Meet Onezwa Mbola, the South African TikTok star mixing delicious fun with homegrown ingredients and a modern twist on traditional Xhosa recipes!

Your content celebrates the traditional Xhosa way of cooking while incorporating modern twists. How does your heritage inspire your creative process when developing new recipes?

Growing up in a coastal village, I experienced a lot of trial and error in discovering new foods. This has made me quite adventurous in my cooking, especially since I’ve had the chance to travel and explore how certain flavors from other parts of the world might mingle with our traditional cuisine.

Foraging and sustainability are core elements of your cooking. How do you visually represent these themes on TikTok, and what connection do they have to Xhosa heritage in terms of self-sufficiency and respect for the land?

Yes, foraging and living sustainably are simply part of how I grew up. I take my audience along on the walks I go on while foraging, whether it’s picking fresh produce from my garden or catching fish! In my village, we only take what we need, and the importance of community and sharing food is still a significant part of everyday life. Behind the scenes, people help and guide me on where to find certain foods, even if they prefer not to be on camera.

Food is often a sensory journey, especially with traditional dishes. How do you use TikTok to visually and emotionally take your audience back to the roots of Xhosa cooking?

When cooking, I sometimes share memorable stories of that particular dish, the responses from my audience invoke a sense of nostalgia for particular dishes because they remind them of their mothers, grannies, and childhoods. I also ensure that the food not only tastes delicious but is also beautifully plated and vibrant. The dishes I prepare are shared with my family and community because that’s what we do. It’s important to uphold a sense of community, and what better way to do that than by sharing the meals I’ve created?

Your collaboration with Gordon Ramsay put a spotlight on your unique fusion of Xhosa and modern cooking. How do you see your content as part of the larger African narrative during Heritage Month, showcasing the richness of South African cuisine to the world?

I once lived in Yeoville during my younger years, where I had the pleasure of meeting many other Africans. My love for pap stems from that time. Recently, I cooked sadza and morogo, which brought back memories of my Zimbabwean neighbor. According to my audience in Zimbabwe, I nailed it! This experience not only connects me to my core roots but also focuses on the beautiful tapestry of African culinary traditions, enriching the broader narrative during Heritage Month.

In preserving traditional recipes, how do you think TikTok’s global reach can play a role in keeping indigenous culinary traditions like yours alive, especially for young South Africans who are rediscovering their heritage?

I’ve noticed that people not only enjoy my content but are also eager to try recipes they never thought they could make with certain ingredients or discover that some produce is even viable for human consumption. In some instances, I’ve had people say, “Hey! We also have a version of this in Mexico (tamales)!” I made umbhona wesonka and added minced meat as a twist. The ability to engage and share with people worldwide, and to find similarities in our dishes and ways of preparing meals, is always exciting and brings a sense of familiarity.

Could you share a special memory or story tied to a traditional recipe that has been passed down in your family? How do you keep that heritage alive in your content today?

Growing up, my parents came from a very disadvantaged background and relied heavily on the ocean for sustenance and on growing their own crops. One particular meal that my mother grew up on is iinkobe, which is boiled and often served with mussels. This has inspired me to use what is available to me and to unleash my creativity in making a variety of dishes. I appreciate the simplicity of our food as Xhosa people and practice gratitude for it.