17/09/2026
Chef Makamo is *Andile Somdaka* - South African chef, culinary educator and content creator known as .
Here's what he's about:
*Who he is:*
- Trained professional chef, wears the white coat embroidered with 'South African Chefs Association' and his name.
- On TikTok he has 843k followers and 10M likes, and about 26-28K on Instagram.
- His calling: "This work that we do is not about views and likes, this is a calling! We will tour South Africa and position street food the right way."
*What he does now:*
- *Mentorship & Masterclasses:* Does Nando's cooking masterclasses, speaks to students in chef whites about hospitality diplomas, making culinary skill accessible not intimidating
- *Community outreach:* Travels to rural areas, cooks for families with a cooler bag and open grill, says "This work requires one to be deeply selfless". He also visited Nkomazi in Mpumalanga to meet local food personalities.
- *Brand partner:* Recently celebrated a partnership with Nissan South Africa - surprised with a new Navara PRO-4X Warrior next to his branded Magnite
- *Food for thought content:* His recent viral take - he argues South Africans spend too much on funerals (1000 plates, expensive decor, cattle) leaving families in debt, and calls for simpler programmes and conversations about wishes
- *Future of food debates:* Talks about "Pap in a Tin", frozen pap, tinned chakalaka, air fryers vs. culture, asking if convenience is eroding heritage
People love him for humility. Comments are always "I love your humbleness", "God bless your hustle", and many rural schools asking him to visit.
You want his recipe, contact, or his Kushinda Academy info (31 Beacon Road, Florida North, Roodepoort)
