Food for good: Chef Nti’s and Chef Katlego’s new shows on Food Network

After successful first seasons on the Food Network, Chef Nti and Chef Katlego are giving back and supporting initiatives on their new shows. 

Nthabiseng  Ramaboa, popularly known as Chef Nti, loves celebrating South Africa’s heritage and its foods. Speaking to The Citizen during the launch of her new Food Network South Africa show Celebrations with Chef Nti at an exclusive screening at the Hallmark House Hotel, the culinary chef always wanted to elevate home dishes. 

Drawing inspirations from where she grew up in Soweto, Chef Nti is no stranger on our screens and her first season on Food Network Street Food in Africa was applauded by audiences and says she feels more confident the second time around. 

“With season one, you shipped to Dubai, you go and film there. There is a new crew, new culture and you just there trying to find your feet. In season two there was chemistry already.”

Celebrate with Chef Nti was also shot in Dubai, she says the reason is that the channel has access to their own production company and a studio in the United Emirates city, including that it made financial sense. 

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The second season was shot in two and half weeks and viewers can expect culinary delights of the best in local celebration dishes.  As Street Food in Africa was an introduction to who Chef Nti’s is and what foods she grew up with such as kota’s, dombolo she brought these to an international audience. 

“Celebrate with Chef Nti is a moment to celebrate because of everything we have gone through, to have a moment to celebrate.”

She wants viewers to be able to open their pantries and cook special dishes with what they have. The chef does infuse her recipes with Mediterrreana and Asian cuisine but you  will always find “that Soweto girl in the recipes.”

The recipes are easy for several occasions such as birthday parties, Easter, Christmas, other family get-togethers and including the holiday season.

As we go into autumn, Chef Nti’s says we should embrace, hearty and warm foods, something we can expect in the new season. She loves the combination of salty and sweet,  bacon with maple syrup. 

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“I love it because you can toss it in a salad, have it for breakfast or even toss it into your mac and cheese.” 

As African cuisine is on the rise in restaurants, she praised chefs who have introduced it into fine dining such as the head chef and founder of Le Creatifs, Wandile Mabaso.

“He would put together a chakalaka but elevates it, it’s like eating something out of this world,” she says.  Chef Nti adds there is room for African fine dining and “to express ourselves even more because African food as a narrative was never there.” 

In conjunction with the new seasons of Chef Katlego’s show which is titled Everyday Wow, the programs will serve as a platform to bring attention to an initiative that supports the safe return to learning for hundreds of thousands of children across the country.

The organisations are Discovery RISE (Reducing Inequality and Supporting Empowerment) in partnership with Save The Children South Africa (SCSA) will showcase their work on the Food Network programs.  The children did spend time with both chefs cooking with them and had a fun cooking off that will on air Chef Nti’s show.

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Chef Nti said she grew up next to stark inequality in Soweto and always wanted to encourage children from those backgrounds to reach for the stars. The shows will suggest how audiences can lend a helping hand after each episode and how they can support this initiative. 

Celebrate! With Chef Nti will premiere on Sunday 13 March on the Food Network channel (DStv channel 175) at 4.50pm. Chef Katlego’s Everyday Wow premiered on Saturday at 4.50pm.