Q&A WITH SINOYOLO SIFO


He’s Sinoyolo Sifo at home and The Cooking Husband online... and he’s found his way to foodie fame.


Sinoyolo Sifo spent his childhood days helping out in his father’s butchery on their farm near Mthatha, Eastern Cape. Sifo, as he’s known, was one of the many siblings and developed a love for cooking while preparing meals for his family.

Later on, he cooked up a romance with Nondumiso (now his wife), who name inspired him to start his Instagram page, The Cooking Husband, in 2020. His meals whipped up a growing audience – men who he hopes will follow his lead – and resulted in a collation of his easy but appetising recipes in a cookbook titled Sifo: The Cooking Husband (Penguine Random House).

Q: SHARE THREE TIPS WITH HUSBANDS WHO WANT TO IMPRESS IN THE KITCHEN…
A:
Grab my cookbook [laughs] or any other guide to help you navigate your way around. Two: join your wife when she’s cooking and observe how she does things. She’ll appreciate the help, too. Lastly, don’t be afraid to explore on your own. Try new things out – start small if you’re nervous – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you can do.

Q: YOU HAVE 240K+ FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM. WHEN (AND HOW) DID THAT HAPPEN?
A:
My wife grew tired of me posting my meals on my personal page and suggested I start a new, food-focused profile. We came up with the name and concept together, and I just started posting about what I love: cooking! I started growing an audience; I worked hard thanks to my wife’s motivation and people believing in me. And then when I started doing brand partnerships, TV appearances and interviews, my audience grew even more.

Q: DOES YOUR WIFE EVER COOK?!
A:
[Laughs] She does! She keeps us fed during the week – I’m a pharmacist by trade so my days are busy. When I have time on weekends, I prepare our meals.

Q: ANY OTHER TALENTS YOU HAVE HIDDEN?
A:
I’m a sports person – I enjoy playing rugby. I used to sing when I was younger... I don’t know if the skill is still there, but I was recently invited to a choir session at work and I think it went well. [He says this is all, but he’s modest and we’re guessing there are many other talents he doesn’t talk about!]

Q: WHAT’S NEXT ON YOUR CAREER MENU?
A:
I’m hoping to trial cooking classes, starting in Durban and Cape Town (where most of my followers are) that aim to empower men in the kitchen. I’d use cooking as a tool to create a ‘men’s conference’ of sorts – a space where men can interact, open up and talk about the things we don’t always share with others. I’d also like to offer couples’ cooking classes, as I’ve found that me helping out in the kitchen has really impacted my marriage positively. My biggest goal is to open a restaurant for people to taste my food, but I’ll start small with a food truck, perhaps...

FOLLOW SINOYOLO
X: @Cyffo

Interview: Shani Tsai
Photo: Siyabonga Sokhela

Q&A WITH SINOYOLO SIFO Q&A WITH SINOYOLO SIFO Reviewed by Amaarah on September 12, 2024 Rating: 5
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