What’s the Difference? A Woolies Food Podcast

What does authenticity taste like? For siblings Danillo and Chiara Turilli, it’s their late dad’s ragù, 72-hour fermented pizza al taglio, and occasionally swearing at one another in Italian.  In this emotional episode, Chiara cries several times, tells stories about how the siblings fought in Rome, and Dani compliments her on public record for the first time ever. Iconic.   The founders of Lello’s Trattoria, Aperitivo Bar and Caffè share how growing up in restaurants shaped their food philosophy, why you won’t find flat whites on their menu, and how a heartbreak-fuelled renovation became one of Cape Town’s most beloved Italian spaces.   Plus, Thulisa Martins, Senior Product Developer at Woolworths, joins The Cold Seat to explain how San Marzano tomatoes are now grown locally from imported Italian seeds… and why authentic products must still be imported.   New episodes every Wednesday   Brought to you by Woolworths   Produced by POP24    Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true   Our legal team wants you to read this disclaimer: ⁠https://bit.ly/4s4MKux   Learn more about Lello’s: https://www.instagram.com/lellosdeli/?hl=en   See more from Chiara: https://www.instagram.com/chiaraturilli/?hl=en   And Dani: https://www.instagram.com/danillo_turilli/?hl=en  

On this week’s What’s the Difference episode, hosts Sibongile Mafu and Steve Steinfeld take a journey through Chef Wandile Mabaso’s career. From ‘playing’ with food at home in Soweto to sweating it out in New York’s toughest Michelin-starred kitchens, he’s back in South Africa and quietly building his own empire. As the chef-owner of Les Creatif in Johannesburg, he’s doing more than changing the menu. He’s reshaping kitchen culture, mentoring young chefs, and creating space for more diversity in fine dining. He also shares: The unique experience of creating his own champagne brand in Champagne, France. His cacao project that brings a deeper connection to chocolate-making and storytelling through food How he mastered French techniques in order to celebrate African flavours Plus, Woolworths senior development chef, Sharon Mbonambi, talks about the challenges of introducing South African dishes to the Woolies market. From amagwinya to idombolo, she’s blazing a trail to make heritage foods available nationwide.  New episodes on Wednesdays Brought to you by Woolworths Produced by POP24 Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true Our legal team wants you to read this disclaimer: ⁠https://bit.ly/4s4MKux Les Créatifs Restaurant: https://lescreatifs.co.za/ Chef Wandile Mabaso: https://www.instagram.com/chef_wandilemabaso/?hl=en

Eat Out Woolworths Trailblazer Award winner Bertus Basson joins us for an honest and entertaining chat about modern South African cuisine. From working in London to running his own restaurants, including the innovative Eike, we get the skinny on his famous beef-tallow “courtship candles” and why he proudly defends the bones in proudly South African snoek. In this episode, he: Shares the philosophy behind his restaurants, including Eike, where indigenous ingredients meet contemporary techniques, and nostalgia inspires innovation. His time working in London and how it prepared him for the restaurant industry.  Tells the story behind his famous beef-tallow “courtship candles,” why he proudly defends the bones in snoek Plus, Zandile Finxa, Product Developer: Ambient Cakes & Special Occasions shares their favourite lesser known product and how Woolies champions indigenous ingredients.  New episodes on Wednesdays Brought to you by Woolworths  Produced by POP24   Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true Our legal team wants you to read this disclaimer: ⁠https://bit.ly/4s4MKux Learn more about Bertus here: https://bertusbasson.com/

Africa Melane may wake South Africa up on 702 and CapeTalk, but what fuels his day? The MC and radio legend gives us a glimpse into his remarkable life and his deep love for food. From waking up at 2:30 am to host the Early Breakfast Show, to serving as chairperson of the Cape Town City Ballet, Africa shows that he’s far more than just a voice on the airwaves. The conversation is filled with warmth and nostalgia as Africa shares childhood memories of: His grandmother’s legendary liver cakes. The breakfast ritual he refuses to skip and reveals some of the dishes he loves to cook at home from slow-braised lamb shank to an indulgent Guinness chocolate cake.  His reputation as a certified food snob and shares a funny, brutally honest story about his lifelong condensed milk trauma. Plus, Developer: Central Innovation Projects, Khanyisile Mbude-Williams, shares how Woollies uses trends to dream up new products and serve you items you didn’t know you wanted.  New episodes on Wednesdays Brought to you by Woolworths  Produced by POP24 Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true  Our legal team wants you to read this disclaimer: ⁠https://bit.ly/4s4MKux Catch Africa's show on 702 and CapeTalk at 4 am – 6 am or listen at https://www.primediaplus.com/  

He started at the sink. Today, he runs one of Johannesburg’s most celebrated kitchens. In this unforgettable episode, Ebrahiem “Ebie” Du toit takes us inside his extraordinary journey from Mitchells Plain to leading The Pot Luck Club Joburg as Head Chef. It’s a story of grit, raw talent, relentless work ethic – and the mentors who saw greatness in a young man long before he saw it in himself. Ebie opens up about: The turning point that changed everything The pressure of stepping into a world-class kitchen The desserts that carry his story of resilience and hope Why mentorship is now his mission And because the future of food matters, Sharon Mbonambi, Senior Food Product Development Chef at Woolworths, joins the conversation to unpack how Woolies is creating real career pathways for young culinary talent… and she reveals the reason their iconic scone recipe had to change. If you care about food, ambition, and the power of opportunity, this episode will stay with you long after the last (sound) bite. New episodes on Wednesdays Brought to you by Woolworths  Produced by POP24   Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true  Our legal team wants you to read this disclaimer: ⁠https://bit.ly/4s4MKux  Learn more about the Pot Luck Club here: https://thepotluckclubjhb.co.za/home/  

What happens when you treat fire as an ingredient rather than just heat? Chef Vusi Ndlovu and restaurateur Absie Pantshwa, the dynamic duo behind Cape Town's acclaimed Edge restaurant, reveal how they're revolutionising African fine-dining. From minimalist plates, championing female winemakers and unconventional pairings (yes, including Black Label beer!), the duo explains why "cooking with fire" requires both humility and mastery. Plus, Scott Parker, Product Development Manager: Culinary Innovation, Research and Development at Woolworths, explains how umleqwa made it into stores. New episodes every Wednesday Brought to you by Woolworths Produced by POP24   Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://tinyurl.com/cztnnywc Our legal team wants you to read this disclaimer: https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994  13:50 Watch Johannes Richter’s episode of What’s the Difference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2lRhsTlXIY&t=668s Learn more about Edge restaurant: https://edgerestaurant.africa/ Follow along on the transcript: https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp216013 

From a childhood living room to the top of the South African fine dining scene, Johannes Richter, the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Chef of the Year, joins us to share how The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate was built on a bold promise: to source 90% of the ingredients within 150 kilometres – and make them exceptional. We also sit down with Sally Holderness, Head of Product: Trends, Insights, Strategy and Science at Woolworths, to answer a question you’ve asked yourself in the fruit aisle: why are some bananas wrapped in plastic? Sources: Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://tinyurl.com/cztnnywc Our legal team wants you to read our disclaimer: https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994  Source for 17:20 – read more about Farming for the Future: https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/article/farming-for-the-future/_/A-cmp100417 And more about the Good Business Journey as a whole: https://tinyurl.com/wnsc2zz7 Enjoy this interactive Farming for the Future experience: https://wooliesfarmingforthefuture.co.za/ Learn more about The LivingRoom here: https://summerhillkzn.com/livingroom/

Get ready for our most controversial episode to date! Dr Robyn Milton, a GP with a special interest in hormonal health, drops truth bombs about the Ozempic phenomenon and how it’s reshaping our eating habits. From her own eye-opening experience with GLP-1 medications to the surprising science behind "food noise", this conversation will challenge everything you think you know about weight loss, willpower, and the future of food. Plus, Marli Roberts, Woolworths Food Head of Product: Central Sensory Quality and Innovation, gives insights into how Woolies thinks about health when coming up with new products. Warning: this episode contains frank discussions about weight, medical interventions and body autonomy that some listeners may find challenging. Note that Dr Robyn Milton’s comments are general in nature and are not a substitute for medical advice. Sources: Shop the Snack & Yap products: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true ⁠ Read the transcript here: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp216000 ⁠ Disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994 ⁠ Sources for 45:08 Read about Woolies’ food security efforts here:  ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/woolworths-marks-world-food-day-by-strengthening-its-commitment-to-food-security/⁠  And more about the Good Business Journey as a whole:  ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Good-Business-Journey-Report.pdf⁠ Source for 46:45 Take a look at Woolworths’ purpose, vision and values:  ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/overview/our-purpose-vision-and-values/⁠ Source for 47:04A recent Woolies food innovation: ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/woolies-champions-a-holistic-approach-to-everyday-eating-at-the-good-life-show/⁠ Find out more about Dr Robyn Milton here: ⁠https://www.docrobyn.co.za/⁠  And read her deep-dive blog post about GLP-1 agonists here: ⁠https://docrobyn.co.za/health-uncensored-blog-item/glp1-agonists-uncensored-guide/⁠    

What happens when a systems engineer trades his corporate salary for a grill? Miles Kubheka's story will completely change how you think about entrepreneurship, food security, and building scalable solutions. Plus, Yusuf Limbada, Head of Trade: Prepared, Bakery and Frozen, explains why he never tells people that he works at Woolworths at a braai. New episodes every Wednesday Brought to you by Woolworths Produced by POP24 Shop the Snack & Yap products: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true ⁠ Read the transcription of the podcast here:  ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215993 ⁠ Disclaimer: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994⁠ Source for stats on screen at 18:57 and 19:24: ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/woolworths-marks-world-food-day-by-strengthening-its-commitment-to-food-security/ ⁠ Detailed info on the Woolies Good Business Journey: ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Good-Business-Journey-Report.pdf⁠ Find out more about Miles Kubheka: ⁠https://mileskubheka.com⁠ The restaurant and brand he started, and has since sold: ⁠https://www.vuyos.co.za⁠ Gcwalisa shops: ⁠https://www.gcwalisa.com⁠ Read more about DIME and the UN: ⁠https://www.undp.org/south-africa/projects/digital-innovation-modernising-independent-economy-dime⁠ Sphazamisa app: ⁠https://www.sphazamisa.co.za⁠ Visit the Wakanda food accelerator: ⁠https://wakanda.org.za