DRUM magazine is launching a televsion show on DSTV’s Mzansi Magic channel on Monday [March 7]. The magazine, which turns 60 this year, makes its on-air debut with a brand new cooking show titled DRUM Presents Cooking with Siba.
The presenter, of course, is the magazine’s food editor, 26-year-old Sibahle Mtongana.Siba will cook with some of Mzansi’s best-known celebrities, giving their favourite recipes “a little bit of a twist”.
The show will feature stars such as movie icon Kenneth Nkosi, Idols presenter ProVerb, songbird Simphiwe Dana, rapper HHP and SA’s first Survivor millionaire Vanessa Marawa. Their recipes will be given a healthier twist (no cream or butter in the case of singer Swazi Dlamini), and added festive flair or a more exciting edge.
TheMediaOnline caught up with Siba.
1. How did you find working in front of the camera? Challenging? Easy?
I am a part-time model and have done a number of commercials for hair and beauty products over the years. This was my first stint as TV host. The thought of combining an interview with a well-known celebrity while cooking and talking to the viewer was quite daunting at first. But once we started it became easier and the fantastic film crew really helped me. The show is produced by Homebrew Films with director Sanet Oliver-Burger, a veteran of more than 400 cooking shows, among others the kykNET cooking show Roer, which won a SAFTA and an ATKV Veertjie last year. She also directed Shoreline, which cleaned up at 2009/s SAFTA Awards. Chris Lotz, the director of photography on DRUM presents Siba’s Twist won the SAFTA award for Best Cinematographer last year for his work on Shoreline.
2. Did you make any bloopses that you finds funny now?
Yes, I did. At some point I accidentally knocked over a pan with piping hot chilli jam by mistake! Luckily no one was burnt. The clip was even included in the show by the director with me giving a tip of how to avoid accidents in the kitchen. We gave it an educational spin.
3. Who would you say is the tv chef who has influenced you the most?
It’s hard to choose one person. I grew up watching Delia Smith when I was young and that’s my earliest TV cooking show memory. But then I fell in love with Nigella Lawson, the Kitchen Goddess. I also love Jamie Oliver’s fast energy and his passion for teaching people how to cook good food.”
What is the most challenging recipe you have had to cook on air, and which celebrity gave you the recipe?
Mmmm . . . I would be lying if I said I had difficulty with any recipe as I gave each celeb’s recipe a twist. However, jazz and gospel singer Swazi Dlamini makes a mean and very complex Durban lamb curry with creamy samp. I twisted the recipe into a smoky lamb stew with creamy curried samp. She’s known as someone who speaks her mind so I’m glad to say she enjoyed it.
Who decorated the set? Looks like a wonderful kitchen!
The kitchen was created at Plush Props, a prop hire shop at the Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town. Danny Toua was the set stylist who created the look after chatting to Sanet and I. I mentioned that my fondest cooking memories were of my grandmother’s kitchen.
Danny says: “We wanted to give the kitchen that retro look – almost evoking memories of DRUM’s iconic Sophiatown shoots. To achieve this the natural beautiful textures of the space were left bare; the pastel colour scheme, old enamel kitchen utensils, raw bricks and proteas moulded together gives it a retro yet modern proudly South African flavour.”
What five things should a cook NEVER be without, in your view?
An excellent chef’s knife, good quality chopping board, good quality and steady set of pots and pans, gas stove – it’s so much better, and a dishwasher because most cooks/chefs don’t like washing dishes – including me!
The young food editor has become a household name through her weekly food pages in DRUM and her popular monthly series, “Siba cooks with . . .” in which she features guests such as Nelson Mandela’s chef of the past 20 years and Bafana Bafana stars Siphiwe Tshabalala and Ithumeleng Khune.
Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa, editor of DRUM, says she’s extremely proud of DRUM’s new venture and sees it as a bold new milestone for the magazine. “DRUM’s entry into television is long overdue and I’m very pleased with the quality of this production. I’m sure Mzansi viewers are going to love Siba and her cooking as much as DRUM readers do.”
The series, made possible by Spekko Rice, is produced by Homebrew Films and will be broadcast on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 107) from Monday 7 March 2011 at 19h00, with repeats on Tuesdays at 11h00 and 13h00, and Sundays at 11h00.
