SOMIZI Mhlongo has finally launched his much-anticipated book, Dinner At Somizi’s: I’m Not A Chef.
He told Daily Sun his love of cooking was inspired by his dad, late actor Ndaba Mhlongo.
“The concept started two years ago before the TV show, but I didn’t have the funds to do the project,” he said.
“After I released my first book, I made a promise to myself that my next book should be fully self-published. And that’s what I’ve done with this one.”
The talented TV and radio personality said the cookbook is a natural transition from the TV show, and it took him three months to complete the physical part.
The 47-year-old Somizi said the book tells a story of how he fell in love with cooking.
“As a nine-year-old, I watched my dad cooking for us. He was a professional chef and made it look like fun,” he said.
“My mum never cooked. My dad did all the cooking. That’s how amazing their marriage was.”
Somizi said the dishes in the book are inspired by those he’s eaten, but he’s done them in a unique way.
“The book is about my journey with food, from when I joined Sarafina, to working with Miriam Makeba who introduced me to kush kush, to meeting D’Banj who introduced me to jollof rice,” he said.
“My favourite dish is definitely chili ox liver. It’s the dish my dad made as he was always hungover. It cures my hangovers, too.”
He said it’s easy to make and to this day he enjoys it.
Somizi is planning to open a restaurant in June next year.
“I’ve decided to put that fact out there to put pressure on myself to make it happen.”
The Idols SA judge, whose highlight of the year was getting married, said his next project is a musical.
“My career took off when I was in a musical, so I’m working on a musical. It was posponed because of Covid, but it will definitely happen,” he said.
“I’m working on another TV show, but only as a producer and also want to have my own online radio station which will be about positivity only.”
