What is set to become South Africa’s biggest culinary show – the Mzansi Food & Drink Show – will take place at the Kyalami Convention Centre in Gauteng from June 15-17 next year.

The mega food and drink festival will incorporate previous events including the popular Coffee & Chocolate Expo and Fire & Feast, with new additions Fine Food & Wine, Bar & Good Spirits and the Mzansi Food Market.

The show will feature five events in one, and is expected draw more than 30 000 food and drink lovers.

Five events in one festival

• Coffee & Chocolate Expo: Activities for all, from chocolate and coffee pairings to workshops on the origins of coffee, demonstrations on how to roast and pour the beverage, as well as hosting the Young Mzansi Barista Championships.
• Fire & Feast Festival: The event will have recipes and cooking techniques, as well as the latest equipment and technology for braai fanatics. There will also be ‘Braai Wars’, the Butcher’s Challenge, a Chilli Eating Competition and Plant-Based Outdoor Cooking Masterclasses.
• Fine Food & Wine Show: While catering for fine food and wine lovers, the show will feature a Wine Tasting Lounge, Mzansi Junior Chef of the Year Competition, Tablescapes and Settings Masterclasses.
• Bar & Good Spirits Showcase: Different activities and attractions such as a Flairtending Competition (showmanship added to bartending), a Know Your Whisky Seminar, a Craft Beer Head-to-Head and a Waitron Uniform Fashion Show.
• Mzansi Food Market: The market will have food-trucks and stalls with produce from all corners and cultures of South Africa.

‘Biggest and best culinary show on the African continent’

Hanli Goncalves, Portfolio Director of the Mzansi Food & Drink Show, said: “We believe South Africans are ready for a food show of this stature and we are determined to make it the biggest and the best culinary show on the African continent. It will be the stage on which local culinary personalities will strut their stuff and all the latest foods and trends are on offer, with something for the whole family and for all tastes.”

The show was officially announced this week, where MC at the launch event, Chef Mokgadi Itsweng, author of the best-selling cook book Veggielicious, said: “South Africans are well known for their love of all things food-and-drink related. We all enjoy sharing eating and drinking experiences with friends and family, and our cuisine reflects the diverse range of culinary traditions embodied by the various communities that inhabit our country.”

The festival takes place over a long weekend that includes Father’s Day and Youth Day (Sunday, June 16, 2024).