Sunday lunch is a big deal in South African homes. Nothing captures this more precisely than the 7 Colours Sunday lunch feast that forms part of our collective culture, whether you grew up with the term or not.
The name is derived from the colours of the iconic ingredients that make up the plate, which usually include meat, rice, gravy, spinach, pumpkin (and/or carrots), beetroot, cabbage (fried, boiled or as coleslaw), and three-bean salad or potato salad. A celebration of family and ritual, the love for the 7 Colours Sunday lunch is enduring.
This is now the centre and inspiration for a new exciting cooking show on HONEY, simply called 7 Colours. It is led by effervescent celebrity hosts Lillian Dube and Moshe Ndiki, who together match the vibrance of a 7 Colours dish. That they’re from two generations will surely complement the judging process too.
Mam Lillian is a beloved and legendary TV and film actor and Moshe has made a name for himself as a comedian and TV host. The show will see the two going into South African homes to experience the skills of families and friends as they show off their versions of a 7 Colours full plate.
“I’m an old person and people of my generation were very poor back then, during the height of apartheid. We’d have pap with fish crumbs, but come Sunday, we’d pull out all the stops for a dignified 7 Colours Sunday lunch. We had ours with mielie rice, not rice grains, back then. And it was complemented by custard and jelly, which was allowed to set the night before because we didn’t have fridges then. I’m proud of these memories,” she says animatedly.
Speaking on the importance of a show like this, she says: “People eat a lot of junk food these days. It’s important to reignite people’s excitement to cook. Food connects people, families and friends. And there’s something special about preparing the food and eating together.”
For Mam Lillian, the importance of the show also extends to connecting with people again amidst the pandemic.
“I never thought I would do a reality show. I’m an actor, so this is something new and exciting for me. The show is not only about food; it’s about our humanity. The pandemic locked us in and robbed us of human connections. I’m looking to connect with people and families again. 7 Colours is a celebration. I’ll be looking for that in a plate and among the people,” she says.
7 Colours is Moshe Ndiki’s first food show as a host. However, he did feature in Celebrity Mystery Box as a contestant and he considers himself a foodie.
“Food has always been a big part of my life – not only because I consume it. The preparation of it and what that preparation means carry depth for me. I was raised by a single mother and our relationship is centred around food. It’s a love language and a communication tool. My mother is the one who taught me how to cook. And the first thing I learnt to cook was mushrooms,” Moshe shares.
On what he’s expecting from the competition, he says: “I’m interested to see the different variations of the 7 Colours ingredients, to taste what works and what doesn’t, and to see how people interpret 7 Colours in their own way.”
Moshe believes the show will show off our similarities as people.
“I think it’s vital for people to see the many differences and, most importantly, the similarities we have within our families. The show reiterates for me that whatever it is that you’re going through, you are not going through it alone. It starts with a simple thing like a meal. The recipes that you have and the memories they bring up might resonate similarly with someone else out there. I think the show will bring people together like a 7 Colours meal should on Sundays,” says Moshe profoundly.
With the two hosts at the helm, laughter and entertainment are surely anticipated. And so is nostalgia, surprises and memorable human connections.
7 Colours premieres on Thursday, 17 February, on DStv 173 and GOtv SUPA.