Pivot Point: From Chef Student to Production House Owner.

Loading player...
Lentswe Bhengu, born and raised in KwaZulu Natal, started off plying his trade in the investment finance space. After 5 years in the industry, Lentswe traded in his suit and tie for a chef hat and spatula and in 2010 and enrolled at The Culinary Academy in the Cape Winelands. After graduating, he quickly made a name for himself in the culinary scene, whipping up memorable creations in the kitchens of some of the finest restaurants. Pretty soon, his talent and passion for cooking opened new doors, one of which saw him embark on a journey to uncover the different tastes of Africa. His media production house has also made strides in digital, managing to successfully meld the kitchen with new media, via a critically acclaimed web series, a South African first.

Chef Lentswe is a food festival, events and expos regular and has had some of his work commissioned abroad. He is also involved in chef organisations that hone and recognise the talents and skills of young, up and coming chefs. Due to his finance background, Lentswe also recently featured in the Digi Series #WeStrat2022Stronger, where he shares his rich knowledge of finance with South Africans to equip them with financial skills and tools to be financially knowledgeable, because with a betterunderstanding of your finances, there is a peace of mind. This is where he made finances palatable while still loving his chef role.
24 Mar 2022 4AM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Opportunities and Risks in the Global Commodity Rally

Oil, copper and agricultural commodities are rallying as geopolitical tensions, climate pressures and energy-transition demand reshape global markets. Kaya Biz speaks to Simon Lacoume of Coface about the opportunities for South Africa's mining sector and the risks posed by rising inflation and food prices
27 Oct 1PM 15 min

African Bank's Next Chapter: From Turnaround to Growth

African Bank has spent years transforming itself from a specialist unsecured lender into a diversified retail and commercial banking group. Kaya Biz speaks to Chairman Thabo Dloti about the bank's evolution, the lessons learned from its acquisition-led growth strategy, leadership stability, and whether African Bank is finally entering the value-creation…
27 Oct 12PM 23 min

Pick n Pay trims it’s first half loss over 30%

Pick n Pay’s latest interim results point to encouraging signs in one of South Africa’s most closely watched retail recovery stories. CEO Sean Summers joins Kaya Biz to discuss improved profitability, Boxer’s standout performance, online sales growth, labour restructuring and the milestones investors should watch as the turnaround plan moves…
26 Oct 1PM 16 min

Beyond the Mini-Budget Speech 2026: Decoding Treasury’s Signals

The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement offers one of the clearest snapshots of South Africa’s fiscal health and economic trajectory. We speak to Deloitte Africa’s Le Roux Roelofse about the key takeaways from Treasury’s latest projections, whether the country is striking the right balance between fiscal discipline and growth, and what…
26 Oct 12PM 16 min

The Mental Health Cost of Financial Stress

Financial stress has emerged as one of the biggest threats to South Africans' mental wellbeing. Dr Rachel Moore, Chief Medical Officer at Mediclinic Southern Africa, discusses the psychological impact of economic pressure, barriers to accessing mental healthcare and what can be done to reduce stigma and improve support.
22 Oct 2PM 12 min