Chef Nox Majozi publishes book on South African cuisine — TimesLIVE

South African chef Nox Majozi has published her debut book, The South African Cookbook, featuring 90 recipes representing the country’s diverse culinary traditions. As TimesLIVE reports, the author sought to showcase the diversity of South African cuisines — from indigenous and Indian traditions to Cape Malay, Dutch and British influences.

From family cooking to London

Majozi was born in Durban and grew up near Richards Bay. She learned to cook by watching her parents and later studied hospitality at Durban University of Technology. One of her first professional opportunities was a trip to Florida, where she presented South African cuisine at Walt Disney World.

After that, the chef moved to London, where she worked at Rosewood London for 11 years. There, she became head pie maker and senior chef at the Holborn Dining Room restaurant. In 2022, restaurant critic Jay Rayner named her one of the rising stars. Majozi now works as chef-in-residence at the Fallow restaurant in London’s St James’s district and specializes in baking.

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Dishes and culinary heritage

The book includes recipes for lamb bunny chow, Cape Malay chicken curry, grain and bean dishes, Durban-style curried mussels, corn bread, pumpkin fritters and milk tart. Some of the recipes come from the chef’s family, while others are her own interpretations of traditional dishes.

Majozi said that before working on the book, she travelled around South Africa, rediscovering local dishes and paying attention to which ones interested her guests the most. According to her, she does not seek to “elevate” traditional food, but wants to preserve its authenticity. At the same time, the chef combines experience from two culinary cultures: for example, she added biltong — dried meat common in South Africa — to the British dish Wellington.

Among the dishes Majozi would recommend for introducing foreigners to the country’s cuisine are pap, chakalaka and grilled meat. She also mentioned the Sunday lunch Seven Colours — a Sunday meal of rice, roasted meat and colourful vegetable side dishes.