After losing vision in one eye as a teenager, chef Isabel Mbali Khumalo found unexpected comfort in the kitchen. Today, the founder of TasteKZN is sharing the vibrant flavours of KwaZulu-Natal while building the culinary dream she once never imagined.
For Isabel, the kitchen has always been a place of comfort. But during one of the most uncertain chapters of her life, cooking became something much deeper.
Born and raised in Stanger, Mbali never imagined she would become a chef. As a teenager, she had her sights set on studying law and was actively involved in student leadership at school.
Everything changed when the eye condition she had been diagnosed with in primary school – keratoconus – progressed rapidly. By Grade 8, she had lost sight in her right eye and doctors were increasingly concerned about the condition affecting her left eye as well.
At just 13 years old, Mbali was placed on the organ donor list. That same year, she received a corneal transplant, a life-changing moment that helped preserve the vision she still had.
Recovery meant frequent hospital visits and long stretches of time at home. It was during this period that she began spending more time in the kitchen, closely watching her mother cook.
“My mom is an amazing cook,” she says. “I started looking at recipes and experimenting with them. Being in the kitchen became very therapeutic for me.”
What began as a way to pass the time soon blossomed into a genuine passion.
But the journey wasn’t without further setbacks. A second corneal rupture during her matric year meant she had to take a gap year while doctors monitored her recovery. Despite the uncertainty, Mbali remained determined to pursue her newfound love for food.
Attending chef school became one of the proudest achievements of her life.
“I did chef school with one eye,” she says. “I didn’t want to just be a self-taught cook. I wanted to study and grow in the career that found me.”
Living with keratoconus has shaped the way she approaches both life and work. While there are things she cannot do, like driving, she believes the experience has sharpened other senses that are vital in the kitchen.
“My sense of smell and taste are very strong. It has made me experience food differently.”
That heightened awareness now influences her signature style. Mbali is known for creating visually striking dishes and beautifully curated harvest tables that celebrate both flavour and presentation.
She describes it as using her “third eye” – an instinctive creativity rooted in personal experience rather than formal training.
“Chef school teaches technique,” she says. “But creativity often comes from your life journey.”
Today, Mbali channels that creativity into her brand, TasteKZN, designing memorable food experiences that celebrate the rich flavours of her home province.
Even on difficult days, when her eyes are sensitive to light, her imagination keeps working.
“I play music and imagine new dishes,” she says. “It helps me think about how I can create something different for my clients.”
Mbali is also passionate about raising awareness around organ donation, something she and her family advocate for openly.
Looking ahead, her focus remains on growing TasteKZN and sharing the flavours of KwaZulu-Natal with new audiences.
“I want to take the taste of KZN to the world,” she says. “One event at a time.”
Details: IG: @taste_kzn
