Author Sally-Ann Partridge, who writes for film industry publication The Call Sheet, caught up with chef, author and television producer Justin Bonello recently to trace the history of TV show and new cookbook.
Justin Bonello is the Creative Director of Cooked in Africa Films, a production company that produces local television series mostly for the international market. The company has a wide variety of shows including Cooked in Africa, a cooking show that sees him travelling to interesting locations around South Africa, and preparing the local favourites while he’s there. As well as being the director, Justin is also the presenter of Cooked in Africa. In fact he’s also the driver, PA and cook. “Everybody does their part when were filming,” he says, “to produce television content in South Africa, you have to be really quick on your feet and think out of the box… otherwise you’re dead in the water.”
It all started in 2003 while he was watching an episode of Jamie Oliver and he realized that food was for him, so much more than just recipes. Soon after that he and friend Dale Rodkin decided to shoot a pilot episode based on the unique South African lifestyle. “We sent it off to, in amongst others, the BBC and had a positive response in two weeks. The rest, is history.”
The series was entirely self-financed. Justin, who says he’s not happy unless he’s on the road shooting, was not going to be outdone by the lack of support locally for export orientated producers. He and his business partners used their innovation to get the job done and today Cooked In Africa Films has delivered its 5th series. “We make large portion of our money through overseas sales,” he explains, “but every day is hard – we’re competing in a market that has thousands of producers… we have to make ourselves stand out.”
There is little surprise as to why Cooked in Africa is such a success. Justin is a natural in front of the camera and a seemingly effortless cook, who works almost unconsciously while he presents. “I’m used to preparing big portions. For me, food is about family and friends and sharing experiences,” he explains, “and I’m always the one doing it because I love it, the alchemy of food and friends… and that comes across and is I guess why the series is so popular. All I really do is celebrate a South African way of life.”
Penguin Books approached the company last year to do a cookbook based on the show, and Justin immediately handed over a 40 page draft. “We had been trying to publish our book for five years, so we already had something to show them,” he says gleefully. Justin has plans for a second book, based on his travels in Africa and Getaway to Africa, a travel show by Cooked in Africa Films.
The Cooked in Africa cookbook is already number 8 on the bestseller list and is being brilliantly supported locally. Exclusive Books has put it on the The List 2009 and Woolworths is stocking it on their shelves. You can see Justin cooking up a storm in their commercials over the festive season, a fact that certainly won’t hurt book sales.
Justin is about to start filming the 4th and 5th installments of Cooked, as well as the second season of Getaway to Africa.
Watch this space.
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