A number of South Africa’s leading chefs and food personalities – as well as some of their global counterparts – are set to demonstrate their culinary prowess at the Festive Vegan and Plant Powered Show (FVPPS), which takes place online on Saturday, November 28.
They will be participating The Plant Kitchen and a series of masterclasses and meet and greets.
The full list of chefs and talent at the FVPPS are:
Chris Erasmus
After graduating from the Elsa van der Nest academy, Erasmus worked at the Cape Grace hotel under Chef Craig Cormac, before requesting to be placed at the busy Five Flies restaurant for his in-service training. From here he chose to leave SA for the UK and it was there that he met his mentor, Shane Osborn. Returning home, he joined Margot Janse at Le Quartier Francaise as executive sous chef and eight months later opened The Tasting Room @ LQF which he ran as Chef de Cuisine for nearly five years. In this time Chris also spent a lot of time in Holland working with chefs at Spectakel, Ciel Blue and Halvemaan exploring the origin of our “Dutch” heritage and cuisine. Erasmus has since moved on to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant in Franschhoek called Foliage, where Chris and his young team are creating comfort food from forest to plate.
Demonstration: Pan roasted cauliflower, cauliflower puree, stinging nettle veloute and charred beets.
Dion Vengatass
Dion Vengatass is currently a private chef who owns Violet by Vengatass and is the South African Culinary Olympic team captain. He studied at the Swiss Hotel School and has worked at The Saxon and the Mount Nelson as well as in the US. He describes himself as “a crazy, over passionate, perfectionist chef who is obsessed with growing, cooking and eating food.”
Demonstration:
Tandoori mushrooms, charred eggplant caviar, masala roasted cashew nut, mushroom ragout, granola mix, mushroom sago cracker, crisp peppery and tangy herbs.
Elisha Madzivadondo
Sunshine Food Co’s founder and microgreen farmer Elisha Madzivadondo will be demo’ing his famous burger! Says the Zimbabwean-born farmer and chef: “My people think that being a vegan is for thin, white people. Some think it’s a cult, a religion or worry they will go hungry if they visit me,” he says. “I tell them, look what this government has done with the seeds. Don’t do it for the earth or the animals or to save the world. Do it for your health first and foremost.” For those contemplating veganism, he suggests starting off experimenting with a flexitarian diet first.
Demonstration: A delicious vegan burger that people travel kilometres to try. It comprises a beetroot burger bun, sunflower microgreens, pea shoots, alfalfa sprouts, black beans, lentils sprouts, chana (chickpea dhal), red capsicum, sweet corn, humus, avocado, veggie patty and pickled red onion.
Time:
Gaz Oakley
He’s one of the world’s most celebrated vegan chefs and a man who has more than a million subscribers on his YouTube channel. The 28-year-old UK based chef, author of three cook books and a social media sensation is also known as the Avant-Garde Vegan.
Demonstration: Stuffed squash with glazed onions, Christmas rice and sauteed mushrooms.
Hope Mdakane
Twenty-five-year old Mdakane from Soweto is the winner of the SA Chefs Association/Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show competition to find the country’s most talented young chef. He studied at HTA School of Culinary Arts and graduated in 2015 with a one-year certificate and again in 2018 with a three-year apprenticeship diploma. He currently works at the Saxon Hotel and Spa and has won a number of international culinary competitions.
Demonstration: Vegan dark chocolate entremet with honeycomb, peach and chocolate mint compote and salted caramel ice cream. His winning dish is a vegan dessert inspired by his grandmother’s trifle.
Time:
Jason Kosmas
Kosmas is head chef of The Pot Luck Club. Previously he worked at The Stack and was Head Chef at Chefs Warehouse for a little over two years and part of the team at Thali. Born to Greek and Italian immigrant parents, his heritage plays a large part in his food journey.
Demonstration: The Green Dish – with kimchi marinated kohlrabi, jalapeno avocado and an apple and celery sauce – is a collaboration with Luke Dale Roberts.
Time:
Jay McNamara (aka Chef Jay Mac)
The Kind Kitchen eatery was founded by vegan advocate and chef Jason McNamara in 2018. Mac gained his skills in vegan culinary arts at The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas.
Demonstration: How to master the art of cooking with delicious oyster mushrooms and aubergines. He’ll be showcasing two types of high quality and protein packed misos to create a glaze and delicious umami flavour. He will also demonstrate how to combine this with plant-based yoghurt, seasonal greens and fermented blueberries in Taiwanese inspired bao buns.
Jenny Morris
Morris, who is well-known to followers as The Giggling Gourmet, and is one of this country’s best loved food personalities and chefs, is a warm, friendly personality whose commitment to the food industry comes through in her books, and her TV and radio shows. She has had an ongoing love affair with food since she was a child, when she started making mouth-watering treats for school fundraisers. It’s a love affair in the true sense of the word, one that employs all the senses.
Demonstration: Moroccan pasta salad & Jug of Love!
Luke Dale Roberts
Dale Roberts is an icon of the South African food scene. He began his South African in journey in 2006, when he was appointed Executive Chef at La Colombe, determined to see the restaurant regain its place on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Fast forward 14 years and Dale Roberts’ world-recognised restaurant, The Test Kitchen, held the coveted number one position on the list of South Africa’s best restaurants for six years in a row.
Demonstration: The Green Dish – with kimchi marinated kohlrabi, jalapeno avocado and an apple and celery sauce – is a collaboration between Dale Roberts and Jason Kosmas, the head chef of The Pot Luck Club, another restaurant owned by Dale Roberts.
Mia Smith
Mia Smith is a registered dietitian (BSc Medical Science Honours from UCT) consulting at The Green Dietitian and is passionate about nutrition and loves all things plant based! “I love cooking and especially experimenting with new plant-based recipes. Travel is another one of my passions and it’s so interesting to me to experience a place through their cuisine.”
Demonstration: Rooibos red cappuccino, fresh red iced tea, iced chai latte superfood lattes and Spiced Chai Vegan Eggnog
Mishkah Gool
Mishkah Gool is the in-house chef, brand ambassador and content creator for B-WELL. She is a life skills coach, facilitator, yoga instructor, NLP practitioner and business owner. Mishkah is passionate about uplifting others, whether it is in healthcare, sustainable living, healthy mindfulness and overall wellbeing. She has a background in Pharmacy, and although doesn’t practise in the field anymore and has adopted her knowledge of the human body and psyche to channel a more holistic, balanced approach to her meal preparation and recipe development. Her food is health based, infused with her Middle-Eastern/Indian roots and flavours of the world, coupled with local-to-the-area produce and a whole lot of deliciousness.
Demonstration: (With Chef Jay Mac) Tofu and vegetable stir fry and pimped up vegan garlic buffalo Brussel sprouts.
Nicola Kagoro (aka Chef Cola)
Chef Cola, is a pioneering female Zimbabwean vegan chef at the helm of African Vegan on a Budget. Founded in 2016, African Vegan on a Budget was developed to showcase Chef Cola’s cuisine and culinary development as well as to actively promote the reality that people can thrive on a healthy vegan and plant-based diet on a budget.
Demonstration: “Beef” Wellington, beetroot salad
Peter Lebese (aka Thee Gintleman)
A charismatic guy who hails from Joburg, Lebese spent the majority of his youth in the city of gold, eventually finding his passion in the mystic art of bartending and flavour combinations while touring the US. After returning home, he moved to Cape Town to begin the journey of making himself one of the most nationally renowned and popular faces in the drinks industry. Working as a flavour profile specialist, Lebese works as a beverage designer and entertainer with Cape Town’s SIP Exclusive mobile bar service, consulting his services where they are needed.
Demonstration: Festive cocktails. “I want to showcase the beauty of our spirits but also the nostalgic essence of it to, so I kept the drinks really simple to create. So, come on the train to flavour town with me and learn how to make Is It Tea Time? & Just Jamming. Happy day!”
Simon Toohey
Simon Toohey came to global prominence in season 11 of MasterChef Australia in which he wowed fans with his vegan creations and use of seasonal vegetables. Placing third, Toohey went on to appear in season 12 – also known as MasterChef Australia: Back to Win which has just started in South Africa. He’s also filming a new series and working on his first cook book.
Demonstration: Baked rice, egg plant and leek hotpot with olives, dill and parsley
Time:
The FVPPS is bringing revolutionary changes to the traditional food and trade show exhibition format. The six-hour event, being held on Saturday, November 28 from 11:00 to 17:00, will be an online interactive event and is a precursor to The Plant Powered Shows (TPPS), scheduled to take place in Cape Town in 2022 and Johannesburg 2023.
This not-to-be-missed one-day visual experience will allow visitors to meet some big name local and international chefs and discover products and services in an entertaining, engaging and informative way. The FVPPS will also play host to a wide range of plant-based food and lifestyle brands which will be featured in a virtual expo area and visitors to the show will be able to interact with exhibitors and make purchases.
The FVPPS is not only for vegans and vegetarians, but also flexitarians, reducetarians, sports enthusiasts, individuals who have compromised their health and those looking for healthier and more ethical lifestyle choices for themselves and their family.
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