David and Ishara Chetty, the founders of internationally recognised Doughed Durban, share what makes them so proud of South African flavours.
David and Ishara Chetty/ Supplied
Heritage Month puts the spotlight on what makes South Africa unique and beautiful – our diverse cultures. When it comes to food, we also know that South Africa has a rich heritage of flavours, ingredients and cooking traditions.
For Ishara Chetty, co-founder of Doughed Durban, one of the things that really makes South African food stand out is the different cultures that coexist in the country, and the way these cultures blend together and complement each other.
“It’s the mix of culture that makes this place so rich in flavour. I know it’s been said before, but when people come from other countries, it’s not a thing that people say. It’s a thing that people feel. For me, that feeling that they get of the amalgamation of cultures and how warm the people are, it translates into the food,” says the chef.
Ishara and her husband, chef David, know exactly what it means when they talk about South Africa being rich in great taste and flavour.
The couple started Doughed Durban during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially operating from a garage before popular demand eventually pushed them to move into a restaurant.
For Ishara, her time in the marketplace and preparing food for colleagues helped birth the idea and love for potentially going full-time into the food business.
With her husband’s support and skills, the two opened Doughed Durban.
Shortly after opening, they came across an international pizza competition taking place in Italy in 2025 and decided to take their chance at exposing the world to South African flavours.
The couple travelled to Italy with some of their dough and proudly local spices, determined to create a pizza that would give the world a taste of what South African flavours could bring to the dish.
“We took our culture dough and spices from here. We flew with them,” Ishara says.
To their surprise and delight, their pizza placed ninth in a competition that attracted more than 50 competitors.
For the couple, the achievement was about more than simply placing in an international competition.
It was the first time South Africa had competed in the competition, and competing in Italy, a country renowned for its pizza, made the achievement even more special.
Looking back at their journey, the couple says theirs is a story of love, African pride and being intentional about occupying your space wherever you are.
For them, representing South Africa on an international stage was a proud moment, and proof that South African flavours have a place at the table, wherever that table may be.
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