Africa on a Plate (2014 - 2014)

Host Lentswe Bhengu hits the streets of the townships to experience the spirit of Ubuntu "we are one;" and he'll see firsthand how South Africans share their homebrew, feast with street vendor crowds and grill as a group before taking those lessons home to share them with friends over a platter of meats barbecued his way.

In South Africa’s stunning wine capital, Host Lentswe Bhengu is put to the test at his alma mater and inspired by the the country’s first black-owned winery – adding something from each to his salmon bruschetta and hearty fish stew.

Host and Chef Lentswe Bhengu explores the surf culture in "JBay," voted the 2nd best surf spot in the world and famous for its seafood. Lentswe has an awesome time with his eye on the braai and his feet in the sand.

Host and Chef Lentswe Bhengu is at home planning a traditional Indian meal for his sister in Durban after fulfilling his mission to find out how to make the perfect curry.

Host and Chef Lentswe Bhengu travels to the outskirts of Durban, where he learns more about his own cultural heritage at Phezulu Safari Park. He learns about the Zulu traditional way of life before going on an awesome game drive in the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Lentswe then cooks his version of a traditional Zulu dish.

Lentswe learns how Tanzanians are reinventing their culinary style by visiting Trinity Bar & Restaurant, where he learns how to make a Swahili fusion dish.

Lentswe introduces us to a holiday feast including a turkey made his way.

Lentswe learns about spice history, culture and tea at the House of Spices.

Lentswe has been inspired by people from all walks of life and will share those stories and a meal during this Elders Month special.

Lentswe learns that even though Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, its cuisine is uniquely its own; a fusion of Zanzibari & Mediterranean.

Lentswe visits Stone Town, Zanzibar to learn about the unique spices found on this beautiful coastal island.

Lentswe learns the history of Pemba Island, aka The Green Island, known for its spices, rich fishing grounds and Arab influences.

This Cooking episode provides detailed recipe information from Lentswe's South Africa journey for easy duplication at home!

This special Cooking episode of Africa on a Plate features a look back at the food and culture of Dar es Salaam that inspired Lentswe's east African dishes.

Chef Lentswe Bhengu travels to the most populous city in Africa, Lagos, Nigeria, and takes what he learns from street vendors and restaurant chefs to create a dish of mouth watering moi moi with pan fried mackerel.

Chef Lentswe Bhengu explores the political capital of Nigeria - Abuja - where people love their food hot & spicy, and where he picks up tips for making his own version of Nigerian pepper soup!

Chef Lentswe Bhengu shares the best of both cities he's visited in Nigeria, picking up tips for a savory and spicy version of the country's favorite Jollof rice with a seafood twist!

Back in his cozy seaside kitchen in Cape Town, Chef Lentswe Bhengu takes us through the steps for creating the delicious dishes gathered during his journey through Nigeria's capital city of Abuja and financial mega-metropolis, Lagos.

Chef Zama Memela travels to Marrakech, Morocco, where she explores the ancient souks and market of this mystical and vibrant city, then uses her experience to cook up her version of Marrakech on a plate!

Chef Zama Memela treks up into Morocco's Atlas Mountains where she travels local style by mule learning about the Berber culture and the use of fresh nuts and dates combined into a traditional couscous dish. After indulging in some local street food, and Berber Whiskey, or mint tea, she then heads back to the AOAP kitchen to create her own version of Imlil on a plate!

The historic seaside town of Essaouira is the breathtaking setting for Chef Zama Memela's next adventure. Taking part in a spice tour educates her on the local spices. Whilst in this beautiful city she's invited into the kitchen of La Table Madada, one of the highest rated bistros in town where she encounters the flavours from the Atlantic ocean off the coast of Morocco.

Morocco has so much to offer among it's cuisine, and in this episode Chef Zama Memela is introduced to a marinated salmon and finally, the famed pigeon pie. Spending some time with one of the top chefs in the country, Zama learns about pizzazz and flair when it comes to dish conceptions. Zama also spends some time in a traditional cooking class on the beautiful Moroccan coastline. Back in the AOAP kitchen, Zama creates her version of pigeon pie based on lessons learned along her exotic and mesmerizing journey.

This Cooking episode provides detailed recipe information from Chef Zama Memela's journey through Morocco for easy duplication at home!

Chef Zama Memela is in Lesotho, where the snow shines as does the mountainous country's cuisine featuring fresh river trout and local vegetables. Her adventure begins with a traditional healer divination, and before she dives into the ingredients, Zama shares camaraderie and a dance as she tries the locally brewed beer. Her last stop in Lesotho is at the beautiful Maliba Lodge, where she learns all about cooking locally farmed trout. Then back in the AOAP kitchen, Zama prepares a dish of trout, veggies and South African beer for her version of Lesotho on a plate!

Chef Zama Memela finds herself in Maseru, the capital city of the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. Here she immerses herself into Basotho culture by indulging in a type of street food called chisa nyama, accompanied by wild spinach and maize pap. Then it’s of the soccer crazy restaurant, No.7, where she gets a lesson in flambéed & homegrown sirloin steak, before finally putting all her inspirations into her own recipe back in the AOAP kitchen.