By showcasing pride in her heritage through traditional food, restaurateur Mmabatho Molefe has put her restaurant, Emazulwini, on the world map after it was included in the 50 Next list.
This list names 50 of the world's most exciting chefs who have the potential to one day make the prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants list.
Molefe, 27, established her modern Zulu restaurant in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront's Makers Landing space in 2020 after she lost her job in the restaurant industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She says her cuisine was inspired by her upbringing in KwaZulu-Natal where her grandmother used to cook traditional food. She believes that this worked in her favour and helped her stand out from the rest in the 50 Next competition.
Molefe says Emazulwini, loosely translated as "the heavens", has attracted interest from South Africans and international visitors keen to try her Zulu-inspired food.
Makers Landing, which is a hub for South African food and culture, is the perfect venue for her, she says.
Emazulwini offers a seven-course set menu, which changes each season.
Molefe's food is beautifully served and includes dishes such as Isijingi (pumpkin porridge), roasted pumpkin, peach gel and brown butter ice cream; Isibindi nechakalaka (butter-basted ox liver and yellow lentil chakalaka) and onion jus; and IqIanda, Isibindi noshatini (tartlet with roasted tomato relish, chicken liver and biltong-cured yolk crème).
This list names 50 of the world's most exciting chefs who have the potential to one day make the prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants list.
Molefe, 27, established her modern Zulu restaurant in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront's Makers Landing space in 2020 after she lost her job in the restaurant industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She says her cuisine was inspired by her upbringing in KwaZulu-Natal where her grandmother used to cook traditional food. She believes that this worked in her favour and helped her stand out from the rest in the 50 Next competition.
Molefe says Emazulwini, loosely translated as "the heavens", has attracted interest from South Africans and international visitors keen to try her Zulu-inspired food.
Makers Landing, which is a hub for South African food and culture, is the perfect venue for her, she says.
Emazulwini offers a seven-course set menu, which changes each season.
Molefe's food is beautifully served and includes dishes such as Isijingi (pumpkin porridge), roasted pumpkin, peach gel and brown butter ice cream; Isibindi nechakalaka (butter-basted ox liver and yellow lentil chakalaka) and onion jus; and IqIanda, Isibindi noshatini (tartlet with roasted tomato relish, chicken liver and biltong-cured yolk crème).
