Onezwa Mbola heads to Durban to share her food love story

Updated June 4, 2026, 12:03 p.m. | By East Coast Radio/Carol Ofori

Onezwa Mbola joined Carol Ofori on East Coast Radio for a conversation about her inspiring journey and her new cookbook.

Carol Ofori and Onezwa Mbola at the east coast radio studios — Carol Ofori and Onezwa Mbola/ East Coast Radio

From being a contestant on 'MasterChef South Africa' in 2022 to becoming one of South Africa's most-loved food creators, Onezwa Mbola has built an incredible community online through her viral "food from scratch" videos.

Her food content has captured the hearts (and appetites) of thousands.

On Thursday, 4 June, Onezwa joined Carol Ofori live on East Coast Radio for an inspiring conversation about her journey, her passion for food, and the release of her brand-new cookbook, 'A Food Love Story'.

Fresh off her arrival in Durban, Onezwa will head straight to the East Coast Radio studios to chat about the inspiration behind the cookbook, the stories that shaped it, and some of the delicious recipes readers can look forward to trying at home.

The conversation will also explore how she has remained consistent in creating content that continues to resonate with audiences across social media, turning everyday cooking moments into must-watch viral videos.

The excitement doesn't stop there. Later that evening, Onezwa will officially launch 'A Food Love Story' in Durban, marking another exciting chapter in her growing culinary journey.

Whether you're a foodie, an aspiring content creator, or simply love a great success story, this is one conversation you won't want to miss.

Interesting facts about Onezwa Mbola

She wasn't always a chef

Before becoming known for food content, Onezwa studied maritime studies and worked as a navigational officer in the navy and on container ships. Her job took her around the world, exposing her to different cuisines and cultures that later influenced her cooking.

She lives a truly farm-to-table lifestyle

Her famous introduction is: "Hi, I'm Onezwa, and I make meals using items that I've grown, raised or foraged." Much of the food featured in her videos comes directly from her garden, livestock, or foraging efforts in rural Eastern Cape.

Her mother inspired her food journey

Onezwa has spoken openly about how her late mother inspired her love of cooking. In many ways, recreating her mother's dishes became the starting point of her culinary journey and remains a driving force behind her work today.

She moved back home to chase a dream

After years of travelling, she returned to her hometown of Willowvale in the Eastern Cape in 2020 because she wanted to grow her own food and reconnect with the land and traditions she grew up with.

MasterChef wasn't the end goal

Although she competed on 'MasterChef South Africa' in 2022, she often says the show was just one chapter of a much bigger journey. Today, she's arguably even more famous for her social media content than for her time on the competition.

She's an entrepreneur

Beyond content creation, she founded eMandulo, a food brand that produces artisanal sauces and celebrates community-rooted food traditions.

Her son is one of her favourite cooking partners

Fans love seeing her young son appear in her videos. She has shared that cooking together is one of her favourite activities and a way of passing down traditions to the next generation.

She has just become a published author

In 2026, she released her debut cookbook, 'A Food Love Story'. The book combines recipes with stories about family, heritage, love and growing up in the Eastern Cape. It quickly climbed bestseller lists after publication.

Her content sparked an international conversation

In 2024, Onezwa made headlines when she publicly raised concerns that some of her content ideas were being replicated by internationally known creator Nara Smith. The story drew global attention to her work and introduced many new audiences to her content.