Singita’s culinary leaders – the women championing culture & connection in our SA kitchens

The ritual of a shared meal, and preparing food for family and friends has been at the heart of how humans connect and show care since time immemorial.

At Singita, we channel this into the dishes and dining spaces across our African properties. And wherever our guests sit down with loved ones to eat, they’ll find the same sense of nurturing in meals that are comforting and delicious, and that celebrate a slow and scenic appreciation of shared time together. Crucial to this are the chefs and their teams who craft the dishes and steer the culinary direction at each property.

At our South African lodges, the women heading up the kitchens bring joy, love and leadership to their teams and to every menu they create. And while Singita’s food in different regions consistently expresses our ethos, each chef brings her own passion, story and unique skills to the fore.

Over the years, through graduates of the Singita Community Culinary School and the many talented chefs who found their way to our lodges, a meal at Singita has evolved into so much more than an accomplished plate of food. It encompasses community and the art of celebrating the things we have in common that bring us together.

The chefs who craft this experience have been on their own journeys of evolution. Head Chef at Singita Lebombo, Ndileka Tunzi worked in hospitality for years before joining the team, but always in the city. But when she interviewed with Singita, a potential move to the bush felt natural. “It just felt like home. Knowing what Singita stands for and how passionate I am about preserving culture, I felt Singita was the perfect fit for me to learn and grow more.”

Celebrating the notion of home in a wider sense – Africa – our chefs draw on the rich and diverse cultures of the continent to inspire dishes, and sometimes also look back to the mentors they’ve had along the way. Lerato Molaudi, Head Chef at Ebony Lodge, attributes her appreciation of South African food culture in part to her teachers at the Culinary Art Institute of Africa where she trained. “They were very intentional about teaching us about South African food heritage and taught us to embrace our country's food cultures.”

For all the chefs heading up our SA kitchens, a love for cooking was part of their own personal heritage – and inherent early on. Cooking with her grandmother and uncle from a young age made Lerato fall in love with cooking. “Even though I ventured into other career paths after school, I always had a nagging feeling that I wouldn't be fulfilled until I pursued my passion for cooking,” she says.

Mohun Bowes-Taylor, Head Chef at Boulders Lodge also wanted to be a chef from the age of 13 but was encouraged to follow a more ‘stable’ career path. “Straight out of high school I started working as a bookkeeper and studied for a BCompT. It took a few years to realise that I needed to rather pursue what I really wanted to do, so I started chef school at 23.”

Like Mohun, most of our chefs have walked a long, sometimes winding journey to be where they are – some rising within the company, and some learning their skills elsewhere. Lindiwe Ndlovu, Sous Chef at Castleton, has been at Singita for 26 years – since 1998 when she started as a trainee. “I did not go to any culinary school. I started as a trainee, and along the way I fell in love with the job, and also had an opportunity to learn from others in the kitchen,” she says.

Mentorship has been invaluable to all our chefs. “All of the skills I have gained in the kitchen, and through Andrew Nicholson made me the chef I am today,” says Dzuni Mnisi, Sous Chef at Sweni. But, for her it started at home too – she looks up to her mother first and foremost, who is also a chef and her inspiration.

Ndileka’s first food mentor was a maternal figure too – her grandmother. “I started cooking with my grandmother at about 12 – first the basics, and then family favourites. What I found most fascinating was that some of these did not actually have recipes, but relied solely on balancing taste,” she says.

Whatever their own food history, Singita’s chefs share an appreciation for beautiful ingredients. Sourcing sustainably and creating menus that focus on seasonality is a goal they all strive towards. When designing menus they look to what’s available – to this end, local growers like David Xilabi in the Sabi Sand keep waste and transport to a minimum by supplying fresh local produce to Singita’s kitchens.

Sourcing locally also helps the chefs craft location-relevant dishes. “The cultural exchange allows people to connect with the area’s history and customs and enriches the dining experience. It's also a way to educate guests about conservation efforts, biodiversity, and the importance of preserving ecosystems,” says Lindiwe.

Incorporating her surroundings into her dishes, Mohun always asks, 'does it make sense for where we are?'. "Keeping the relationships with our suppliers strong is very important to me and seeing where our products come from makes you look at your produce with more appreciation," she says.