ENGLISH
Herman Lensing has been a shining light in the foodie world for over two decades since he graduated as a chef from the Instititue of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch. In 2009 at the age of 22, he became the food editor for the glossy magazine SARIE.
Since then Herman, who matriculated from Hoërskool Duineveld in Upington, has carved a name for himself as one of South Africa’s leading food writers. For many years Herman has also been the editor of SARIE KOS, a popular brand extension of the magazine.
Herman has published some once-off and unique cookbooks, including HERMAN SE KORTPAAIE, AIR-FRYER, 100 BEST BISCUITS and his annual Christmas magazine.
In 2016 the Mail & Guardian identified Herman as one of South Africa’s 200 most influential young people. Since then he has been gathering various accolades for his work in the culinary world.
In 2022, Herman was awarded the prestigious Galliova award as South Africa’s top food writer for the third time. The media giant Media24, the parent company of SARIE and various other top publications, honours his work in the editorial sphere continuously.
Herman was 26 years old when his first cookbook VOORSKOOT was released in 2013. This top seller was followed in 2015 by NÓG ’N VOORSKOOT and IN MY KITCHEN. In 2017 he published 30, so titled to celebrate his 30th birthday.
In November 2019 DIT PROE SOOS HUIS, of which a similarly named series was shown on the popular Afrikaans TV channel VIA, was published. This is a remarkable cookbook in which Herman honours his mom Susan with nostalgic charm and old family favourite recipes.
The cookbook was a runaway success and became the top-selling Afrikaans cookbook in 2019. In 2020 DIT PROE SOOS HUIS was announced as a finalist in the exclusive SA Book Awards hosted by the South African Booksellers Association (SABA).
Herman’s next book HOME COOKING (Afrikaans: HUISKOS) published in 2020, was flying off the shelves and once again rapidly climbed the ladder to become one of the top sellers in Afrikaans. This cookbook is currently in its third print. It once again confirms Herman’s status as one of South Africa’s leading food writers and that he is one of the most popular Afrikaans authors.
During the internationally acclaimed Gourmand Cookbook Awards that took place in Sweden in 2023, HUISKOS/HOME was announced as the South African winner in the world category of celebrity chef.
Aside from this, Herman has appeared in numerous TV show and he is currently a co-host of the MINKI talk show on VIA, while he is just as accomplished behind the scenes. In 2022 he was food producer for MasterChef South Africa on M-Net and in 2023 for kykNET’s Kokkedoor Vuur & Vlam.
Another career highlight is Herman’s inclusion in the judging panel of the 2023 Eat Out Woolworhts Restaurant Awards.
AFRIKAANS
Herman Lensing is vir meer as tweede dekades in die koskollig sedert hy in 2009 op 22-jarige ouderdom, kort na hy as sjef by die Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch gekwalifiseer het, as die kosredakteur van die glanstydskrif SARIE aangestel is.
Sedertdien het Herman, wat aan die Hoërskool Duineveld in Upington matrikuleer het, vir hom ’n naam uitgekerf as een van Suid-Afrika se toonaangewendste kosskrywers. Hy is ook die afgelope paar jaar die redakteur van SARIE KOS, ’n gewilde handelsmerkuitbreiding van SARIE.
Tussendeur het Herman ook ’n handvol eenmalige en unieke kookboektydskrifte publiseer waaronder HERMAN SE KORTPAAIE, LUGBRAAIER, 100 BESTE KOEKIES en sy jaarlike Kersfees-tydskrif.
In 2016 het die Mail & Guardian is Herman as een van Suid-Afrika se 200 invloedrykste jong mense aangewys. Sedertdien palm hy op ’n gereelde grondslag verskeie toekennings vir sy werk in.
In 2022 is Herman vir die derde keer met die gesogte Galliova-toekenning as Suid-Afrika se top-kosskrywer bekroon. Die mediareus Media24, in wie se stal SARIE en verskeie ander top-publikasies is, vereer hom op ’n deurlopende basis vir sy werk in die redaksionele sfeer.
Herman was 26 jaar oud toe sy eerste boek VOORSKOOT in 2013 bekend gestel is. Dié topverkoper is in 2015 gevolg deur NÓG ’N VOORSKOOT en IN MY KITCHEN. In 2017 het sy boek, 30, verskyn om sy 30ste verjaarsdag te vier.
In November 2019 het DIT PROE SOOS HUIS, waarvan daar ’n gelyknamige reeks op die gewilde Afrikaanse TV-kanaal VIA was, die lig gesien. In dié besonderse kookboek eer Herman sy ma Susan met onthouresepte en nostalgiese stories. Dit was van meet af aan ’n wegholsukses en kort voor lank die topverkoper Afrikaanse kookboek in 2019. In 2020 is DIT PROE SOOS HUIS as ’n finalis in die eksklusiewe SA Book Awards-toekennings aangewys.
Herman se boek is HUISKOS (Engels: HOME COOKING), wat in 2020 verskyn het, het dadelik soos soetkoek verkoop en weer eens die algemene boeke-rangleer vinnig tot een van die topverkopers in Afrikaans geklim. Dié boek is tans in sy derde druk en dit bevestig weer eens Herman se status as een van Suid-Afrika se voorste kosskrywers. Ook dat hy vandag een van die gewildste Afrikaanse outeurs is.
Tydens die gesogte internasionale Gourmand-kookboektoekennings wat in 2023 in Swede plaasgevind het, is HUISKOS/HOME COOKING as die Suid-Afrikaanse wenner in die wêreld-kategorie vir glanssjef aangewys.
Verder het Herman al verskeie TV-reekse op sy kerfstok en is hy tans mede-aanbieder van VIA se MINKI-geselsprogram, terwyl hy ook agter die skerms woeker. In 2022 was hy deel van MasterChef Suid-Afrika se vervaardigingspan en hy is ook op dieselfde wyse betrokke by kykNET se Kokkedoor Vuur & Vlam (2023).
Nóg ‘n loopbaanhoogtepunt is dat Herman in 2023 ingesluit is by die Eat Out Woolworths-restauranttoekennings se beoordelingspaneel.
