekly newsletter about:

    • New articles online
    • World news and industry happenings throughout the African Diaspora
    • Mouthwatering recipes
    • Promotions and giveaways

    Right in your inbox!