About Me…

Luyanda Mafanya is a South African born self-taught chef who has taken the culinary world by storm with her innovative approach to cooking and her passion for fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Despite not having any formal culinary training, Luyanda quickly developed a natural talent for cooking and combined that with her knowledge of social media and this proved to be the most pivotal moment in her career as it got her her first big break! Luyanda got the opportunity to cook for nationally renowned South African rapper, Cassper Nyovest and this shot in the dark changed her life forever.

Since then Luyanda has amassed a cult like following of just shy of 500 000 active followers across all social media platforms and has gone on to make numerous guest appearances on the South African media landscape including Afternoon Express, The Sunday Times, East Coast Radio and many other platforms. Her most notable feats to date were competing on My Kitchen Rules South Africa and MasterChef South Africa where she finished in the semifinals and in the top 10 respectively as she wowed celebrity judges of the likes of J Something, David Higgs, Zola Nene, Gregory Czarnecki and Justine Drake.

Luyanda’s cooking style is extremely versatile as she able to give those gratifying their pallets hearty and flavorsome dishes that taste like home but is also able to pull inspiration from her travels (Italy, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Turkey, United States of America, France, Monaco, Barcelona) to give you a dynamic range of essence from across the world and seamlessly switch between the two.

Luyanda's passion for cooking goes beyond the kitchen. She is a strong advocate for using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and promoting sustainable living through food. She has also been involved in various philanthropic efforts, including working with multiple brands such as Ford South Africa to deliver new textbooks to those less fortunate.

Luyanda's love for South African cuisine and culture is evident in her cooking, and she continues to inspire people around the world with her innovative approach to traditional dishes. Her message of healthy, sustainable living is an inspiration to all those who want to live a better life through food.