A culinary crusade...

ROOTS: LEBO PHALA WANTS TO RECLAIM AFRICA'S RICH FOOD HERITAGE

- Citizen reporter

In a world grappling with fast food addictions, chronic lifestyle diseases and a deepening disconnect from natural nourishment, one Pretoria East-based chef is leading a quiet but powerful revolution, one plate at a time.

Meet Lebo Phala, a visionary chef, entrepreneur and cultural custodian who is determined to change the way we think about food. Not just what we eat, but why and how we eat it.

Through her culinary business, HL Culinary, Phala is pioneering a return to the roots, quite literally, by celebrating and reimagining indigenous African cuisine in a fine dining context.

"Our ancestors had a thorough understanding of living in balance with the natural world," she says. "It is from this premise that we need to recognise and start embracing indigenous foods."

Born and raised in Mohlaletse Village in Ga Sekhukhune, Limpopo, Phala grew up immersed in the tastes, textures and traditions of African cooking. Her earliest influence was her late mother, a talented home cook who sold food to locals and imbued every meal with warmth and intention.