Having garnered numerous accolades for her fine dining restaurant, SIBA, which is located within the prestigious five-star Table Bay Hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Siba Mtongana, celebrity chef, television presenter and author, is now shortlisted for the 2025 Canadian Global Awards.
The restaurateur and food expert showcases traditional South African food through her various platforms.Growing up in Mdantsane in the Buffalo City Metro, where her mother would make traditional dishes like umfino, umphokoqo and umgqusho, Mtongana fell in love with cooking, turning homegrown produce into enjoyable food. She transformed this passion into a career and shared it with the world.
MEC for the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Sibulele Ngongo, said that this acknowledgement and appreciation are also for the child who is a follower and a fan of Siba’s work, who sees themselves in her, and who now appreciates that hard work and following one’s passion pay even beyond one’s wildest dreams.
“We are beyond elated to hear the exciting news that our very own chef, entrepreneur, culinary expert and connoisseur in food has been recognised and shortlisted for the Canadian Global Awards. This international recognition is worth all the applause, and it is a signature note of hard work, dedication and sheer love of the work Siba Mtongana does. “We are applauding this acknowledgement because we also know that Ms Mtongana is the Eastern Cape’s truest ambassador, carrying our aspirations through her love for food and beyond. Congratulations,” she said.
