Lorna Maseko shares her story with us, from being born in Alexandra, a township in Johannesburg. To the gruelling commitment needed to become not only a trained ballerina but the first black women to dance a principal role in South African theatre, to exploring the media world and being a television host and then most recently becoming a chef and publishing her own cookbook. Who says a woman can't do it all!

Tell us more about yourself?

I grew up in Alexandra township, I started ballet at the age of nine, and was raised to the most amazing parents who were and are always supportive.

What is your most vivid childhood memory?

The most vivid memory of my childhood is the fact that I used to do ballet all the time, so whether it was on school holidays or weekends. I never really had time to play with other friends because I was always at the ballet. I don’t recall ever playing with Barbie dolls or anything like that because my ballet teacher was so vigorous in making sure that everything that we did was centred around ballet.

You are more popularly known for your work on TV. What some may not know, is that you were the first black ballerina to ever dance a principal role in South African theatre. At what point did you decide to become a ballerina? Was it a childhood dream?

Becoming a ballet dancer was quite an interesting journey for my parents and me because we knew nothing about it, so we went into this ‘thing’ completely blind. It was self-discovery for all of us and the good things were that I so happened to be good at it, which was also fantastic. Ballet allowed me to travel the world and see things that I would have normally never seen as a child growing up in a township. It inspired me to want to be better, to achieve my dreams and goals cause I realised the world was so big and I was able to achieve things because I was being introduced to a world I would have normally never been able to know or come across.

I remember my mother putting my ballet shoes in the washing machine because they were dirty, if you know anything about ballet, you know that you never put ballet shoes in the washing machine. This shows you the level of discovery for all of us.

What were some of your challenges and highlights of being a ballerina?

I think the biggest challenge was that I was constantly surrounded by kids that were more well-off than I was, their parents were able to do things that my parents didn’t necessarily mean to do. But I’m really blessed that my parents were with me in my every move and performance.

Some of the challenges that come to mind were the fact that my body was built differently to the other girls, meaning I had to work that much harder to be seen and to achieve excellence. I wanted to ensure that I wasn’t judged or compared by the colour of my skin but because I was really good at the art form. And that you could put me next to any great dancer from around the world and I would give them a run for their money.

How did you branch into television?

I did the first Top Billing Presenter Search and unfortunately, I didn’t win but I got to top ten. Top Billing really opened so many doors for me, which was just absolutely amazing, I travelled around the world, I got to interview the likes of Ed Sheeran, Chris Hemsworth to name a few. I saw places that I would have normally never seen, it was an amazing journey.

How did your journey to become a chef come about? When did your love affair with food start?

I have always loved food, but my journey really started when I took part in Celebrity Master Chef and got to the top six. I remember leaving the competition and thinking to myself, ‘I absolutely love this and want to continue to do it’. That experience truly ignited my passion for food so much more. I love seeing people happy when they eat when they engage on a table and share moments. I always say the food is beyond just a plate, it’s the interaction, it’s the passing of one dish to another person, it’s the laughing of a story shared – it’s truly a memory enjoyed and experienced.

You released your cookbook last year. What has the experience been like?

Releasing my cookbook was absolutely amazing, to have the cookbook win two Gourmand Awards for Best Celebrity Chef and Best International Cookbook is just absolutely phenomenal, particular because it was amongst some of the best chefs from around the world. Writing a book was a self-reflection and having to go back to where I grew up, how I grew up and where I am now, was quite an interesting feat for me because sometimes I think you forget how much you’ve been through and where you are. It was a great experience and I can’t wait to get onto my second book.

Lorna Maseko

Image source: Malwande Nkantini

What’s the most memorable dish you have ever tasted in your entire life?

There are so many, but one that stands out is, my friend Adam Handling’s restaurant called Frog by Adam Handling in London and I was there by myself. Whenever I travel I always make sure I try different restaurants, whether it’s street food or Michelin star, I have to go food exploring. I remember having the most amazing food and was left speechless because it was just so good. My pants were so tight because I’d eaten so much. It was a mind-blowing culinary experience.

What would you say is the biggest misconception about you?

One of the biggest misconceptions I would say is that I think people think I’m a snob, and I’m so not. I’m down to earth, and a tracksuit and sneaker kind of girl. I always have my wig and lashes on but I’d like to think I’m relatable. I am constantly wanting to improve myself and better myself but definitely not a snob.

What's the greatest fear you've had to overcome to get to where you are today?

I think the greatest fear would be the fear of failure, over the years I had to learn that failure is part of success. So if you want to be great you will fail a couple of times and that’s just the unfortunate thing, so failure is not an end but it’s a process and I shouldn’t ever feel that if I fail at something that its over, it really isn’t. Some of the most successful people around the world have failed many times and it took me a while to actually understand that and be ok with that process.

What are some of your proudest achievements?

I would say having an international award-winning, being able to have been on amazing platforms like Taste of London and Taste Dubai, as well as sharing a platform with the likes of Massimo Buttora at the Dubai Gulf Food forum. Being part of a global network of chefs from around the world through Chefs Manifesto where we advocate for food sustainability and change. Having my show The Hostess with Lorna Maseko and being one of the producers was pretty phenomenal as well. There are many things I am super proud of including being a contestant on Celebrity Master Chef, hosting Top Chef South Africa as well as going to America and having a cooking demo on Sister Circle on Cleo TV. These were really great moments and I look forward to celebrating many more.

Do you think the perception of women, both globally and locally, has changed in recent years? What challenges do you think we still face?

I think it's changing not as quickly as it should but the conversations are being had and what I like is that it’s also beyond just conversations. There are actions being done because women have had enough and we’ve reached our threshold and won’t tolerate any more abuse, this is super super important. We still need an advocate for women being in power, we need to advocate for women being leaders, gone are the days where you would expect women to be sitting around with no voice.

What advice or encouraging words can you offer the women of South Africa this Women’s Month?

My words would be to keep going and keep fighting for your dreams and goals. Life is not easy for anyone and change will only happen when you fight for it to happen. When you consciously work towards the things you want they will happen. I always say keep it moving and don’t hold on to things you can’t change. Oh and be fabulous while doing it!

Main image source: Phenyo Keitheile