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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Rachel Savage in Johannesburg

‘Food is political’: the TikTok star shining a light on South African cuisine’s hidden gems

Yoonas sits at a red table on a red chair in front of a picture of himself together with Nick Hamman
Yoonas Akhalwaya, the owner of Solly's Corner, has put a photo of Nick Hamman on one of his walls in tribute to the influencer. Photograph: James Oatway/The Guardian

Solly’s Corner, a fast food restaurant in downtown Johannesburg, was bustling. Slabs of hake and golden chips sizzled, green chillies were being chopped and homemade sauces distributed liberally into packed sandwiches.

Food influencer and radio DJ Nick Hamman stepped behind the counter and was greeted as an old friend by Yoonas and Mohammed Akhalwaya, the father-son duo behind the family business in Fordsburg, a historical south Asian and Middle Eastern area.

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