Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, Destinate.co

After 25 years of democracy, South Africa has come of age to become one of the most thrilling gastronomy countries in the world and a wine tourism mecca. Vineyards are being planted in new places, forgotten old vineyards have been brough back to life and a new generation of winemaker is experimenting and breaking new ground in winemaking and wine tourism. The proximity to quality fresh produce, award winning wines and the natural beauty of the Winelands have stimulated the food and dining industry in Cape Town and the surrounding Winelands with nine of the top 10 restaurants in the country situated here.

There are, however, many beautiful and unique wine regions in the world all producing good wine and as competition gets tougher, wine tourism becomes even more important as a tool to unclock the local distinctiveness of wine regions.

Visiting a winery and doing a tasting no longer stimulates travelers’ appetites the way it once did. Nowadays they want to meet with the winemaker, interact with local communities and see where the wine is grown and made. It is important for all the wine farms and estates in regions to work together with the local tourism industry, cooks and operators to create unique experiences that will entice visitors to travel beyond the well -known regions.

Although food tourists do and will eat in restaurants, simple dining is not a food tourist’s goal. Learning about a particular food, or even better a regional food culture is the big attraction. Visitors now want to be included in the food preparation process. It is all about being part of the kitchen culture of a destination.

Cooking in chefs’ homes where an intimate group of diners, or even a couple, interact with a regional chef or authentic home cook and watch as off-menu courses are prepared and served, are the kinds of restaurant experiences food tourists crave. Cooking classes offered at various wine farms/estates in South Africa, are starting to touch on this authentic experience.

Tourists seek new experiences and want to grow and develop along with the product and experience. South Africa has a unique, high quality and good value for money culinary offering, which combined with readily available fresh produce, our wine tourism offering and natural beauty make us well placed to attract more of the growing number of food enthusiasts, hungry for interesting and meaningful experiences. The beauty of food tourism is that it is a key to unlocking the warm heart of regions, their culture, history, their food and most importantly, its people. It is always the people who are the heart and soul, the flesh and blood of the places we go to. People make brands memorable and when you are lined up on a shelf with many other brands, you want to be the one that is memorable.

If you think wine tourism is about wine tasting from one cellar to the next, think again. It is about the places, the people, the food, the cultures, the environment and the unique experiences of the wine region. In South Africa we have at least twenty defined wine routes. Most visitors explore the well-known wine routes like Stellenbosch, Constantia and Franschhoek and miss out on gems and smaller towns that lie beyond the mountain and main tourism routes.

In recent years, a greater focus on wine and gastronomy tourism has brought more visitors to these regions. Pioneering people in the wine industry have realised that their estates and farms’ true potential for growth lies in gastronomy tourism, giving rise to new developments and a greater investment in experiences beyond the wine that entice visitors to stay longer and spend more locally.

Ultimately, tourism has to bring tangible benefit to communities and regions with more visitors spending their money in the regions that need it the most. In a country like South Africa where economic development is so desperately needed, we have seen food and wine tourism transform regions and empower small businesses within the value chain of wine and food tourism.

Visitors are loving the new more immersive travel experiences and are hungry for more meaningful and memorable experiences.

Stellenbosch Dine with a Local Programme

One such an experience is the Stellenbosch Dine with a Local Programme developed by the local tourism community in Stellenbosch . A network of selected community members are part of the programme and invite visitors into their private homes, opening the doors to hospitality characteristic only of such an intimate setting.

In a truly authentic experience, local cooks give visitors the opportunity to learn from Mamas or pick-up on a secret ingredient, all in the heart of Stellenbosch communities and townships.

From menus featuring traditional favourites to a fusion of our rainbow cuisine – slow-cooked homemade meals, prepared with love, are a guarantee.

Host families not only cook up a storm, they share their stories often with informal musical and artistic entertainment, giving guests a glimpse into what life is like in a local community. More and more visitors want to slow down when they travel, to really connect with the people and the places they visit and to know that their visit has a direct and positive impact on communities and places who need it the most.

It is a truly soul enriching way to travel and these experiences are often the highlight of travellers’ stay in the region, surpassing the top tourist attractions and fancy restaurants.

A tiny seaside restaurant wins the World Best title

South Africa in recent years has made its mark on the international gastronomy stage with unconventional and proudly local cooks and chefs winning global accolades.

One example worth noting is a small, very simple restaurant in Paternoster, a traditional fishing village on the West Coast of South Africa, about an hour and a half from Cape Town.

Wolfgat is the brain-child of catering college drop-out, Kobus van der Merwe, who set up the tiny seaside restaurant in a traditional fisherman’s cottage in his home town.

His goal is to celebrate the simplicity, local flavours and hospitality so unique to the West Coast. His style of cooking is informed by his love and knowledge of nature, its wild plants and the coastal bounty of seaweed and fresh fish combined with local tradition and customs. His food is seasonal, inspired by the weather and the ever changing sea conditions, with a naturalist approach and minimum intervention, allowing the wild and foraged ingredients to be the hero.

Wolfgat is as much about the community of Paternoster as it is about the exceptional food served. He is passionate about the local community and this passion shines through his team, all locals and many from fishing families who have never worked in a restaurant let alone had a job. He believes that by keeping it small (it accommodates no more than 20 diners at a time), they can keep it sustainable and true to his vision.

It is this ethos and commitment to sustainability and localism that won Wolfgat the coveted title of Best Restaurant in the World in 2019 by The World Restaurant Awards.