South African celebrity chef Lentswe Bhengu-Mafoko has passed away, his family confirmed in a statement.
“It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our beloved son and brother, Lentswe Bhengu-Mafoko, fondly known to the media and his culinary family as Chef Lentswe,” the statement, shared on Instagram, reads.
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Celebrities shared the disbelief in the comments and had this to say:
Celebrity Chef and co-host Chef Nti said, “Nooooo??? LENTSWE!! Tsala ???.”
Tv presenter and actor Moshe Ndiki exclaimed and said, “There’s no way !”
Actor Lindah Majola said, “This is heartbreaking ?.”
According to News24, Chef Lentswe worked in the investment finance industry for five years before enrolling in the prestigious Culinary Academy in the Cape Winelands in 2010.
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Lentswe began filming and sharing cooking videos on YouTube after graduating. This launched his television career, and he went on to host Africa on a Plate, a two-season show that combined cooking with travel and culture.
He co-hosted seasons two and three of The Great South African Bake Off with comedian Anne Hirsch. He also appeared as a guest celebrity judge during the semi-final of the second season of My Kitchen Rules South Africa.
He replaced deceased chef Lesego Semenya known by his work name Les Da Chef on the Mzansi Magic show, Celebrity Mystery Box.
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Most recently, Chef Lentswe appeared in Zola Nene’s Mzansi Magic show, Celeb Feasts, during which he cooked with his sister, Swankie Mafoko.
