Arrival in Cape Town – Table Mountain

Cape Peninsula

Today we take a trip around the Cape Peninsula. We stop at Hout Bay for an optional boat trip to Duiker Island, inhabited by several thousand seals. If open, we drive via the magnificent Chapman’s Peak Drive en route to Cape Point, southernmost tip of the peninsula, and on to Cape of Good Hope, most south westerly point of Africa. After lunch, see the penguin colony at Boulders, near Simon’s Town and the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with its display of indigenous plants and trees.

Orientation

Today after breakfast knowledgeable South Africans will give you an Orientation to South Africa. The focus will be on a short historical and current reality introduction to the South African context, including the political, economic, social and cultural scenarios as they have developed and are unfolding for South Africa. Linkages will be made to South African cuisine and its uniqueness and opportunities. End of the day with cocktails and dinner with some of the cuisine professionals whom you will be meeting during the week.

Experiencing the South African Cuisine Reality: Places and People

You will be taken to a variety of restaurants, bistro’s, café’s and wine estates based in the Western Cape. This will include visits to the famous Groot Constantia, restaurants and eating establishments in the City Bowl, Waterfront, Malay Quarters and African Townships.  During the day you will also be introduced to people who may become part of your expanding professional cuisine networks.

Experiencing the South African Cuisine Reality: Education and Training.

During the morning and early afternoon you will visit one or more of the educational institutions where people are educated and trained for their cuisine roles. This will include visits to the Hotel School of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, The Spier Hotel School, The Culinary Arts Institute and other training sites for food professionals. Here you will also meet the owners, trainers and students with the opportunity to exchange ideas, gain insights and build networks for the future. The day will end with a wine tasting in a cellar on a wine farm at dusk.

Day 6 Thursday: Experiencing the South African Cuisine Reality: Farming, Food and Wine

Today you will be taken on visits to the beautiful rural areas where the ingredients that go into the excellent South African cuisine are produced. This may include visits to cattle, fruit, and wine farms in the Stellenbosch and Paarl areas. It will definitely include a couple of stops at high quality food establishments on the wine farms. You will be introduced to the people who own and work in these establishments.

Experiencing the South African Education Reality:  Facilitated Feedback of the Learning Experience

After breakfast you will be driven through the Durbanville wine area for a tour of this cameo wine, route world famous for its great red and white wines. You will have the opportunity to taste and buy some of the great sauvignon blancs and shirazes of the area. A latish lunch will be taken on one of the wine farms where some of the people whom you met during your Go Cuisine week will join in a facilitated feedback and learning experience.

This is the opportunity to confirm and build professional and social networks  before taking leave of South Africa where a miracle was created through the hard work of many people!