Cooking Up A Storm

First came his culinary TV show, now Somizi has produced a cookbook. He tells YOU about his longtime love affair with food

- Joy Mphande

The smell of garlic infused with herbs and spices wafts through the door of his home in the upmarket suburb of Dainfern, Johannesburg.

Somizi MhlongoMotaung has something cooking in the oven while he wraps up his Metro FM show, The Bridge, from a bedroom upstairs.

His husband, Mohale MotaungMhlongo (25), sits quietly on the couch finishing his breakfast, but the silence is shattered when the TV and radio star saunters down the staircase.

“Okay, you can talk now,” he jokes before heading into the kitchen to put the finishing touches to his late father’s favourite dish: chilli oxtail liver.

Soon a team of photographers arrive to take pictures of the food for his upcoming cookbook and the house is swarming with people – but for someone who grew up in a two-room house filled with 24 relatives, it’s familiar territory for Somizi.

He certainly has come a long way. Home is now this impressive double-storey mansion with a kitchen kitted out with all the mod cons and gleaming top-of-the-range appliances. Oh, and there’s also a well-decorated Christmas tree in the living area – and if you’re thinking it’s a little early for festive cheer, get this: Somizi keeps a tree up all year.

He hopes it will attract gifts, he says. At Christmas, “I get to cook for my families – now two families”.

“Last year we had our first Christmas with both families. I’m looking forward to waking up at six in the morning just to cook until 1pm,” he quips.