About this speaker
Ishay Govender is an award-winning freelance food, culture and travel journalist and cookbook author. A former lawyer, with an interest in food anthropology, she centres narratives on women and the marginalised and works on expanding the space offered to historically disadvantaged members of society by inviting dialogue to challenge the status quo. Her researched-based cookbook Curry – Stories & Recipes across South Africa (Human & Rousseau) was selected the winner in two categories to represent South Africa, including Best Book Overall at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, May 2018. The book showcases experiences of community cooks and how they’ve come to terms with the past in South Africa, through the lens of a multitude of curry dishes, one of the country’s favourite national dishes. Ishay is the founder of SA POC at the Table (SAPOC) – a group working to expand the network and opportunities for South African and African chefs, cooks, sommeliers and folks of colour in the creative industry such as writers and photographers. She is actively involved in transformation in multiple spheres, from her former work with children’s literacy to food bank initiatives. SAPOC was awarded the inaugural Game Changer award by Eat Out the country’s national restaurant awards in December 2019.
