Inside The Head of Chef Mongezi Nzeku: The Curious Q&A with Lesotho’s King of Pizza

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Everything is going fast. From the internet to cars to people, nobody has the time for anything that is time consuming. This is why Chef Mongezi Nzeku of Naleli decided to create fast food recipes with a healthy twist.

If you are looking for spicy noodles, chicken or even pizza, stop by at The Chef’s Magic Delights and get a delicious meal at an affordable price.

For now let’s get know the mastermind of the mouth-watering delicacies you are about to see.

Can you tell us about yourself, include details about your academic qualifications.

My name is Mongezi Nzeku. I am a 28-year-old man who is originally from Botha-Bothe although I reside in Naleli now. I studied Hospitality Management at Vaal University of Technology as well as Dona At Balos Chef School & Hospitality. I currently hold a Diploma in Culinary Arts and I work at The Chef’s Magic Delights Situated in Naleli.

What inspired your love for cooking?

Growing up, I used to watch my grandmother cook our meals and I was always curious to learn how a meal is put together. I watch her cook, bake and can fruits – that is where I fell in love with cooking.

I also enjoy watching Food Channels because I believe that people can experience the delicious food from all over the world with the correct ingredients in their mouths! Watching the best chefs gave me inspiration to become the person I am today because their different approaches to cooking gave me a variety of methods to cook.

What inspires the food you cook at your restaurant?

I am a big lover of good spices in food. This is why I choose to infuse different flavors adapted from different cultures into one dish. My plate of food can literally have Italian flavour with a twist of Mexican flavor and Chinese at the same time.

I believe that this desire to incorporate different flavors inspires every dish I make because I want my customers to experience something that is mind-blowing so that they come back for more.

Give us an overview of what your menu looks like and tell us which dish is a customer favorite.

As I said, we are big on flavor. It is for this reason that we serve dishes like pizza, pasta dishes that are of different flavors, rice dishes, burgers and stews. As brief as these sounds, I assure you, each dish comes with different types.

For example, we have vegetable pizza, beef, bacon, chicken and many more. The reason for this is to allow customers an opportunity to enjoy different kinds of the same dish. Similarly, with the pasta dishes, we have chilli pasta, barbecue and many more. The most loved dish is the pizza, I guess people love the meaty decadence that is one each slice!

What are some of the significant wins you have had in your journey as a Chef?

I have had the opportunity to travel and work at one of the top hotels in Ghana: Royal Nick Hotel. It was at that place that I watched myself grow as not just a Chef but as a person as well.

I learnt the tricks one needs to have in order to make an African cuisine memorable and I learnt a lot from my co-chefs. It was indeed a memorable experience.

Would you say you have a sentimental attachment to food? If so, why?

Absolutely! Cooking is like my daemon. I love what I do because the kitchen is the one place I get a chance to create what I call ‘effortless art.’ I love who I am in the kitchen and I love that someone who was close to me as a child gave this gift to me. My eyes literally light up when I cook and if I keep talking about my love for food, I am afraid we might not finish.

Lastly, where can customers reach you?

I suggest that they reach the restaurant through the official Facebook page which is The Chef’ Magic Delights. They will also find my numbers there and a detailed menu of our food. We do deliveries around Maseru.

And Oh, Chef Mongezi, what is your favorite meal?

(laughs)  Simple – it’s Beef Wellington

BELOW IS A SNEAK PEEK INTO THE MENU AT THE CHEF’S DELIGHTS:

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Grace Makwaza
Grace is an uprising youth activist who uses her voice to inspire and inform. She has worked internationally as the Deputy Secretary General with Model UN Impact. This is where she advocated for youth inclusivity in the implementation of the SDGs and further launched projects such as PHAHAMA MOSALI. She is currently the youngest SDGs Ambassador for the internationally renowned Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge.