My passion for cooking started as a child, although I never thought that it would become a career. My mother, Letteli Nel, served us a home-cooked meal every evening. Although she would never call herself an outstanding cook, there was lots of love and dedication involved in preparing healthy meals for our family. I often helped in the kitchen and loved to prepare a special birthday meal or breakfast over weekends.

I have always loved food, but my true understanding of the joys of flavours and combining ingredients was ignited by my formative years at SARIE, an Afrikaans women’s magazine. I served as an editorial assistant under the mentorship of Renera Uytenbogaardt, the then food editor. Fresh out of varsity with a degree in Home Economics, she taught me the art of food, flavours, and their intricate combinations. It was a revelation, an awakening to a whole new world.

Then I moved to AMC Cookware as their Food Specialist, where my tenure revolved around cooking demonstrations, recipe development, writing The AMC Book – a complete recipe book and product guide – and testing of their latest cookware. Crafting recipes tailored to showcase specific products for AMC consultants and their customers also formed a big part of my role. After the arrival of my children, I embarked on a new chapter and ventured into entrepreneurship, channeling my passion into a business centered around healthy food, recipe development, food styling, and the love of cooking.

My food philosophy is all about developing a positive relationship with good food. I hate the word “diet” and instead, I advocate for a narrative brimming with joy and good memories. Food is what gathers loved ones around the table, it’s what unites families to prepare evening meals together, and what brings friends together for a braai. If you think of cooking as a chore that needs to be done every single day, it creates a negative association with food, and that’s what makes people turn to quick and easy, convenience foods. Thus, I use my platforms to inspire and encourage people to enjoy good, healthy food, made with everyday ingredients, while simplifying the cooking process. I want to make you feel like a chef in your own kitchen.

Balanced meals and enjoying foods from all the colours of the rainbow are the cornerstones of a sustainable, health-conscious way of life. It’s not about depriving yourself, but rather about finding balance. My motto is “Moderation and variation are the keys to a healthy lifestyle!”