Nelson Mandela's Personal Chef, Xoliswa Ndoyiya, Collects Leader's Fave Recipes In New Book

Nelson Mandela's Personal Chef Collects Leader's Favorite Recipes In New Book
TO GO WITH STORY BY JEAN LIOU Nelson Mandela's personal cook Xoliswa Ndoyiya poses on December 14, 2011 in Johannesburg after the release of her cookbook entitled 'Ukutya Kwasekhaya: Tastes from Nelson Mandela's Kitchen' featuring the former South African President's favourite food. The book is a collection of recipes that Xoliswa has prepared for Mandela and his family for over 20 years. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN (Photo credit should read STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images)
TO GO WITH STORY BY JEAN LIOU Nelson Mandela's personal cook Xoliswa Ndoyiya poses on December 14, 2011 in Johannesburg after the release of her cookbook entitled 'Ukutya Kwasekhaya: Tastes from Nelson Mandela's Kitchen' featuring the former South African President's favourite food. The book is a collection of recipes that Xoliswa has prepared for Mandela and his family for over 20 years. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN (Photo credit should read STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images)

Even Nelson Mandela has a sweet tooth.

At 94, South Africa’s most famous head of state still likes to indulge in dessert.

“He’ll be discouraging the children, saying fruit should be the only thing that you can eat,” says his longtime personal chef Xoliswa (pronounced Ko-lees-wah) Ndoyiya.

But serve Malva pudding — a baked treat topped with ice cream or custard — or strawberry trifle and the former political powerhouse “just eats it up.”

Ndoyiya, a Queenstown native, has been cooking for Mandela since 1992. Her job interview consisted of just one question: “Can you cook our home food?”

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