Beyond the recipes and viral videos is a husband, entrepreneur, and storyteller using food to challenge stereotypes, celebrate culture, and bring people closer together.
Sifo The Cooking Husband has built one of South Africa’s most trusted food communities by doing something simple yet powerful: making the kitchen feel like a space for everyone.
As TJR 100 Creators continues, we spotlight Sinoyolo Sifo – who has turned everyday cooking into a movement.
Last Netflix show you watched?
I will find you
Last song you added to your playlist?
Thando Zide- Usana
One ingredient you always keep in your kitchen?
Garlic
Coffee or tea?
Definitely Coffee
Your content has challenged the stereotype that the kitchen is a woman’s space. Have you noticed a shift in how South African men view cooking since you started creating content?
Absolutely, and it’s been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. My cooking journey started with one goal; getting more men to cook and show up for their partners in the kitchen.
Now, seeing that actually happen is the most rewarding part. I regularly get DMs from guys thanking me, sharing how they now enjoy cooking. More guys are getting more involved in the kitchen and it is really beautiful to witness. My cookbooks also assist in achieving this.
You wear many hats; creator, cookbook author, entrepreneur, TV personality, and brand partner. How do you stay organised while running what is essentially a growing media business?
Honestly? It is not easy but I try my best to be well organised. I’ve had to accept that I can’t hold everything in my head, so I’m deliberate about planning, utilising content calendars, managing deliverable timelines, partnership deadlines and setting reminders.
I treat this like the business it is. But the other side of that is knowing my own rhythms. I know when I’m most creative, when I need to be in production mode, and when I need to step back completely. And lastly my wife Nondumiso helps me to stay organised.
Many people think content creation is a one-person job. Who is on Team Sifo today, and what have you learned about trusting others to help build your brand?
Team Sifo is actually not that big, just me, my assistant, my accountant and my wife (Manager). Occasionally I will have a videographer and legal team to review my contracts.
I know content creation looks like one person on camera, but there’s always a team behind the frame. Learning to trust my team has helped my brand grow. Let people do what they are good at, this then gives me time to focus on my craft.
Holding everything tightly doesn’t make you a better creator. Letting the right people in is what allows you to grow.
With multiple income streams; from brand partnerships and cookbooks to experiences like Cooked by Fire and your digital platforms; how has your approach to financial management evolved over the years?
I used to not be that good when it comes to managing my finances — all thanks to my wife, she instilled in me good financial principles which have made me better at managing my business finances. Also, bringing my accountant into my business has helped me manage my finances better.
What’s evolved most is my understanding of the value of my craft; knowing what my name, my audience, and my creative output are worth, and not discounting that just because an opportunity sounds exciting. A good deal has to make sense on paper and feel right for the brand.
Through Sifo Travels, you’ve experienced different parts of South Africa. Which culture has surprised you the most when it comes to food, and what dish completely exceeded your expectations?
KwaZulu-Natal continues to surprise me. Zulu cuisines are very flavourful yet very simple. The one that surprised me the most was Isigwaqane (Bean and maize meal mixture), I did trust that it would taste that good.
Africa has one of the richest culinary histories in the world. Is there a particular African country or cuisine you’re eager to explore next, and why does it intrigue you?
My top 5 are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Namibia, Morocco and Egypt.
They have interesting cuisines, food culture and different methods of cooking, which I would definitely love to try. Travelling helps me to learn about other people’s culture and cuisine. It also helps me to try out different flavours.
You’ve built a community of over 600,000 people who don’t just watch your recipes, they trust your recommendations and follow your journey. How do you protect that trust when deciding which brands to work with?
I ask myself one question: would I use this if no one was watching? If the answer is no, the conversation ends there. My audience isn’t naive — they can tell the difference between a creator who genuinely believes in something and one who’s just collecting a cheque.
I’ve turned down partnerships that would’ve paid well because the product didn’t align with who I am or my brand. For me, there must be a genuine alignment when partnering with a brand and not just a transaction partnership. Once you lose trust with your community, no brand deal is worth what you’ve given up.
When people look back at Sifo The Cooking Husband ten years from now, what do you hope they’ll remember you for beyond the recipes?
I hope they remember that I made people feel like cooking was for them — whoever they are, wherever they come from. I want them to remember me as that husband who followed his passion and shared his love for cooking with the rest of the world.
A guy from the Eastern Cape who challenged the gender stereotypes surrounding male figures in the kitchen, who motivated other guys to cook for their partners, a guy who loved meat, and one of the South African food pioneers who played an important role in the country’s culinary industry. A husband who loved his wife unconditionally.
I want the legacy to be that a South African man, a former pharmacist, decided to show up fully as himself — and that it was more than enough. The recipes will outlive me. But what I really hope outlives me is the idea that food is love made visible, and that anyone can offer that to the people around their table.
Who do you want us to feature next? Nominate them here!
The Joburg Reporter 
Leave a comment