Cape Town
30 May – 1 June 2025
Cape Town International
Convention Centre (CTICC 2)

Johannesburg
25 July – 27 July 2025
Kyalami International
Convention Centre

It’s all systems go for Gauteng’s first Plant Powered Show which takes place at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and International Convention Centre from Friday, August 4, to Sunday, August 6.

There’s a fabulous line-up of top chefs taking part at the culinary extravaganza including Chef Zola Nene, Wandile Mabaso, Deena Naidoo, Andile Somdaka and Chef Jessica Munisamy from Joburg’s lauded Modern Tailors Indian restaurant.

The Plant Powered Show – which has been a huge success in Cape Town for the past two years and now comes to Gauteng for the first time – is aimed at anyone with an interest in food, health, wellness, the environment or more conscious living, as well as the trade, including retail, restaurant, hotel and hospitality establishments, local distributors and exporters, looking for innovative, high-quality products.

As with the Cape Town show, held at the end of May this year, a bumper line-up of chefs and mixologists will be at the Gauteng event taking part in free demonstrations in The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth. Free tasters of the dishes made by the chefs will also be available for the audience to sample.

Many of the chefs taking part in the demos will also be hosting hands-on Masterclasses in which a maximum of 20 premium ticket holders per class will be able to cook an array of plant-based dishes alongside them.

The chef and mixologist line-up includes well known media personality, recipe developer, video food creator, cooking show host, restaurant reviewer and award-winning cookbook author, Zola Nene; chef and owner of Les Creatifs restaurant in Bryanston, Wandile Mabaso; international award-winning wild and indigenous chef, Gregory Henderson; food stylist and editor of TFG’s MyKitchen magazine, Chad January; Siphiwe Sithole, farmer and founder of African Marmalade, a custodian and supplier of indigenous seeds; Zambian-based food stylist and photographer dedicated to putting Zambian dishes on the world stage, Clara Kapelembe Bwali from Black Garlic; Zambian cooking couple William Wood and Lulu Haangala Wood, otherwise known as the Wood Kitchen; acclaimed chef and self-titled ‘Son of the Soil’ Siyabulela Kobo; registered dietitian, chef and founder of catering company Plates and Scales, Rea – the Cooking Dietitian; renowned chef, first-ever winner of MasterChef South Africa and owner of Aayra restaurant, Deena Naidoo; founder of The Vegan Chef, Sue Gajathar; chef to President Mbeki, Andile Somdaka, executive chef at Modern Tailors restaurant, Jessica Munisamy and fitness, food and wellness and mental-health awareness advocate, Amy Hoppy.

A glance at the programme of the free demonstrations taking place in The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth, shows the following:

  • Zola Nene making Plant based burger tacos and Green curry broccoli noodles.
  • Wandile Mabaso and his intriguing Earth, Wind & Fire demo
  • Siphiwe Sithole and Andile Somdaka making a Millet and African Melon dish.
  • Gregory Henderson creating his Boerpampoen Panna Cotta, Marula Caviar and Crumble.
  • Black Garlic and Wood Kitchen demonstrating how to make popular Zambian dishes such as Lumanda, Impwa and Nshima.
  • Siyabulela Kobo making isiGwampa.
  • Rea -The Cooking Dietitian demonstrating her Vegan Basil Mac and Cheese dish.
  • Chad January making Spinach falafels with beetroot and sweet potato mash and wilted greens
  • Deena Naidoo creating a Thai Green Curry with Veg Chicken Strips and Lime-infused Rice as well as a Vegan Chai Panna Cotta with Strawberry and Anise Compote and Chocolate Sand.
    Sue Gajathar demonstrating her Vegan Fish Curry and Hasselback Butternut.
  • Amy Hoppy with her Easy Cheatable Treats with Macro Mixes.… and many more!

The Masterclasses will feature classes on how to make the following:

  • Vegan Chocolate Marula Nut Clusters with Gregory Henderson.
  • The Nebraska & The Butterfly Effect with mixologist Gwylm Humphreys.
  • African Bean Balls with Siphiwe Sithole.
  • Dried Vegetable Sashila in Peanut Sauce, Chikanda and Samp Stir Fry with Black Garlic and Wood Kitchen.
  • Ragu with Eggless Handmade Tagliatelle and Vegan Parmesan Dust with Deena Naidoo.
  • Lentil Cottage Pie and Avocado Chickpea Salad with Rea – The Cooking Dietitian.
  • Eat the Rainbow Buddha Bowl and Palak Tofu with Sue Gajathar.

… and many more.

Apart from the exciting line-up of chefs who will entertain with live demos, the three day event will also feature diverse and compelling talks by leading health and wellness experts in The McCain Health & Wellness Talks. Topics will include topics such as Forgotten Food Systems (Gregory Henderson), Vegan Certification and Labelling (Anusha Lakha), McCain Foods Farms of the Future (Phumzile Baliki and Thabile Motsamai) and more.

Full programme details for the demonstrations and masterclasses can be found at:

The Checkers Plant Kitchen Programme

Masterclass Programme

The Gauteng Plant Powered Show will also feature:

  • The Valpré Hospitality Area, a perfect space for networking, relaxing and enjoying Valpré wine spritzers.
  • The Plant Jungle Pub, serving conscious cocktails curated and mixed by top mixologists.
  • Pop-up eateries serving delicious foods.
  • Daily yoga demos and classes hosted by The Nest Space.
  • The Plant Powered Marketplace, which will be stocked with plant-based food, drink and conscious living products to sample and purchase.

The Plant Powered Show sponsors include Checkers, presenting sponsor of The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth; McCain, presenting sponsor of the Health & Wellness Talks and Category sponsor in The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth, Rhodes, Hinds Spices, LemonGold, Avolands, Macro Mixes and Valpré. Supported by SA Chefs, The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA), SANHA – the South African National Halaal Authority.

DATES AND TIMES
Friday, August 4 from 12:00 to 18:00
Saturday, August 5 from 10:00 to 18:00
Sunday, August 6 from 10:00 to 17:00

Tickets are on sale at Quicket Johannesburg click here. Tickets starts at R120. Book online (in advance) and save 25%.

Social media links:

Website: https://goodlifeshowafrica.com

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theplantpoweredshow

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ThePlantPoweredShow

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePlantPoweredShow

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlantPowerZA

The Plant Powered Show Joburg