S. J. A. (Ina) de Villiers was born in 1919. She studied Home Economics at the University of Stellenbosch.
Ina wrote her first cook and kitchen guide to help young women. When she did not find a publisher, she and her husband, Japie de Villiers, a geologist, published the book themselves. It became a great success and was never out of print. Ina retired from her own publishing business in 1990, and the book is now produced by Human & Rousseau.
Recently Ina celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first edition. She lives in Stellenbosch.