From Durban with love: Chef Ollie Stewart’s cookbook is your ticket to a taste adventure
Food has an incredible way of connecting people, cultures and memories.
For South African chef Ollie Stewart, cooking is more than just a profession it’s a passion project infused with nostalgia, family traditions, and a deep love for real, honest food.
“Independent Media Lifestyle“ sat down with Stewart to chat about his newly launched ”Freestyle Cooking“ cookbook, his love for Durban cuisine, and why he believes the best meals aren’t about impressing but about bringing people together through flavour.
From Durban streets to the kitchen
Growing up in Durban, Stewart was surrounded by bold and spicy flavours, thanks to his father, who made a legendary Durban curry every week.
“My dad taught me the sticks and stones the spices,” Stewart recalls.
He used to layer flavours like a pro, starting with toasting whole spices, adding onions and aromatics, and then carefully introducing ground spices to bring out the depth of taste. That layering technique changed the way I saw cooking.”
And it’s exactly that approach of layering flavours, respecting ingredients, and cooking with a heart that shaped Stewart’s culinary philosophy.
After years of perfecting his craft, Stewart finally launched his cookbook, a passion project that’s been years in the making. But don’t expect over-the-top, fine-dining dishes with ingredients you can’t pronounce.
“This book is about real food - food that people can actually cook at home. There’s no unnecessary complexity, just good, wholesome meals that are packed with love and flavour.”
The cookbook is divided into six chapters, each with a unique theme. There’s even a signature cocktail for each chapter, because what’s a good meal without a great drink?
One standout is the Pineapple Mascarita, a frozen cocktail perfect for Durban’s sunny days. “It’s so fresh, frozen, and blended with ice it’s a summer essential.”
One of the book’s most exciting chapters is “Gone Surfing”, which is all about cooking on the road think braais, simple yet flavourful dishes, and meals that bring people together after a long day at the beach.
“There’s an incredible braaied lamb chops recipe in there. It’s simple but packed with flavour. That’s the essence of South African cooking taking good ingredients and letting them shine.”
Another highlight? A golden cashew butter chicken that’s rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying.
“Even the Indian aunties in Durban would be impressed,” he laughs.
Food that tells a story
For Stewart, food isn’t just about taste, it’s about memory.
“There’s a pasta dish in the book that was inspired by a random restaurant meal I had years ago.
“I had this crazy memory flashback when I made a roasted red pepper dip, and it took me straight back to that dish. So I recreated it a roasted red pepper, tomato cream pasta with black mushrooms, basil, parmesan and black pepper. It’s a banger.”
Every dish in the book carries a story, a personal connection, and a lesson.
“Each chapter teaches something whether it’s about layering flavours, respecting ingredients, or just enjoying the process.”
Cooking for love, not for show
With so many modern chefs trying to reinvent the wheel, Stewart believes in keeping things simple.
“Chefs these days are trying too hard to impress. But cooking is about love, about sharing, about putting on music, opening a bottle of wine, and having fun in the kitchen. That’s the real essence of food.”
His wife, for example, is obsessed with one particular dish from the book, a master stock pork belly inspired by Chinese cooking.
“It’s slow-cooked to perfection with cinnamon, Chinese fennel, orange, and soy, served with sticky rice. It’s next level.”
For those eager to get their hands on Stewart’s passion project, the cookbook is available at Exclusive Books and other major bookstores across South Africa. It’s also heading to London’s WHSmith, spreading a taste of Durban beyond our shores.
“Cooking connects people. Whether you’re in Durban, Cape Town, Jozi, or even across the world, food is something that brings us together,” he says. “And that’s what makes it so epic.”