1. The most underrated ingredient is
mealie pap. Most people just use it
as porridge or as a side, but the number
of things you can do with it is endless.
I like to cook it the Italian way, with lots
of Parmesan. I then set it, slice it and
grill it. I also like to use it instead of pasta
in my lasagne. Mealie pap and blue
cheese croquettes are life-changing
– never underestimate the wonders of
mealie pap!
Local is lekker because we have so
many cultures to draw inspiration from.
No other country in the world boasts as
many tastes and flavours they can truly
call their own.
My boyfriend, Reuben Boya, is also
a chef so I'm spoilt with good food at
home too. We’re very competitive in
the kitchen though, so we can't cook
together – he thinks his way of doing
things is right, but my way is always
better. Obviously!
On weekends I love going to markets.
My favourite market is the Stellenbosch
Slow Food Market at Oude Libertas.
I go weak at the knees for the Dutch
stroopwafels. The best part is that no
matter how busy the market gets, there
will always be a spot on the grass where
you can sit and enjoy a glass of bubbly.
Anything can happen on live TV.
Once comedian David Kau and I were
discussing weaves (hair extensions).
I told him I don’t wear one because it’s
not my thing. He then proceeded to tell
me (and the entire nation) that the reason
I don’t have a weave is because my
boyfriend is probably paying for some
other girl’s weave and so can’t afford to
pay for mine. Awkward! It was all good
humour though and we had a chuckle
about it. My boyfriend happened to be
watching and messaged me afterwards
to tell me he loves my hair as it is, but
that he would gladly buy me a weave if
I really wanted one!
I’m not on Twitter because I’m a bit
of a technophobe. There, I said it.
People have been nagging me for
ages to join Twitter; some of my
friends even started a ‘get Zola
to join Twitter campaign’. So, as a
compromise, I got a public Facebook
page – ‘Zolanenechef’ – instead.
Catch Zola on SABC 3’s
Expresso, weekdays from
6 – 8:30am.
132 FOOD & HOME ENTERTAINING September 2013
Zola Nene is the chef
and food stylist on
TV’s Expresso. The
vivacious 29-year-old
loves to share her
passion for food and
cooking with people
every morning: “It’s
fun, and that’s what
food is all about,”
grins Zola
I’velearnthowtobeamorningperson.
Whentheshowstarted,Iusedtoarrive
onsetat4:30everymorning–youjust
nevergetusedtowakingupthatearly.
Fortunately,nowIdon’thavetowakeup
earlyeverysingledaybecauseIhave
awonderfulfoodassistantwhocomes
inearlytodoalltheprep–blessher.
The first dish I cooked by myself was
croque-madame. Of course I didn't know
that's what it was called back then, but
a toasted cheese sandwich topped with
a fried egg was still a very impressive dish
for an eight-year-old to make.
ByLauraSamiraNaudé;photographsbyGüntherSchubert
ofVörsprungStudio,www.vorsprungstudio.com
Morning
A slice of my life
sunshine
ZOLA AT A
MARKET IN INDIA
FUN IN THE
EXPRESSO KITCHEN
ZOLA AND REUBEN