Ishay is an award-winning freelance food, culture and travel journalist and cookbook author, whose stories delve into the human interest, grit and quirk of a place.

A former lawyer, she centres narratives on women and the marginalised and works on expanding the space offered to historically disadvantaged members of society by gently but firmly subverting the status quo. Her researched-based cookbook Curry - South African Stories & Recipes (Human & Rousseau) was selected the winner in two categories to represent South Africa, including Best Book Overall at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, May 2018. The book showcases experiences of community cooks and how they've come to terms with the past in South Africa, through the lens of a multitude of curry dishes, one of the country's favourite national dishes Ishay is the founder of SA POC at the Table – a group working to expand the network and opportunities for chefs, cooks, sommeliers and folks of colour in the creative industry such as writers and photographers.

She is actively involved in transformation in multiple spheres, from her former work with children’s literacy to food bank initiatives.

Her bylines appear in National Geographic, Food & Wine, Extra Crispy, Wine Enthusiast, Saveur (digital and print), Sunday Times Travel magazine (UK), Literary Hub, Food 52, Vice Munchies, Globe & Mail, SAA and Singapore Airlines magazines, The National UAE, Roads & Kingdoms, Panorama - The Journal of Intelligent Travel, Culture - Cheese magazine etc. Ishay recently updated the Kwa-Zulu Natal chapters of the Fodor's South Africa guide. View her portfolio here: https://www.ishaygovender.com/ and her food and travel website here: http://www.foodandthefabulous.com/ *Winner FoodXX 2019: for journalism covering the intersection of culture, food and social justice; Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans, 2014.