BY Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
Chef Mogau Seshoene has built an impressive career from her passion for South African food, inspired by her mother’s cooking. She has authored best-selling cookbooks and has been decorated with many accolades for her contribution to local cuisine. We caught up with her to speak about her first love, food.
Where did you grow up and what influences were part of your upbringing?
I was born and bred in Turfloop, a township in Polokwane, Limpopo.
I’m from a small, close-knit family. My mom is a teacher and my father a priest, and I have a little sister. My parents subscribed to order and rules, but we were surrounded by love.
When did you realise you wanted to become chef and what gave you the courage to pursue that dream?
Growing up, I loved cooking and was largely inspired by my mother. But, I studied and worked in finance. I was working in corporate when a friend, who was getting married, asked me for cooking lessons.
I realised that there weren’t many resources available to teach about South African food. I left corporate to go into culinary school and officially registered The Lazy Makoti.
Mama Dora Sitole, True Love’s food editor at the time, was a huge inspiration. She was a great mentor to me and many other chefs. She inspired me to centre our own food culture and stories.
After teaching a few lessons, The Lazy Makoti became a side hustle and eventually a career.
What is your food philosophy?
I always try to centre South African food or the South African palate.
Successful black women chefs are few, how do you find being in the minority?
My passion has always led my path. Black women continue to be a minority in almost all industries, particularly at the top. That is nothing new and will continue to persist unless we do something about it.
I am grateful for the presence of Mama Dora and Siba Mtongana who set an example that spaces exist for black women’s voices. I believe in “doing it with the fear” but I never allow fear to paralyse and stop me once I have my heart set on something.
What does success mean to you?
It means building something from scratch through hard work and integrity, owning my time, celebrating South Africa through my work, and making my family proud and being able to take care of them.
At what point in your career did you decide on the entrepreneurship route?
From the very start! My decision to go to culinary school was motivated by the knowledge that in order to teach cooking, I must be credible and draw from more that my “passion”.
With each year, the dream flourishes from cooking classes to cookbooks and TV, social media, being a regular contributor to the biggest food magazine in the country, Woolworths Taste, developing recipes for FMCG brands and to having my own line of branded kitchen accessories in Woolies.
What were the challenges you experienced in the industry and how did you overcome them?
The industry kitchen culture consists of incredibly long hours that aren’t matched by the pay and that environment can be really difficult.
In SA you can appreciate the challenge of being a woman, a black woman in any room.
I was ill prepared for the pain of starting a business. I was undercharging, overextending myself and treating it like a passion project despite having bills to pay. Over time I learnt to ask for help and it came in the form of The hookup dinner, an organisation that provides valuable mentorship through an incubation programme. They helped me finesse the right business model.
The challenge of building a structure was particularly challenging without a blueprint to work from. But, every detour was necessary and greatly enriched my entrepreneurial path.
What are the main highlights of your career?
Building a community of supporters online and in person. Making it to the Forbes Africa ‘30 under 30’ and the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans lists.
Most recently, launching a homeware and gifting range with Woolworths, publishing cookbooks that became best sellers in the country, outdoing even Jamie Oliver.
Getting awarded a Gourmand World Cookbook award and being recognised as one of the “best in the world” at the “Oscar’s of cookbooks”.
Winning “Cookbook of the year” at Luxe Culinary and Restaurant awards was a cherry on the cake.
My partnership with Woolworths continues to grow from TV specials, the range as well as being a regular contributor to Woolworths Taste magazine. I am about to launch another cookbook in collaboration with JSomething and Amarula cream liqueur.
