JOHANNESBURG, May 27, 2025: In honour of Africa Day on 25 May, City Lodge Hotels chatted to team members at two of its properties – Town Lodge Roodepoort and Town Lodge Umhlanga – to get their take on how culture and cuisine blend on the plate. We found the kitchens in these hotels, like their homes, alive with the spirit of ubuntu, tradition, and togetherness.

At the heart of Town Lodge Umhlanga is Chef Sanele Zikhali, a passionate and creative force behind the hotel's most-loved dishes. Her Shisa Nyama is a guest favourite, but it’s her journey – from studying education to embracing her true calling as a chef – that truly inspires.

“Although the culinary profession can be physically demanding, it’s incredibly fulfilling,” she says. “Cooking connects me to my childhood, my family, and to our guests.”

For Chef Sanele, traditions like Seven Colours Sunday are more than just meals, they’re moments of joy and family, of coming together after church, of heritage served on a plate. Seven Colours Sunday is a hugely popular feast of vibrant meats, vegetables, and starches, normally prepared and served at leisure with family and friends on a Sunday.

That same spirit is celebrated at Town Lodge Roodepoort, where staff love surprising guests with traditional African dishes that transport them home. The team said a meal like this is nostalgia at its best, a warm, familiar taste that reminds guests they’re in a home away from home.

Stepping out of her office and donning an apron for these special cook-offs is General Manager Roslyn Khumalo, joined by Junior Assistant General Manager Mpho Magampa, and lending a hand to Commis Chef Nosipho Sithole and Chef de Partie Andrew Machaba.

To honour their team and culture, the hotel recently prepared a heartfelt staff lunch. The feast featured a rich variety of traditional dishes, including mogodu (tripe), chicken livers, amanqina (cow heels), izingingila (chicken gizzards), snapper rock fish, amabontshisi (beans), ikhabishi (cabbage), squash, amagwinya (vetkoek), dombolo (steamed bread), and chakalaka.

All dishes were made with easily sourced and inexpensive ingredients, following recipes deeply rooted in memory, and prepared in pots as large as the hearts of those who stirred them. These recipes were passed down from parents, aunts, and grandparents, with the team adding their own personal touches.

While these dishes may not be on the main menus, the range of delicious and hearty meals offered at all 58 properties in the City Lodge Hotels group is prepared by the same hands. They’re serving food that is more than nourishment – it’s a story of identity, unity, and pride.

Celebrating our African heritage is easy!