Tributes continue to pour in for the late chef and award-winning author, Dorah Sitole, the former True Love Magazine Editor and stylist died at a hospital in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The culinary industry is mourning the loss of one woman deemed the African Culinary Queen, who paved the way for many others. She died at the age of 67.
The late chef, award-winning author, Dorah Sitole, lauded as an African food advocate:
Just a few months ago, Mam’Dorah as she’s affectionately known, launched her book titled Forty years of Iconic Food.
She grew up in Soweto and started working straight after high school. She later trained as a Cordon Bleu chef and travelled around Africa to get inspiration for her cookbooks.
Sitole bagged a number of awards, including the Inaugural President’s Award in 2007. Members of the culinary industry say they’re still grappling with the news of her death.
Absalom Kotsokoane, a chef at Moeng SA Restaurant, says the African food advocate has fallen.
“She has paved a way for black women in the culinary industry…Rest in peace Mam’ Dorah Sitole,” says another chef inspired by Sitole, Zola Nkosi.
The SABC’s Trendz Travel show spoke to the late chef in November 2020 shortly after her book launch. In that interview, Sitole explained that the book sought to strike a balance between paying homage to traditional cooking methods while adding her own modern interpretation to these authentic dishes.
“I have worked for four decades, which is 40 years, but I have been around for almost 70 years. I thought let me write a book on my days. Its seven chapters divided into each chapter of my life. There is a lot of young upcoming chefs…I hope they also learn from me,” she said.
The family has not disclosed any details of her burial as yet.
SABC caught up with chef, award-winning author Dorah Sitole before her untimely passing:
