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Nigella: SA should promote cuisine from all its people to the world

Cape Town - In promoting its cooking to the rest of the world, South Africa should bring out the multiplicity of its varied group of people, international food writer and TV celebrity cook Nigella Lawson told Fin24 at the recent SA Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) congress in Cape Town.

She was one of the guest speakers.  

"Tell the world about SA's food in a straight forward way. Get all the voices to come through to tell everyone's stories. At a table everyone should speak," she explained.

"People are interested in hearing other people's stories. Cooking is not a home economics lesson or a geography lesson. People want to feel there is contact. Food only makes sense when you know it is a personal experience.
Then it has some relevance to the person on the other end."

So, in her view, it must not be a fad, but a true human story.

"Trust is essential. Once you lose it, it is gone. Don't do anything that will undermine your relationship with your readers," said Nigella, who has just finished another TV series and another book.

Entrepreneurship

She says it is important to have the right reason for going into business.
It is very important to have somone who can do figures, but who also understands the creative (partner).

"Business is not like a hobby. The business one (partner) must respect the creativity side and the other way round," she added.

"It is about communication. About having a conversation with people. Any business has to communicate with people or it won't work."

She confessed to having eaten boerewors, biltong and malva pudding, is familiar with Mrs Balls Chutney and bobotie, and has tasted SA wine.

"Life is full of challenges. It is the nature of life. Never be afraid of risking failure. It is not the worst thing that could happen to anyone. I believe in following my instinct," she concluded the interview.

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