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

Corporate Shake‑Ups: What SPAR, PIC & SAA Reveal About Leadership

Leadership advisor Andrew Woodburn joins us in studio to unpack the wave of executive and board instability across corporate South Africa — from SPAR’s sudden resignations to governance pressure at the PIC and ongoing turbulence at SAA. We explore succession gaps, interim CEO challenges, board accountability, investor confidence, and the…
20 Aug 1PM 30 min

Inside Exxaro’s 20% HY’26 Earnings Dip: Costs, Coal & the Road Ahead

Exxaro CEO Ben Magara unpacks the miner’s mixed half‑year performance: revenue up 7% and production up 11%, but headline earnings down 20% amid cost pressure and currency effects. We explore record safety results, stronger export volumes, the manganese acquisition, and Exxaro’s long‑term shift toward energy and future‑facing metals.
20 Aug 12PM 16 min

Rustenburg mayor raises alarm over rise in illegal mining

Rustenburg Executive Mayor Sheila Mabale-Huma has raised concerns over the growing threat of illegal mining in the North West town. Her warning follows the deaths of 14 illegal miners and injuries to scores of others at a disused mine in Nkaneng near Rustenburg. The incident has again highlighted the dangerous…
19 Aug 2PM 10 min

South Africans Under Pressure: Inside the Q2 2026 Debt Index

DebtBusters’ Benay Sager breaks down the latest Debt Index, revealing consumers still using 64% of their income to service debt, with high earners needing 103% just to stay afloat. We unpack the surge in unsecured credit, cost‑of‑living shocks, multi‑lender borrowing, and why debt counselling outcomes are improving despite rising financial…
19 Aug 1PM 8 min

DRDGOLD’s Big Year: Earnings Surge & Vision 2028 Takes Shape

DRDGOLD CEO Niël Pretorius unpacks a standout FY2026 performance, with revenue up 42%, operating profit up 83%, and major Vision 2028 infrastructure coming online. We explore production stability, the company’s debt‑free position, dividend uplift, and how new assets like the Daggafontein TSF and DP2 expansion reshape future output.
19 Aug 1PM 15 min