Hein van Tonder is a laid-back guy. It’s not that numbers weren’t his thing. But after years of being an accountant, he found that it just didn’t fulfill him. When Van Tonder was gifted a camera, his interest in the artistic was sparked. That flame for creative expression kept burning inside him. Until one day, he attended a food styling and photography workshop that finally dished out his destiny.
Mixing his photography skills and attention to detail with his taste for the culinary arts, Van Tonder turned up the heat. “After that, I challenged myself to create a new recipe every week,” he says. Van Tonder dedicated himself to Hein Stirred, his food blog which details his adventures in the kitchen. The elbow grease and stacks of dirty dishes paid off beautifully. Not only did Van Tonder gain an intrigued new audience, but he found his table piled high with fulfilment too.
Van Tonder’s artful and edible compositions are a testament to his investment in his purpose. “Life is too short to continue doing something you’re not completely excited about,” he says. The proof is in his pudding. By following his passion, Van Tonder is offering a slice of joy to everyone who follows his journey. “We all share the need to eat, but a love of good food is what truly connects us,” he says. This home-grown chef is bringing the country bold new ideas and recipes on a silver platter. With them, Van Tonder serves up a timeless lesson to all South Africans – that by risking the pursuit of our curiosity, we can discover how deeply stirring the flavour of life can truly be.
