Lerato is an award winning author, broadcaster and chef, a leading voice in contemporary cooking especially in African cooking. Her debut cookbook Africana: Treasured recipes and stories from across the continent, was published in 2022. 

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Observer Food Monthly Best Of

Gourmand World Awards Winner

A Best Cookbook of 2002 ~ By Diana Henry for The Telegraph

A Best Cookbook of 2022 ~ Delicious Magazine

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Her recipes and immersive feasts are an explosion of flavours especially celebrating diverse African flavours, and their importance in global cuisine. Lerato’s supper clubs, cookery classes and cooking holidays are a go-to for heart-warming stories and feasts that transport food lovers on a delicious adventure. Lerato's recipes and stories have been published in some of the best publications from CondeNastTraveller, The Guardian, BBC Good Food, Delicious Magazine and many more. She is also a panelist on BBC Radio 4 The Kitchen Cabinet and writes ‘Cook With Lerato’, a newsletter where she shares stories and recipes "with a good dose of African magic. She also share her delicious adventures and recipes on instagram.

Inspired by her love for Africa and the glorious foods of the continent, and at a time when African food was far from being a trendy topic, she founded a cookery school to educate and inspire cooks to invite these vibrant flavours into their homes. Her unique style of effortlessly marrying cultures has attracted food lovers and celebrity chefs as guests at her table and global brands for whom she consults, teaches and develops recipes.             

“African cooking is an important part of world history, which should be taught, celebrated and enjoyed across the world.” 

After graduating with a degree in Economics in London just shy of her 18th birthday, she took an unexpected path and started her career in food. Lerato went on to become a TV chef, a breakfast television presenter while writing a column for a national newspaper. She was also the youngest editor at a national newspaper and went on to produce a second cookery show.