​Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane joins the South African public in conveying condolences to the family and close associates of Icon and pioneer chef and food writer Ms Dorah Sitole.

With a career that spanned more than 40 years as a food writer, Mam Dorah inspired many black-authored cookbooks and greatly influenced the culinary landscape and instilled consciousness and pride in genuine African cuisine.

“As we mourn her passing, we should remember that her decades of good food writing will leave a rich legacy for our cuisine industry as an ambassador for world class African cuisine for years to come. We will continue to read her cook books and try her recipes for our health and our nourishment,” said Minister Kubayi-Ngubane.

As the first Black food editor in South Africa for True Love magazine, Mam Dorah’s recipes and style reached every South African kitchen, fostering a growing pride for traditional recipes that had fallen out of fashion. She worked tirelessly to create opportunities for black South Africans to express themselves and became an inspiration for many recipe developers and TV chefs that we know and love today.

 “Her work will continue to contribute to growing interest in culinary travel and certainly keep Africa and South Africa on top of mind for food enthusiasts,” Minister Kubayi-Ngubane added.

The Department of Tourism, in honour of her work, will continue to invest in skills development for young people in the cuisine industry, through our various programmes like the National Youth Chefs Programmes that provide a chance of a lifetime for young South Africans to realise their cooking passion and become qualified chefs.

Lala Ngoxolo Super Chef Dorah Sitole!
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