BEST T IN THE CITY MY TOP 10 @ 10 CHEF AUTHOR ZOLA NENE
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My culinary career spans over 10 years and started during my 2 year study gap in England.
After studying Bcomm law for 2 years after matriculating, I realised that it was not the career path that I wanted to follow.
So, I applied for a UK holiday working visa and ventured off to England to discover what it is that I really wanted to do.
I’ve always been interested in food so decided to look for a job in a professional kitchen.
I worked in a Brasserie in Cheshire for two years, first as a hot section chef, then as the head pastry chef.
After my two year stint in England, I returned to South Africa and immediately enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch. During my studies, I got to work with some amazing top chefs in the local industry such as Margot Janse of Le Quartier Francais and Chris Erasmus of Foliage Restaurant.
I specialized in Food media in my third year of studies and worked as a food assistant at a magazine for six months.
After graduating, I moved to JHB and worked in a large catering company as catering manager.
It was around that time when Expresso, a national morning breakfast show, was conceptualized.
When the producers were looking for a Food Stylist for the show, they called me up and offered me the job. I started working on the Expresso Morning Show on SABC 3 in October 2010 and was resident chef until December 2017.
I now have my own cooking show called “CELEB FEASTS with ZOLA” which began broadcasting in 2018 on Mzansi Magic on DSTV.
My other TV roles include… judge on The Great South African Bake Off Season 3, guest judge on My Kitchen Rules South Africa Season 2, Cast of Wedding Bashers Season 2.
Apart from cooking on TV, I also develop recipes and do food styling for publications as well as brands.
I have two published award-winning cookbooks, Simply Delicious (2016) and Simply Zola (2018).
After studying Bcomm law for 2 years after matriculating, I realised that it was not the career path that I wanted to follow.
So, I applied for a UK holiday working visa and ventured off to England to discover what it is that I really wanted to do.
I’ve always been interested in food so decided to look for a job in a professional kitchen.
I worked in a Brasserie in Cheshire for two years, first as a hot section chef, then as the head pastry chef.
After my two year stint in England, I returned to South Africa and immediately enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch. During my studies, I got to work with some amazing top chefs in the local industry such as Margot Janse of Le Quartier Francais and Chris Erasmus of Foliage Restaurant.
I specialized in Food media in my third year of studies and worked as a food assistant at a magazine for six months.
After graduating, I moved to JHB and worked in a large catering company as catering manager.
It was around that time when Expresso, a national morning breakfast show, was conceptualized.
When the producers were looking for a Food Stylist for the show, they called me up and offered me the job. I started working on the Expresso Morning Show on SABC 3 in October 2010 and was resident chef until December 2017.
I now have my own cooking show called “CELEB FEASTS with ZOLA” which began broadcasting in 2018 on Mzansi Magic on DSTV.
My other TV roles include… judge on The Great South African Bake Off Season 3, guest judge on My Kitchen Rules South Africa Season 2, Cast of Wedding Bashers Season 2.
Apart from cooking on TV, I also develop recipes and do food styling for publications as well as brands.
I have two published award-winning cookbooks, Simply Delicious (2016) and Simply Zola (2018).
