Mmule Setati’s recipe for identity, healing and community

In South Africa, the Mail & Guardian highlights the profound impact of food beyond mere sustenance, as exemplified by Mmule Setati's Feed My Tribe initiative. Setati's journey from a corporate communications background to a culinary entrepreneur underscores a powerful narrative of self-discovery and purpose, a theme that resonates deeply within the South African context where food is intrinsically linked to culture, community, and identity.

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I always thought I would be a millionaire by 30. I’m going to be on the Forbes list as an executive. What I would be doing exactly, I had no clue but I knew that’s where I was going to end up. Food was never it.

Feed My Tribe transcends the conventional understanding of a recipe platform. It is framed as a space for introspection and reconnection, offering a pathway for individuals to find themselves through the act of cooking and eating. This focus on the emotional and psychological dimensions of food speaks to a broader cultural understanding in South Africa, where shared meals are often central to social cohesion and familial bonds.

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But when I look back now, the one thread that has always been there in my life is food. Even when I didn’t choose it, it kept choosing me in different ways.

The article emphasizes Setati's ability to demystify cooking, making it accessible and enjoyable even for novices. This is particularly relevant in a post-lockdown world where many individuals rediscovered their kitchens out of necessity. Setati’s approach, as presented by the Mail & Guardian, offers a solution not just for meal preparation but for fostering connection and well-being, a perspective that aligns with a desire for deeper human connection often sought in contemporary South African society.

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When I started, it was just my friends asking me for recipes after they’d come over. People would say: ‘Please send me that thing you made’ and I thought let me just create a platform where I can put everything. So whenever I cook at night for my family, I post it there. It was never a business at first. It was just passion.

What makes Setati's story particularly compelling from a South African viewpoint is its reflection of resilience and innovation. Emerging from a conventional career path to build a meaningful enterprise centered on a fundamental human activity, Setati embodies a spirit of entrepreneurship that is both inspiring and deeply rooted in cultural values. The Mail & Guardian's coverage positions her not just as a chef, but as a storyteller and healer, using food as her medium.

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People have a very strange relationship with food. We assume everyone loves cooking but they don’t. A lot of people don’t like it or they don’t know where to start. And during Covid, everyone was forced into the kitchen.