Podcast Summary: Earn Your Leisure

Episode: How Chef Lorna Built a Global Culinary Brand from South Africa to America

Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: Rashad Bilal & Troy Millings
Guest: Chef Lorna Maseko

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Earn Your Leisure hosts sit down with Chef Lorna Maseko to explore her journey from pioneering ballerina in South Africa to celebrated chef, TV personality, and entrepreneur building a global brand. The conversation covers Lorna's bold career pivots, lessons from moving continents, her approach to food storytelling, the business mechanics of a modern culinary empire, and her mission to bridge cultures through cuisine. The episode is filled with insight, humor, and practical wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Lorna's Origin Story and Career Evolution

• Ballet Beginnings: Lorna recounts how she began as a ballet soloist and was the first dancer of color to perform lead roles such as Don Q, Nutcracker, and Swan Lake in South Africa ([02:20]).

  "I was the first dancer of color to ever do a lead role... after a couple of years, I was like, 'Well, this was interesting... I want to expand my horizons.'"
  — Lorna Maseko [02:41]

• Transition to TV: After dancing, she pivoted into television as a news broadcaster and lifestyle show host, traveling globally and discovering her deep love for food ([02:44]).

• MasterChef & Culinary School: Chef Lorna competed on MasterChef, placing in the Top 6, then spent three months in culinary school before finding real growth by learning on the job and through mentors in the restaurant industry ([04:03]).

  “I hated chef school... I don’t want to read about how to make a souffle. I want to go and make a souffle.”
  — Lorna Maseko [04:21]

The Leap to America: Lessons and Reset

• Big Move to NYC: Lorna describes moving to New York in 2023 to pursue international media and culinary opportunities, calling it a humbling and educational experience ([05:09]).

  “New York teaches you how to hustle… it taught me to live smarter… If you’ve lived in New York, you can live anywhere in the world.”
  — Lorna Maseko [07:37]

• Finding Home in Atlanta: After two years, Lorna realized she wasn’t a New Yorker and felt a stronger connection to Atlanta, drawn by “Black excellence and southern hospitality” similar to Johannesburg ([06:06]).

Culinary Identity & Food Philosophy

• Global Storytelling Through Food: Lorna avoids strict definitions, blending South African roots with global inspiration:

  “I like to create food that tells a story, that reminds us how connected we are through food.”
  — Lorna Maseko [09:55]

• Universal Food Connections: She draws parallels between fried doughs in different cultures and highlights the global interconnectedness of traditional dishes ([09:49]).

  “It’s a maguing in South Africa, beignet in France, donut in America, puff puff in Ghana... it’s the same thing.”
  — Lorna Maseko [09:55]

• Favorite Traditional Food Countries (Top 5) ([11:46]):

  • Thai
  • South Africa (Cape Town)
  • Japanese
  • Indian (especially in London, Durban, New York)
  • Nigerian / Ethiopian

The Business of Being a Celebrity Chef

• Brand Building: Lorna explains her ecosystem approach – private events, supper clubs, cookware lines, condiments, and TV projects ([16:58]).

  “I like to say I’m creative, but very entrepreneurial at the same time… it’s about owning the ecosystem completely… I want you to get into your kitchen and have everything, Lorna.”
  — Lorna Maseko [16:58]

• U.S. Focused Expansion: Despite brief forays into the UK, America was always her primary market, even as a solo entrepreneur without family support in the U.S. ([19:17]).

• Networking & Hustle: She leverages relentless networking, asking questions, and not fearing “no” to open doors and land opportunities like Invest Fest and South African Airways partnerships ([20:25]).

Lorna's Pantry: Cooking Good Food on a Budget

• Show’s Origin: Inspired by her struggle to live and eat well on a budget in NYC, Lorna turned frugal gourmet cooking into the TV show "Lorna's Pantry" ([15:04]).

  “How do you take basic ingredients and elevate them? Because I still want to eat good, but I don’t want to spend too much money.”
  — Lorna Maseko [15:04]

The Supper Club Model (Ekaya Dining)

• Concept: An exclusive, rotating supper club ("Ekaya" meaning "home" in Zulu) offering intimate pop-up dining experiences in different cities, using existing restaurant spaces in off-hours ([21:36]-[25:16]).
• Business Strategy: Limited seating (20-30 guests), premium pricing ($185-$250 per ticket depending on city), culinary and cultural fusion, wine partnerships, and experiential scarcity drive demand ([23:31], [29:03]).
• Menu Philosophy: Each pop-up offers a unique, fixed tasting menu, often collaborations with other chefs and specialty wine pairings ([26:50]).

Culinary Aspirations & Culture

• Michelin Star Ambition: Lorna aspires to become a Michelin-starred chef, viewing it as both personal validation and a symbol for aspiring chefs from Africa ([41:08]).

  “As a Black female chef from the continent, it would be insanely epic.”
  — Lorna Maseko [41:08]

• Recognition vs. Authentic Impact: While striving for accolades, she reflects on legacy and redefining what "success" means, balancing external validation and intrinsic fulfillment ([42:32]).

  “If I don’t get it, that’s okay... From the township that I’m from, to be able to open a space and say, I have a restaurant or a supper club in America… you did something already.”
  — Lorna Maseko [43:52]

Social Media & Brand Perception

• Role of Social: Acknowledges the importance and illusion of social media:

  “A lot of social media is smoke and mirrors… it’s all perception. How you show up is how people are going to receive you.”
  — Lorna Maseko [36:51]

South Africa: Culture, Opportunity, and Diaspora Links

• SA vs. U.S. Food Scene: Calls out New York as the top American food city for diversity, competition, and quality; sees Atlanta as growing with much potential ([39:19]).
• SA's Allure: Praises South Africa as vibrant, affordable, and full of opportunity:

  “South Africa is beautiful… incredible, vibrant country. The people are absolutely incredible, kind, amazing… so much to do at a fraction of the price.”
  — Lorna Maseko [45:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 02:41 | "I was the first dancer of color to ever do a lead role… I wanted to expand my horizons." | Lorna Maseko | | 07:37 | "New York teaches you how to hustle… smarter… If you’ve lived in New York, you can live anywhere." | Lorna Maseko | | 09:55 | "I like to create food that tells a story… reminds us how connected we are through food." | Lorna Maseko | | 19:58 | "You are the team." | Host 2 | | 21:36 | “It’s called Ekaya dining. Ekaya means home… I want food to feel like you’re coming to my home." | Lorna Maseko | | 29:10 | "In Atlanta, they’ve been $185; in New York, $250 [per supper club ticket]." | Lorna Maseko | | 36:51 | "A lot of social media is like smoke and mirrors… but it’s a really good medium to use." | Lorna Maseko | | 41:08 | "As a Black female chef from the continent, it would be insanely epic [to win a Michelin]." | Lorna Maseko | | 43:52 | "From the township that I’m from, to be able to open a space in America… you did something already." | Lorna Maseko | | 45:09 | “South Africa is beautiful… the people are absolutely incredible, kind, amazing.” | Lorna Maseko |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Lorna’s early journey & ballet: [02:20]-[03:43]
• Culinary roots & MasterChef: [03:43]-[05:06]
• Move to America & NYC lessons: [05:09]-[08:17]
• Cookbook & Culinary Identity: [08:19]-[09:55]
• Top 5 Global Traditional Foods: [11:24]-[14:18]
• Lorna’s Pantry & Food on a Budget: [15:04]-[16:41]
• Business of being a celebrity chef: [16:41]-[18:56]
• Navigating U.S. solo, networking: [19:17]-[21:35]
• Supper club business model: [21:36]-[29:10]
• First date food price debate & caviar chat: [29:10]-[31:41]
• Atlanta vs. New York food scenes: [37:42]-[41:06]
• Michelin star discussion & legacy: [41:06]-[43:52]
• South Africa’s uniqueness: [45:00]-[47:11]
• Lorna’s approach: ‘Just ask’ philosophy: [47:39]-[49:09]

Tone & Original Language

Lorna Maseko speaks with humor, candor, and relentless optimism. She’s self-deprecating, honest about struggles, but always solution-oriented. Her focus: storytelling, celebrating connectedness, and building a multi-faceted business without limits—an energy echoed by the hosts’ uplift and curiosity.

Conclusion

This in-depth episode chronicles Lorna Maseko’s transformation from a ballet prodigy to a globally-minded culinary entrepreneur. It offers practical insight into building a multifaceted brand, highlights the power of networking and initiative, and celebrates the universal language of food as a bridge between cultures. Chef Lorna inspires with her ambition, adaptability, and mission to show that the path from South Africa to international acclaim can be blazed—one innovative dish and bold pitch at a time.

Connect with Chef Lorna Maseko:

• Instagram: @lornamaseko
• Twitter/X: @lawns_maseko
• TikTok: @lornamasekoeats
• Follow her Ekaya Dining Supper Club for updates.