Eastern Cape-born foodie, TikTok sensation and condiment queen Onezwa Mbola has written her first cookbook called A Food Love Story.
Inspired by her beloved late mother’s dishes which nurtured her while growing up in Willowvale, this collection of recipes — released in bookstores at the beginning of the month — reflects the intertwining of her love for food and family.
Mbola, 31, says coming from the Eastern Cape influences every aspect of her cooking.
Daily Dispatch asked her:
Congratulations! What does it feel like to have your first book published and to see it in bookstores?
It still feels surreal, honestly. I don’t think there’s anything that truly prepares you for walking into a bookstore and seeing something so personal sitting on a shelf.
This book carries so much of my story, my memories, my grief, my joy, and the people who shaped me.
For a long time, cooking was something very intimate and healing for me, so to now share that with the world in physical form is incredibly emotional.
I think more than pride, what I feel most is gratitude.
How does the title A Food Love Story reflect your personal journey and relationship with food?
A Food Love Story felt right because this book is really about all the ways love and food intertwine.
Love for family, love for memory, love for where you come from, love for the land, and eventually learning to love yourself too.
Food has been present through every important chapter of my life — grief, healing, celebration, identity — so calling it a love story felt natural.
What do you do when you are not writing and promoting your book? Also, did you follow a different career path before?
A lot of my life still revolves around food, even when I’m not actively working on the book.
I create content full time across social media, recipe development, brand campaigns and I’m also a businesswoman.
I have my own line of condiments and sauces called eMandulo’ which is available on Amazon.
Before all of this, though, my life looked very different. I studied maritime studies, I worked as a sailor in the merchant navy for five years.
Cooking eventually became the language through which I processed loss, identity and home.
You already have an audience of more than a million followers on TikTok and 255,000 followers on Instagram — what made you branch out into writing a book as well?
Social media allowed me to connect with people in such a beautiful way, but a book felt more permanent and intentional.
Online content moves very quickly but a cookbook lives in someone’s kitchen, on their table, sometimes even passed down.
I wanted to create something slower and more lasting.
A Food Love Story is not just a collection of recipes, it’s a piece of my life, my upbringing and the emotional journey that food has taken me on.
You started cooking as a way to reconnect with your mother who you lost a few years ago. What was her speciality when it came to cooking and are any of her recipes in A Food Love Story? What was her role in your cooking journey?
My mother’s cooking was deeply comforting.
She had a way of making simple food feel special, and I think that shaped my approach to cooking more than anything.
There are definitely recipes and flavours in A Food Love Story that are inspired by her and by the meals I grew up eating.
Losing her, changed my relationship with food entirely. Cooking became a way for me to feel close to her again, to preserve memory and tradition, and to continue conversations with her in a way.
She is the reason this journey began.
Please can you explain why your recipe book is titled A Food Love Story.
The title A Food Love Story felt right because this book is really about all the ways love and food intertwine.
Love for family, love for memory, love for where you come from, love for the land, and eventually learning to love yourself too.
Food has been present through every important chapter of my life — grief, healing, celebration, identity — so calling it a love story felt natural.
How do your Eastern Cape roots shape your cooking style?
My Eastern Cape roots influence everything about the way I cook.
There’s a deep respect for ingredients, seasonality and resourcefulness that comes from growing up connected to the land.
A lot of my cooking is inspired by fire cooking, traditional techniques, indigenous ingredients and the idea of making something beautiful from very humble beginnings.
Even when I cook more refined or modern dishes, there’s always an underlying influence from home.
You were a contestant in Season 4 of MasterChef South Africa. Where did you come in the competition and what part did it play in your life as a foodie/cook/celebrity?
I placed in the top 15. It played a significant role in my journey.
The competition pushed me far outside of my comfort zone and taught me discipline, confidence and resilience in the kitchen.
It also made me realise that food was not just something I loved personally, but something I could genuinely build a future around.
More than anything, it gave me exposure to a wider audience and helped open doors that eventually led to the work I do today.
Are you doing many book tours now that your book is out? Will you be doing any in the Eastern Cape? Also, how are you dealing with being a public figure? Are you naturally outgoing or have you had to develop this side of your persona since MasterChef?
The response to the book has honestly been overwhelming in the best way, so I am definitely doing tours.
And the Eastern Cape is included because so much of who I am and who this book is comes from here.
It would feel very full-circle to share it with people from home.
As for being a public figure, I’ve definitely had to grow into the public side of things and become more comfortable being seen.
I still think of myself primarily as a storyteller and cook before anything else.
The public aspect is something I continue learning to navigate.
Tell us about your life growing up in Willowvale and compare it to how different it looks now.
Growing up in Willowvale was about simplicity, community and connection to the land in a very real way.
There’s a slowness and grounding there that I still carry with me now.
My life today looks very different in many ways; there’s travel, content creation, deadlines and a much larger audience than I ever imagined having, but I still try to keep myself rooted in the values I grew up with.
What is always in your fridge/pantry?
I usually have some kind of homemade preserve or fermented ingredient in the fridge because I love building flavour that way.
In the pantry, there’s always umngqusho, beans, millet and sorghum, spices, and usually something smoked or dried that can quickly turn into a comforting meal.
Are there any ingredients you prefer to avoid?
I try not to be too rigid with ingredients because I think curiosity is important in cooking.
But I do prefer cooking with ingredients that feel honest and connected to the dish rather than overly processed things.
I’m also very ingredient-driven, so if something is out of season or lacks flavour naturally, I’d rather wait until it’s at its best.
Do you like to entertain or is your home cooking mainly for yourself and your immediate family?
I love feeding people. For me, cooking has always been deeply tied to care and connection, so I genuinely enjoy gathering people around a table.
Even when it’s something simple, I love the ritual of sharing food.
What would you cook on a cold night for people you love very much?
I would make the beef noodle soup from my book. It’s incredibly flavourful and comforting.
When you are home alone, what comfort food do you crave most?
I really love soups and so a roasted tomato soup with fresh bread is always my go-to.
Are you planning to write more recipe books? If so, what shape would they take?
I definitely would love to write more books.
This first one was very emotional and personal, almost like introducing myself properly.
I think future books could explore different parts of my world more deeply.
Perhaps cooking from the land, fire cooking, foraging, gardening, preservation, or even a more focused exploration of African ingredients and techniques through a modern lens.
I’d love each book to feel like a different chapter rather than repeating the same story.
RECIPE 1: Steamed mussels in tomato-cream sauce
(Serves 2- 4)
Ingredients:
1 kg fresh mussels
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 x 400 g tins diced tomatoes
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
½ tsp (2,5 ml) chilli flakes
salt and pepper to taste
⅓ cup (80 ml) cream
handful fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
lemon wedges to serve
Method:
Remove any ‘beards’ from the mussels, then rinse under cold water. Discard any that are open and do not close when tapped.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the tinned tomatoes, oregano, chilli flakes, and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream, mixing well until combined. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the cleaned mussels. Cover the pot and allow the mussels to steam for 5-7 minutes, or until they have opened. Discard any that haven’t opened.
Sprinkle parsley over the top. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serve the mussels in bowls with the tomato-cream sauce spooned over. Pair with crusty bread.
RECIPE 2 : Roasted pumpkin salad with yoghurt and macadamia dressing
(Serves 3-4 as a side)
Ingredients:
500 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into wedges
4 Tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
2 Tbsp (30 ml) all-purpose
spice blend (see page 197)
salt and pepper to taste
100 g rocket
¼ cup (60 ml) pumpkin seeds
FOR THE DRESSING:
½ cup (125 ml) Greek yoghurt
50 g macadamia nuts, lightly toasted
¼ cup (60 ml) mustard, honey and lime vinaigrette 500 g pumpkin, peeled and
cut into wedges
4 Tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
2 Tbsp (30 ml) all-purpose
spice blend (see page 197)
salt and pepper to taste
100 g rocket
¼ cup (60 ml) pumpkin seeds
FOR THE DRESSING:
½ cup (125 ml) Greek yoghurt
50 g macadamia nuts, lightly toasted
¼ cup (60 ml) mustard, honey and lime vinaigrette (see page 192)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin wedges with 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, the spice blend and salt and pepper until well coated.
Spread the pumpkin in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until tender and golden, turning halfway through. Remove and cool slightly.
To make the dressing, combine the yoghurt, toasted macadamia nuts and vinaigrette in a food processer and blend until smooth and creamy. If necessary, add 1 tbsp (15 ml) water at a time to reach your desired consistency.
Heat 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a small pan. Fry the pumpkin seeds, tossing constantly to avoid burning, until just done.
To serve, combine the roasted pumpkin, rocket, pumpkin seeds and dressing in a large bowl.
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