Johannesburg-based chef, Zanele Van Zyl says being a mother is hard work, but rewarding at the same time.
In 2012, Van Zyl quit her job to be a stay at home mom after giving birth to her youngest child.
She told HuffPost that one of the things she loves about motherhood is the opportunity to be friends with her children.
"It is so rewarding and I am grateful to have all my children. I've learnt so much about by just watching them go through life according to their own understanding," said Van Zyl who has two daughters of her own, one adoptive daughter and three stepchildren.
Van Zyl said ujeqe (steamed bread) and chicken stew is one of the meals that remind her of her own mother, who lives in KwaZulu-Natal.
"My mother used to spend time in the kitchen preparing these meals for my siblings and I. That is one of the things I miss about my mom now that I'm so far from her," said Van Zyl.
She said a warm home cooked meal is always a good idea for those looking to spoil mom on Sunday.
"Luckily, Mothers' Day is in Winter, so you can go all out and spoil mom with meals that will warm her heart," said Van Zyl.
She said some of her top staples this Mothers' Day include samp and lamb curry, amathambo (marrow bones) as well as dumplings and stew.
According to Van Zyl, Mothers' Day should be a celebration of an unbreakable bond between a mother and her children.
"So whatever it is that you cook for your mom tomorrow [Sunday] as long as it comes from a place of love, you will be just fine," she said.
Van Zyl hosts cooking classes, Cooking with Zanele on a monthly basis in various parts of the country.
"After qualifying as a chef, I knew I wanted to do something that would empower people out there. I started my classes to assure women that they've got this. That they too, can be the top chefs in their kitchens by just getting a few basis things right and today, I can say with pride that that I have helped a lot of people gain their confidence in the kitchen," said Van Zyl.
Mothers' Day is on Sunday, May 14.