South Africa’s indigenous and heritage foods are finally being recognised for their culinary excellence, with the inaugural launch of the Harvesting Heritage Culinary competition in May.

Participating chefs created both casual dining and fine dining dishes from local ingredients like mabele, morogo, delele, dinawa, ditloo, ditlhodi, lerotse and legapu.

The competition was conceived to bring indigenous ingredients back to the front and centre of professional hospitality and home cooking, to help protect and preserve local heritage ingredients, cuisine and culture.

Ten chefs were each tasked to create a dish featuring these and other local ingredients in novel and interesting ways. The produce used by the competitors was supplied mainly by eco-growers from Strydkraal in the Greater Sekhukhune district of Limpopo.

The growers involved have been working for some time with two NGOs keen to preserve heritage ways and upskill farmers. Jackie Olivier of Nederburg says the competition was a way to highlight the ingredients, their nutritional value and versatility, both to professional chefs and home cooks.

“The event also gives credit to the supplier growers, who have found ways to earn a living, feed themselves, their families, and their communities. And, through the awareness generated by the competition, we see potential new markets emerging for them as far afield as Gauteng.”

Nederburg also supplied the wines for the event, which culminated in a dining extravaganza for foodies and members of the public, who could buy tickets to attend.

Award-winning sommelier, Moses Magwaza, chose the wines. He and winemaker Zinaschke Steyn also ran wine and food pairing workshops at the competition venue for the public throughout the day.

A panel of accredited chefs judged the competing dishes based on their flavour, integration with other ingredients, originality and overall presentation. Members of the public were asked to choose their favourite “people’s choice” dish.

All the awards

• Overall winner: Wandile Mabaso was declared the winner by the judging panel, with his dish of Beef-Shin Biltong Mousse with Mopane Textures, Pumpkin and Rosemary Purée, Eggplant and Bone Marrow Caviar, served with Beef Jus Smoked in Impepho, Cabbage Chutney and Caramelised Onion. He also earned the award for best prime cut dish.
• People’s Choice: The people’s favourite dish was created by Mzwandile (Hector) Mnyayisa, featuring Slow-Braised BBQ Brisket, Jugo Bean Cassoulet, and Sautéed Morogo, served on Cilantro-Coriander Flatbread. 
• Best Offal Dish: Chef Andile Somdaka achieved the award for best offal dish, with his Beef Tallow Pastry Filled with Sweet Lerotse Pudding. 
• Best Plating: Best plating, judged by Continental China, went to Napo Ramaili and Themba Chauke. 

“The judges were thrilled with the talent and inventiveness of all the competitors. They’ve shown how delicious our indigenous flavours are and why we need to celebrate them,” said Olivier.

To make the occasion as inclusive as possible, members of the public also had the chance to taste other dishes featuring local ingredients, served from market stalls and matched with wine.

Harvesting Heritage Culinary Competition is a collaboration with the NGOs Harvesting Heritage and Socio-Tech Broad-Based Livelihoods, Nederburg and the South African Chefs’ Association (SACA).

First published in Hotel & Restaurant Business magazine.