Sonia Cabano

Sonia Cabano lives in Cape Town and works as a professional speaker, freelance cook and food writer. Her work is characterised by her passion for local food and culture, especially South Africa’s shared culinary heritage. As a specialist food writer, Sonia has written four popular cookbooks, three of which were published by Random House Struik between 2009 and 2012. The titles of her books are: ‘Kombuis’ (LAPA 2007); ‘Easy: Simple and Delicious’; ‘Relish: Easy sauces, seasonings and condiments to make at home’ and ‘Luscious Vegetarian’. She is also a freelance cookbook editor and translator. Sonia has written on a wide variety of topics, including celebrity interviews, food and cooking, interiors, travel, nutrition, health and healing, and social issues such as food security and urban renewal. She was nominated for a Mondi award for one of her articles in a Sunday newspaper supplement. Sonia is currently researching local African food culture and cooking, with a view to develop her concept into a television series. She describes herself as ‘a passionate champion of local artisan producers, someone who strives to bring across the message of living in harmony with nature, of supporting and respecting the honest smaller regional producers who are writing South Africa’s culinary history.’ As an accomplished, versatile freelance chef with more than 25 years’ experience in the UK and South Africa, Sonia is in demand as a professional caterer, private personal chef, demonstration cook and workshop facilitator. She is a sought-after public speaker at corporate events, with a vivacious and humorous presentation. Sonia is a recipe and product developer for corporate and private clients, and acts as menu consultant for small businesses. She was the presenter of a hugely popular TV cooking and travel series, Pampoen tot Perlemoen, which has had many repeats on KykNET and SABC2, with 52 episodes recorded and broadcast since 2002. For this she won the prestigious Stone Award as lifestyle presenter. She has made many television appearances, including live broadcasts on breakfast shows Ontbytsake and Expresso.