Lovely experience with a home cook! Annika was such a sweet and incredible host! I had the privilege of being the first guest that cooked with her and the experience was so memorable. I especially enjoyed her teaching style— no sitting around here, she put me straight to work (which I loved)! Annika would demonstrate a technique and then let me do it; the hands on approach made it all more immersive. I was very impressed and delighted that Annika and I prepared all the dishes I requested such as boboti, cape Malay chicken curry and even Malva pudding. I made roti from scratch for the first time, which I am definitely excited to bring into my daily life. Annika was encouraging throughout the process, always stopping to show me again as needed and never making me feel rushed. She also taught me a lot about Cape Town history and politics, showing me a side that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. If I had another week in Cape Town, I would absolutely go back and learn more dishes from her. I highly recommend her and being around her amiable presence. Thank you, Annika!
Jolandi is a warm and friendly full-time caterer who wants to help travelers experience authentic South African and Cape Malay cuisine. Her love of food and entertaining really shows through in the care with which she treats you. I have thought of malva pudding, a nostalgic dessert for South Africans, as a generally bland and unexciting event for me. However, Jolandi's fresh baked malva pudding with homemade custard and fresh fruit was to die for! I went back for seconds and then thirds. While I've had versions that were quite dry and bland, Jolandi's was moist and flavorful.
With Richard and Gillian's combined experience of chef, restaurateur, winemaker, and entrepreneur, the food they prepare is delicious and tastes that much better when accompanied by stories of where the food originated, the unique ingredients, and how the flavors come together. The first and main courses were delicious, but the dessert - a traditional apricot sponge cake called Malva Pudding served with cream and custard, was incredible! Their company is delightful and their love for sharing food with family or old and new friends alike makes you feel right at home. It would be impossible for anyone to dine here and not learn something new!
Ruth and Colleen were were warm and welcoming from the minute we stepped into their home. We were greeted with two different kinds of traditional homemade doughnuts and fresh tea and coffee. Ruth and Colleen took their time to get to know us a little while we enjoyed the treat, before we headed into the kitchen for our cooking class. We loved making fresh samosas from scratch, mixing and forming our own meat (and no-meat!) balls, kneading the dough for our dessert, and learning all about our hosts’ families and traditions along the way! Ruth and Colleen were very considerate about my dietary restrictions, and created a vegan version of all their favorite dishes just for me while my boyfriend enjoyed the original version of everything. We had a wonderful time, and left with full bellies and a lot of knowledge on the history and food traditions of this wonderful local family and their community. The neighborhood is definitely a little drive away from central Cape Town and on the rougher side but we didn't feel unsafe. What was awesome was that there is great gated parking at the house making it easy to get in and out of.
From the moment Lorette opened her door and gave us a big hug, it was as if we had come home. She is an amazing person and an amazing cook, showing us the ins and outs of preparing an incredible meal. Then we sat down and shared it with her and her husband. I can understand how people want to stay in touch with her after their visit. You truly will feel like you are now part of her extended family. Do yourself a favor and get to know people while visiting Africa. This is one of the best ways to do it, through cooking and sharing a meal with Lorette.
Fantastic evening with Rich and Gillian in their home (approximately a 25-minuted drive from the V&A Waterfront). They are both passionate about good food with the freshest ingredients. An excellent meal and conversation(s). The multi-course meal was paired with wine from their extensive cellar. They do contact guests in advance to see if there are any food issues/preferences/allergies.
Travel inland from the port in Cape Town and discover the culture through food during this South African cooking experience in a local home, in Wynberg. We recommend this Cape Town Shore Excursion for a true and authentic taste of local cuisine and culture. Join Richard and Gillian in their kitchen for a Cape Town cooking demonstration and watch as they prepare a traditional South African meal. Richard and Gillian would love to know your preference before they set the menu and would be happy to teach you dishes you are keen on learning.
Watch as they expertly put together a prawn and nectarine salad and braai delicious rump steak or cook chicken breasts in tomato sauce with a spinach and feta stuffing. You can expect your cooking demonstration to last for an hour. Your meal may include traditional bredie (stew), braai (bbq), salad, and will end with traditional desserts such as malva tart (sweet pudding) or lemon meringue or koeksisters (a syrup-coated twisted or braided doughnut).
Travel inland from the port in Cape Town and discover the culture through food, in this South African cooking class in a local home, in Grassy Park. We recommend all cruise travelers this Cape Town Shore Excursion, for a true and authentic taste of local cuisine. Be welcomed into Lorette and Desmond’s beautiful home, built by Lorette's father 44 years ago. She loves cooking traditional South African food, and particularly loves showcasing the cuisine of the Western Cape which has a Cape Malay influence.
During your Cape Town cooking class, you will join Lorette in her spacious, modern kitchen and learn to cook a traditional South African meal. Lorette is a keen gardener and loves using fresh herbs from her garden, so you might start the experience by collecting a few ingredients from the garden to cook with. The cooking class will last between 1-2 hours, during which you will learn to make 2-3 South African dishes. After cooking, sit down with Lorette and Desmond at their dining table to enjoy conversation and the delicious food you helped prepare. Your menu might include dishes such as mini roti's with chicken curry (the Cape Malay roti is a delicious unleavened flatbread served with chicken curry), bobotie (a South African dish of curried minced meat baked with a savory custard and served with aromatic rice and roasted vegetables) and malva pudding (a traditional South African dessert served with custard or cream).
