Meet culinary darlings, Tebo and Lebo Ndala. The powerhouse twins behind With Love From The Twins. They’re bubbly, bold, and beautifully in sync… and they’re proving that when it comes to food, two hearts (and spoons) are better than one.
If joy had a smell, it would be the buttery sweetness of brandy pudding cooling on the counter. Or maybe the rich aroma of oxtail simmering away on the stove in the Ndala household. For twin chefs, sports nutritionists, and award-winning cookbook authors Tebo and Lebo Ndala, food has always been more than a meal. It’s memory, connection, and pure creative joy.
“Cooking makes me feel like I’m creating something spectacular,” says Lebo with a sneaking smile. “It’s art. I love art, and I love creating and that’s how cooking feels to me.”
Born and raised in Mamelodi, Pretoria, the twins’ story starts at home, surrounded by family, good food, and the kind of love that gets folded into every dish. Their mom, Elizabeth, sparked their passion early on, while their grandmother Koko taught them the art of soulful, traditional cooking. Think gemere ginger beer and scones warm from the oven.
That early spark turned into full-blown fire when the sisters decided to study culinary arts in Stellenbosch, followed by a stint at UCLA Extension in Los Angeles. “It was incredible,” they say. “We taught Americans about braais, and they taught us about Thanksgiving!”
They freelanced for magazines, assisted on food shoots, and even worked with foodie icon Siba Mtongana. But it was their own dream that really began to simmer. “With Love From The Twins started as a blog,” says Tebo. “We were sharing our recipes and food experiences and it grew into pop-ups, private catering, mentoring students, and a brand that we want to keep growing into something huge.”
Huge is no exaggeration. Their first cookbook, Food Stories, didn’t just make it onto bookshelves. It was crowned the third Best African Cookbook in the World at the prestigious Gourmand Awards. Not bad for two sisters who describe themselves as “goody two shoes” in the kitchen.
“Twins in the kitchen? It’s always double trouble,” they laugh. “We sing, we dance, we joke, but we always get the work done.”
Holiday spirit and homegrown flavour
Ask them what’s cooking this festive season, and the answer is as warm as their personalities. “The holidays are all about family and food! We’ll probably serve something hearty, like oxtail stew and samp risotto and definitely brandy pudding or Malva pudding for dessert.”
Tebo’s go-to is butter chicken with Jasmine rice, while Lebo never misses a brandy pudding. “We’re super equal when we cook together, we delegate tasks well,” they say. “It’s like a choreographed kitchen dance.”
Some of their sweetest memories are the simplest, like staying up late, making their cousin’s cheesecake recipe, and eating far too much of the filling. And their dream dinner lineup? “Our mom, because she’s such a cool vibe, Ma’am Dorah Sitole, as she taught us so much about South African classics and ignited a love for African cuisine in us, and Michelle Obama because, honestly, she’d make for an incredible conversation.”
Twin life and tasty tricks
Yes, Tebo is the slightly taller one with a mark in her right eye. But if you ever find yourself trying to tell them apart … good luck. “We’ve been known to pull a little twin magic when one of us isn’t feeling well,” they giggle. “One of us pretends to be two of us … and nobody notices. It’s a skill.”
Being twins, they say, is both grounding and energising. “There’s no one who gets you like your twin,” says Lebo. “But the constant comparison? Please stop. It drives us crazy.”
Rooted in culture, seasoned with soul
No matter how far they travel, the twins always carry South Africa with them. “We love celebrating our culture and heritage wherever we go,” says Tebo. From chakalaka and tripe to boerewors hotdogs and rooibos glazed koeksisters, every dish tells a story. One of home, history, and a shared heart.
Their pop-up restaurants are where they truly shine. “Each one is different. Our Chinese-themed pop-up with hot pot dinner was marvellous – the flavours, the vibe, the Chinese fortune cookies at the end … it felt like we’d travelled without leaving the country.”
And while they’re adventurous with flavour (Lebo’s current obsession is cumin and coriander in everything), their pantry staples remain delightfully simple, onions, curry powder, and rice. “You can’t go wrong with the basics done beautifully.”
Cooking up change
Between pop-ups, recipe shoots, and content creation, Tebo and Lebo still find time to mentor students at Rietondale High School and the University of Pretoria. “Being able to inspire young chefs is so fulfilling. It’s a full-circle moment every time,” they say.
And they live by a mantra that feels like a kitchen commandment: “Do not despise the season you’re in right now. It’s shaping the future you.”
They’re all about gratitude, growth, and good health. And yes, plenty of rooibos tea. In fact, they even use it to replace salty and high-in-sodium stock in stews, their top health hack!
Life, love and a dash of adventure
When they’re not cooking, you’ll find the Ndala twins curled up with a good book, visiting coffee shops, or chasing their energetic nephew around. Their travel bucket list? “Morocco. The food, the colours, the spice markets!”
And their ultimate foodie fantasy? “Dinner with Gordon Ramsay. He looks like he’d be so much fun.”
As for what’s next? “More pop-ups, more travel, more inspiring students,” they say. “And definitely more rooibos-infused recipes!”
With double the passion, double the creativity, and endless heart, Tebo and Lebo continue to serve up a message as warm as their cooking – food is love and they’re dishing it out … with love from the twins. Food Stories, R379, loot.co.za
The twins’ tips for surviving the holiday season:
• Always make sure that you have cookies in the house for pop-in guests.
• Store the ice cream tub in a plastic bag and it’ll keep the ice cream soft-scoop ready to serve. Ice cream sandwiches, anyone?
• Stick to what you know. If you’re a first-timer, don’t try to cook something you’ve never cooked before.
• For savoury pastry dishes, cook them a few days before and freeze them until you need them.
Frozen berry tart
You’ll need:
1 roll (400 g) shortcrust pastry; 2½ cups cream cheese; ½ cup condensed milk; 4 cups mixed frozen berries; fresh mint leaves, to garnish; icing sugar, for dusting
To make:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and prepare mini individual tart dishes.
Roll out the pastry, cut into circles big enough to fit the tart bases and prick the pastry with a fork.
Bake for 10-12 min until they are golden brown.
Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely.
For the filling, mix the cream cheese and condensed milk until well combined. Pour into the prepared tart cases and chill in the fridge.
Top with the frozen berries and mint.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately.
Hot rooibos honey baked chicken
You’ll need: Chicken thighs, skin on, bone in; salt and pepper; dried thyme; olive oil
For the hot rooibos syrup: 1 cup water; 2 Laager rooibos teabags; 2 cups sugar; 1 Tbsp minced ginger; 1 Tbsp chili flakes
To make:
Simmer all the ingredients together in a saucepan until mixture reduces to half and thickens.
Discard teabags. Store until ready to use.
Pre-heat oven to 200 C.
Season your chicken generously with salt, pepper and thyme on both sides. Drizzle with
some olive oil.
Bake for 30 minutes until skin is crispy and chicken is all the way cooked.
Pour over the hot rooibos syrup and bake for another 3-5 minutes until nice and sticky.
Rooibos Piña Colada mocktail
You’ll need: 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks; 1 cup coconut milk/ cream; 1/2 cup Laager Rooibos iced cubes; 1/2 cup pineapple juice
To make:
For the ice cubes, brew some laager rooibos tea, completely cool it down and freeze in
an ice cube maker.
Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender.
Pour into your favourite cocktail glass and garnish with dries pineapples and a fun drink
umbrella.
Rooibos images and recipes are from their 2025 Laager Rooibos campaign.
Images shot by: Ogonem
Food stylist: Meals with Masego
Details: withlovefromthetwins.com
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. Image: OGONE MOESI.
