I research, publish and broadcast and curate exhibitions on the topic of African indigenous and heritage ingredients, cooking methods, recipes and food culture. Most of my recent work has been focused on Southern Africa but I have previously worked on Central and West African culinary culture and history. I often examine how food and health interact past and present. I have published in academic journals and in the popular press. I put together the 100 Flavours: South Africa's most iconic tastes exhibition at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. My food history book: Hunger for Freedom: the story of Food in the Life of Nelson Mandela won a gold medal at the World Gourmand Cookbook Awards. I was recently the historical food consultant for Shaka Ilembe TV show and a recipient of the Culinary Historians of New York research grant (for a project on the symbolic significance of Zulu heritage bananas in KZN).