A culinary nomad and prodigy, chef Katlego Mlambo is intent on making a mark in the world one plate at a time. The Eldorado Park born culinary artist trained at Cape Town’s reputable Silwood School of Cookery and has had stints in international kitchens in Europe, Asia and the US.

A recipient of the 2019 Eat Out Nederburg Rising Star Award, he has honed his skills working under Luke Dale Roberts who is one of the best chefs in the country. Katlego made a name for himself as head chef at the jazz eatery, The Marabi Club in Maboneng and has two cooking shows under his belt. For the young chef, this feels like just the beginning. We catch up with Katlego to talk next destination, dreams and South African cuisine.

You’ve been back at Marabi Club cooking some of your signature dishes. And you’re on the second season of your Food Network show, Everyday Wow. Where do we find you mentally at the moment?
I’m in such a great space. A lot of chefs went through a dark patch because of COVID. But we had to regroup and dig deep. The one thing I have found is my groove. COVID gave me time to think about the kind of chef I want to become. I’m in my element now with the second season of Everyday Wow. The food is more chilled but still has that fine dining technique and finesse. It’s still me turning ordinary food into something extraordinary. I’m enjoying being back at Marabi Club, which I consider my first love. I’m very thankful that the co-owner Dale de Ruig and I have kept this relationship and that he has given me full carte blanche to cook the food I enjoy cooking. It feels good to be back and working with a new team. What’s been worthwhile has been seeing the growth. And I’m ready for the next chapter.

This would be London?
Yes, indeed. And the reason for that is simply growth. I have worked with amazing chefs and one of my mates, Patrick Williams is creating some amazingly delicious food in London. I love South Africa, but I do feel that for me to be the chef I want to be, I need to have that overseas experience. I have worked overseas here and there, but I don’t think I have gone to these establishments as a head chef. I will be taking up the position of head chef at Kudu restaurant in London.

Why London specifically?
I love London. The reason it is so close to my heart is that it was my first overseas encounter. I’m a fan of a lot of British chefs, food and programmes. I have lived in New York and it is fast-paced. But I like to think of London as a mini New York. I love the different influences there like Jamaican and the produce that they have there. The opportunity to work with one of the great up-coming chefs in the UK and to be part of his team is quite humbling for me. The other reason for choosing London is because it is close to Europe. When I get a bit of a break, I’ve got the pleasure of going to Italy or Spain and eating at other Michelin star restaurants to keep stimulating and growing my mind.

How has travel contributed to your cooking ethos?
As chefs, we steal with our eyes. You take what you take and make it your own. Having lived in Thailand for a bit, a lot of my cooking is influenced by South East Asian ingredients. We use the word fusion a lot, but it is central to making delicious and interesting food.

What do you love about the food you make?
The food I make is proudly South African. What I love about that is that South African cuisine cannot be boxed. We have so many influences and cultures – from the Cape Malay, the Tsongas, Sothos, to the Afrikaans, Zulus and Indians. That is what makes our food so unique. You can’t attach a single flavour profile to it. My food is about the balance, the texture, the sweetness, spiciness, sourness, and bitterness. It’s a whole umami explosion in your mouth. There are some classical flavours that you don’t want to mess with, but I believe food needs to be fun. We have moved away from South African food being boring, that all it is associated with is pap and amasi. We have some amazing produce in South Africa to play with. My mind is constantly thinking and I dream quite a bit. I have a notebook next to my bed and sometimes I write down the things that I see in my dreams. In some cases, the dishes the next day come out 110% as first-time wonders. And sometimes it’s back to the drawing board. My food is exciting, naughty, delicious and cheeky like myself.

What dreams do you still have for yourself?
Having two seasons of a television cooking show is still mind-blowing. It humbles me every day. I still want to own a restaurant one day. I’ll say this now because I breathe it and I see it: the day Michelin arrives in South Africa, I’ll be the first black chef to have a Michelin star. I do believe in that. I would love to have a cooking show with Jamie Oliver. I think we would have good banter. The next thing is a cookbook which is currently in the works. It is about my life, my story with a number of my favourite recipes.

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