From humble beginnings to culinary stardom: Asha Devi Maharaj to release fourth cookbook

At 81, culinary icon Asha Devi Maharaj prepares to release her fourth cookbook, continuing a remarkable journey from humble beginnings on a KZN farm to becoming the country's first Indian chef on television. This celebrated chef, radio personality and brand promoter transformed South African cuisine while preserving her cultural heritage, writes NADIA KHAN.

WITH a legacy spanning decades, Asha Devi Maharaj has established herself as a beacon of culinary excellence in South Africa. 

Now, at the age of 81, the renowned chef, brand promoter, radio personality, and columnist will be launching the fourth series of her celebrated cookbook collection, Cooking with Asha Maharaj, which promises to unveil treasured recipes straight from her kitchen. 

The POST had the privilege of catching up with Maharaj at her North Beach home, where she shared her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to culinary stardom.

Early Days

Maharaj, the eldest of six children, grew up on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) North Coast before her family moved to Asherville, in Durban. 

Her paternal grandfather, Pundit Dwarika Maharaj, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, a state in Northern India, settled in Nonoti, near Stanger. 

“My grandfather had a huge farm. On the farm there was a sugar cane and banana plantation. They also grew a variety of vegetables. There was also a river that ran through the farm. My grandfather later bought a plot of land in Temple Grove in Stanger, where my father and his family moved to.

“I have some of the fondest memories from living on the farm and then later at the new dwelling. As a child, we would always play outside, from swimming in the river, to picking mushrooms. We had a lot of fun,” she recalled.

Maharaj said Diwali was always a grand celebration in their home. 

“Everything was handmade. We never bought sweetmeats. I can still remember how the house used to be filled with the smell of delicious curries and baked foods. However, at the time I was not in the kitchen cooking or baking, instead I used to do all of the taste testing. Our dresses were also all handmade. My mother was quite good at sewing.” 

Education

Maharaj said she started Class 1 at the Ashram Primary School in Stanger, which she attended until Standard 4. 

She, her dad, Mohanpersadh Maharaj, who was a teacher and later a deputy principal, her mother, Rookmin, a housewife, and siblings moved to Durban when she was about 12 years old. 

“My dad had started a new job at a school in Durban. When we moved to Asherville, he built us a house. During this time I started Standard 6 at the Springfield Model School. It was a newly-built primary school. However, I received a promotion after writing a test, so I skipped Standard 5. While at school I loved participating in sport, especially netball.”

Maharaj said after completing her Standard 6, her parents decided to send her to ML Sultan Technical College. 

“They said there was more scope for Indian girls there because of the varied curriculum instead of going to high school. However, while I was studying towards a domestic science certificate, I received a marriage proposal.” 

Family

Maharaj, at the age 16, married Balaram Dhusruth Maharaj, now late, in December 1961. 

“He had seen me a couple years earlier and had approached the family. My grandparents said while they were still alive, I should get married. At the time my husband was studying law. However, before we could get married he studied teaching and got a job. He thereafter completed his law studies.” 

She said they had one son, Nishendra, 62, a  chartered accountant.  

Further Studies

Maharaj said she returned to the college after her son went to boarding school in Swaziland. 

“My husband decided to send him to boarding school as he did not like the education system during the apartheid era. But I used to miss my son so much and cried everyday. So my husband suggested I go back to studying, to keep myself occupied. 

“At the time the college offered eight week courses - such as floral arrangements and dressmaking, among many others. So every time I completed a course, I did another one. One day, the staff in the administration office at the college told me I had completed almost all of the courses, why don’t I do a full-time diploma.

“At first my husband was hesitant, but after much persistence, I registered to do a full three-year diploma in hotel management, which included catering. At the end of the course, I was awarded with a trophy for being the top student,” she said. 

Career

Maharaj said during the graduation ceremony in 1976 she met various hotel managers and board members. 

“I remember Mr Chris de Kock approached me, and said that they were going to be opening the Maharani Hotel, and he thought I was quite an elegant lady. I always wore a sari. He told me they would soon be opening the Maharani Hotel and if I would be interested in being the hostess at its restaurant, Papadum. It was the first fine dining Indian restaurant in Durban. 

“However, when I told my husband, he was again hesitant. But the hotel management kept calling the college to ask about me. My husband finally agreed. However, he said he gave it two weeks, as he was convinced they would call him to come pick me up when I collapsed. But I was there for 12 years. 

“It was a lovely experience. I was not only the hostess. When we had high profile guests, such as the mayor and mayoress or from overseas, I would sit down with the food and beverage manager and chef to plan the menu,” she said. 

Maharaj said during this time she was also approached by the SABC to be part of a cooking show on television. 

“The SABC had contacted the college to recommend someone that can do proper Indian cooking. I became the first Indian chef to be on television. I remember the first meal I prepared was mutton curry. After that, they had people calling in continuously asking for my recipes. 

“After that other companies started reaching out wanting me to launch their products, one of which was a spice company. They sent me to Cape Town for the launch. I also did cooking demonstrations for companies and events. In addition, I was also lecturing in the hospitality department at the college. My time was filled well,”  she said. 

Maharaj said in the mid-1980s she was headhunted by a company which promoted brands such as Tastic Rice. 

“They were expanding and looking for an ‘Asian woman’ to promote a new brand of rice, Aunt Caroline. They were targeting the Indian market. They had bought some radio time, and wanted me to share recipes. I initially started doing 15 minutes on the then-Radio Lotus once a week, but due to the positive response, I was on-air sometimes up to six days in the week. 

“From recipes I went on to having guests on the show and started providing household tips such as how to polish brass ornaments and remove stains; it became a segment. The response was so phenomenal that I was given a secretary. My mailbox used to be full. Even after I took an early retirement from the company, I continued to be on radio which spanned almost two decades,” she said. 

Maharaj said in the early 2000s she also began providing columns with her recipes to the Sunday Times extra. Over the years, she also provided recipes to other publications including the POST. 

She also continued doing cooking demonstrations for companies, catering for functions and featuring at various events under her own brand, such as the annual South African Hindu Maha Sabha Durban Diwali Festival. 

Books

Maharaj said she now intended on launching the fourth cookbook in the Cooking with Asha Maharaj collection early next year. 

“I had all of these recipes and people used to tell me, 'you have so many, you can’t just let them burn, put them into a  book'. The first book was a great success, so I decided to compile the other two. However, I still had a large collection of recipes and thought it would be best to compile just another cookbook. I am currently in the process of completing it. 

“In addition, I have also provided recipes for three other books, with the most recent being for a religious body. It is a special recipe book featuring ideas for meals that people of the Hindu religion can prepare following the passing of their loved one. During the 10-day period in the Hindu community, meals must be prepared without certain ingredients such as oil and turmeric. I provided recipe ideas that they can enjoy instead of the usual ‘boiled food’,”  she said. 

Highlights

Maharaj said while she has had many highlights throughout her career,  being invited to cook alongside a chef in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) for a television show stood out. 

“In 1978, I was invited by Durban Tourism, together with managers from the Southern Sun group and the mayor and mayoress at the time, to go on this trip to Rhodesia, to promote Durban as a holiday destination. While there, I not only prepared the mayoral lunch, but a well-known chef invited me to cook a chicken curry on his television show. It was definitely a memorable experience.”

Maharaj has also served as a judge during the auditions for the KZN-leg of Masterchef South Africa. 

She is also a member of the South African Chefs Association and the International Gastronomic Society. 

Relaxation

Maharaj said while she sometimes still features on radio shows or provides consulting to companies, she now enjoys spending her days relaxing at home and with family. 

THE POST