Essence Festival promises a culinary extravaganza filled with Durban flavours

During the Essence EATS Culinary experience, visitors to the Essence Festival Durban set to take place from 8-13 November, will be taken on a culinary adventure of Durban’s finest cuisine by top celebrity chefs who will conjure up a range of delectable meals that promises to appeal to the most jaded of palates.

©Chris Van Lennep via 123RF

From 11 – 13 November, visitors will be taken on a tasteful three-day culinary extravaganza filled with local signature dishes from some of Durban’s most popular restaurants as well as gourmets dishes from critically acclaimed New Orleans-based chef, Kenneth Temple. Facilitated by Studio 54, the Essence EATS Culinary Festival, will showcase local restaurants and business owners through the incorporation of the ‘Flavours of Durban’ festival, a popular event on the Durban culinary calendar.

“What we hope to do is to create a local festival supported by locals which will allow enormous growth opportunities for our local chefs and caterers. With our experience of having run Flavours of Durban 2015 we believe the three-day food festival will not only attract new markets but also help grow food enterprises in Durban,” commented operations director of Studio 54, Gary Clayton.

Cooking up a storm

One of the celebrity chefs who will be giving demonstrations and imparting food knowledge is Chef Sherwyn Weaich, creator of The Gourmet Bushie Brand. He has travelled extensively throughout Europe and Africa cooking with both international chefs and the locals. He has featured in many high-profile culinary events and developed recipes and done brand placement for some of the country’s biggest names.

Indian cuisine, which is such a vital component to the culinary make-up of Kwa-Zulu Natal, will be well served by Hollywood, Cane Cutter, while Tati Kasi Grill, Max Lifestyle, and Keys Group will provide tasty Shisa Nyama menus.

Three establishments, Sondela Restaurant, Royal Kitchen and Food Expert Company, will serve a wide range of African cuisine. A Durban African caterer, Sister Cities Chefs, will provide a few of their own African delicacies which are sure to be a hit with both visitors and locals alike.

Those who favour more European-style food will also be catered for with Pizzetta, serving Italian cuisine, and Keys on Davenport offering experiential dining of the highest order.

Seafood is popular in this coastal paradise, too, and Fish on Florida is bound to hit the spot with its tasty offerings, fresh from the ocean.

Most of the restaurants will have their chefs on stage and cooking up a storm in demonstrations that will certainly whet the appetite.

Encouraging small hospitality enterprises

The festival won’t only be about food and chefs enjoying themselves, but a key element will be the launch of the Small Business Development Programme which is aimed at encouraging small hospitality enterprises.

One small eatery will be given guidance in terms of a day-to-day running of their restaurant. Clayton will spend two weeks at their stores helping with menu guidance and systems from a hospitality management perspective. The store will be given space on stage for a cooking demo.

The chosen enterprise will be trained in-house at one of the Keys restaurants and taught how to manage both front and back of house, look at financial planning and learn how to market their everyday business. The lucky operator will be given guidance in terms of menu creation, business systems control, hospitality management, performance targets, stock control, budgets and cost of sales and pricing.

For more information visit ESSENCE Festival Durban.

-http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/595/152849.html

JENNY MORRIS IS OUT TO ENTERTAIN AT THE DURBAN GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW

Jenny Morris – known to all her fans around the country as the Giggling Gourmet – is one of South Africa’s most-loved food personalities.  The popular celebrity chef – she has the distinction of being the first South African chef to host her own show on the international Food Network channel – will be appearing at the Good Food & Wine Show which takes place in Durban from 28-30 October.

Morris, who has just returned from a trip to Poland, admits that although she’s being doing the GF&WS for many years, she’s still excited to be a part of South Africa’s premiere food and wine event, saying: “I can’t wait, I love interacting with an audience.”

Morris also admits that Durban is one of her favourite local cities as it is the city where she was born and where “the people are always so hospitable and generous.”

Morris’s formula for success is to “entertain informatively and inform entertainingly”, something she does with flair. Although she has cooked for dozens of celebrities and royals, (including Prince Charles, Thabo Mbeki, Charlize Theron and Al Gore), Morris remains down to earth, and when she’s not wowing the public she can be found in her kitchen stirring a pot of something fragrant and delicious.

Last year Morris launched a best-selling cook book called ‘World Atlas of Food’ and, more recently, opened her own restaurant in Cape Town called ‘Yumcious’ which, she admits, keeps her on her toes.

Here the Goggling Gourmet answers a few questions …

Q: Can you tell us what you were doing recently in Poland?

Jenny Morris: I have a really wonderful following in Poland and I got invited to be a celebrity judge on Top Chef Polska.

Q: Why does Durban have such fond memories for you?

JM: I was born in Durban and my love of food was born in my parents vegetable gardens, we grew and ate only our own veggies, that’s when I fell in love with food that is fresh and seasonal. I still have family living in KZN and visit them when I do work in Durban. So I’m looking forward to seeing them in October.

Q: What has Durban contributed to SA cuisine?

JM: Durban has a wonderful mix of nationalities so the food is quite global, but I always associate Durban with bunny chow and a really fine curry. In fact when I visited my son Wade in London recently – on my way to Poland – the first thing I had to make him was a Durban curry.

Q: You do everything from TV and radio to cookery tours, demonstrations and writing books. Do you have a favourite?

JM:They are all my favourites, how can you ask me that! Let’s say I love to travel to new places, this gives me the inspiration to write my books and share my stories and experiences with the wonderful people who attend my food demonstrations.

Q: Tell us a bit about Yumcious – your restaurant in Cape Town.

JM:  I spend almost evey night of my life dreaming up recipes, I can almost taste the colours, textures and flavours in my dreams they are so real. I needed an outlet other than my cooking school – The CooksPlayground – to turn these recipes into reality. I wanted to serve, what I call, ‘Fine Casual Food’ to lots of people; the food is just that. My ‘Kilo Table’ always has new and exciting, hot and cold seasonal dish and lots of
interesting healthy salads.

Q: What kitchen utensils can you not live without?

JM: A really sharp knife, my pestle and mortar, my microplane AND the “Best Pan in the World”

Q: How, as a chef, do you stay on top of what’s popular or do you determine what’s popular?

JM: I have my own style and I create my own dishes and flavours but I listen to people and I like to give them what they want as well.

Q: What else do you still want to achieve?

JM: I want to watch my children grow and prosper; I want to inspire and nurture the young chefs going forward; I want to write more cook books, travel and taste the world and make more food TV shows; I want to make my Jenny Morris Range of wines and restaurant internationally accessible. I want to live to a ripe old age with my husband and I want a grey Tom cat too!

MEET DORA & FRIENDS, THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES AND PAW PATROL

at Sandton City’s children’s festive wonderland this December

 

Children’s favourites Dora & Friends (for the first time in South Africa), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) and PAW Patrol are the star attractions at the children’s festive wonderland, which takes place at Sandton City from December 9 to 24.

These favourite Nickelodeon characters (DStv Channel 305) come to Johannesburg for holiday entertainment at its best for the entire family. There will be four free stage shows every day plus three meet-and-greet sessions with your favourite TV characters, as well as plenty of fun in a giant Lego area. Entrance for all activities is free of charge.

PAW Patrol favourites Ryder, Chase, Marshall, Sky and Rubble will be entertaining youngsters in a live stage show from December 9 to 13; Dora, Kate and Pablo from Dora & Friends are in town from December 14 to 18 and Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Rafael from TMNT will be in action from December 19 to 24.

A spin-off of the original Dora the Explorer series, the popular Dora and Friends stars the heroine Dora as a pre-teen who goes on city adventures with a group of new friends. They include Kate, who loves art; Emma, who loves music; Alana, who’s tomboyish and loves animals; Naiya, who is smart and enjoys reading, and Pablo, who enjoys playing soccer.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are four teenage anthropomorphic turtles named after Italian Renaissance artists. From their home in sewers of New York City, they battle petty criminals, evil overlords, mutated animals and alien invaders while attempting to remain hidden from society.

A group of six rescue dogs, led by a tech-savvy boy named Ryder, have adventures in PAW Patrol. The heroic pups, who believe “no job is too big, no pup is too small”, work together to protect the community. Among the members of the group are firedog Marshall, police pup Chase and fearless Skye. All of the animals have special skills, gadgets and vehicles that help them on their rescue missions.

The children’s festive wonderland takes place at Sandton City from December 9 to 24. Show times are at 10h00, 13h00, 16h00 and 18h00. There are also three daily meet-and-greet sessions where youngsters can say hello to their favourite TV character. There is no charge for entry.

These live shows are only part of Sandton City’s spectacular festive activities, as the shopping centre will also host two large Lego pits in the Checkers Court, as well as a Christmas tree build, a policeman build, a Lego Friends photo opportunity, a Duplo section for younger children and face-painting.

The Toy Kingdom train is also offering youngsters rides around the centre. One of the most important people at Christmas, Santa Claus, will be sitting in his sleigh, posing for photographs with customers.

There will be two gift-wrapping kiosks where shoppers can have all their presents beautifully wrapped for a donation. All proceeds from the gift wrapping will be donated to Sandton City’s selected charity for 2016, the Sandton SPCA.

Sandton City
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Your chance to cook with MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris and other top chefs

Here’s your chance to cook with MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris and other top chefs in exclusive masterclasses – it’s all part of the Durban Good Food & Wine Show which runs from Friday, October 28 until Sunday, October 30.
For the first time in Durban passionate foodies can experience a 90 minute masterclass with some of the chefs participating in the show.  They are MasterChef Australia judge and acclaimed chef George Calombaris; TV celebrity chef Siba Mtongana and Neill Anthony, a Cape Town-based private chef.
One of Australia’s top chefs, George Calombaris’ style of cuisine has earned him many accolades and much respect from culinary aficionados at home and abroad. His Greek heritage was central in his upbringing; indeed it’s his trademark today. With many accolades to his name and a string of restaurants, Calombaris is also known for his cook books, his contribution as a judge on MasterChef Australia and his entrepreneurial skills.
Siba Mtongana is a passionate and dynamic food enthusiast who brought style and charisma to South Africa television food scene. She is well known for her show Siba’s Table on DStv’s Food Network, which debuted in September 2013 and was an instant hit worldwide. It is now broadcast in more than 130 countries in across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the US, Australia and Asia. She’s an award-winning food writer, an author, and has a degree in Food and Consumer Sciences, with majors in food, food science and nutrition.
Cape Town-based private chef Neill Anthony, who trained in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing and other big international cooking greats, gets invited to cook in the homes of prestigious clients, socialite friends and fun-loving acquaintances transforming their dining experiences into exclusive and private dinner extravaganzas. His 13-part Food Network TV series Private Chef broadcast locally and internationally has been the launch pad for his international exposure.
Chefs’ Table is an intimate experience that includes a mini masterclass demo, a Q&A with the chef, and the chance to sit with the chef and sample the dish.
The schedule is as follows:
George Calombaris
Saturday October 29 at 15h30
Sunday October 30 at 13h00
Neill Anthony
Friday October 28 at 13h00
Saturday October 29 at 13h00
Sunday October 30 at 10h30
Siba Mtongana
Saturday October 29 at 10h30
Sunday October 30 at 15h30
The cost to cook alongside George is R800 and R300 with Siba and Neill. Book at Computicket.

THE GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW DURBAN
Dates: Friday October 28 to Sunday, October 30.
Venue: Durban Exhibition Centre, 11 Walnut Road, Durban
Hours: Friday, October 28, and Saturday, October 29, 10:00-21:00; Sunday, October 30, 10:00-18:00

Ticket Prices:
Early bird: R85
Adults: R100 at the door
Students: R70
Age 13-18: R50
Children under 12: Free
Senior citizens: R70. Free entry on Friday, October 28.
Weekend pass: R150
International chef table: R800
Local chef table: R300

Wine Tasting Prices:
Wine Combo Ticket: R130 (Includes show entry, wine tasting glass and five wine tasting vouchers)
Wine Glass and tasting: R 50 (Includes GFWS glass to keep and five tasting vouchers)

Tickets:
Available through Computicket (www.computicket.com) or at the door.

The Good Food & Wine Show is bought to Durban by the following sponsors: Durban Tourism, SABC3, Core, Rolkem, Clover, Qantas, Taurus, Total Gaz, Sun Coast and Bidvest.

Go to:
www.goodfoodandwineshow.co.za
Twitter @goodfoodSA
Facebook @Good Food and Wine Show SA