Exclusive | Time Out Market Cape Town announce inaugural vendor line up

The Mother City is soon to be home to not only the continent’s first Time Out Market but also the first in the southern hemisphere. The lauded global-market concept is set to arrive on our shores later in 2023, and it is being launched with an exceptional line up of the country’s culinary talents.

The market, which started in Lisbon, was initially conceptualised as a way to take the physical Time Out magazine to the next level by bringing it to life, creating a way for visitors to experience all the media would usually write about in a particular city, under one roof.

Initially launched in 2014, Time Out Markets have subsequently opened around the world, in Boston, Chicago, New York, Montreal and Dubai, with Cape Town set to open next.

“Cape Town is a city that’s definitely been on our radar because of its incredible food scene. I think it’s a food scene that deserves more attention, and one that needs to be pulled out further on the global stage. There’s just so much incredible talent to showcase. It’s a very exciting market for us,” says co-CEO of Time Out Market, Sandy Hayek.

The market, situated within the V&A Waterfront precinct, will be home to 13 of the Cape’s top chefs, restaurateurs and gastronomic talents, where they will sit side-by-side, along with four bars and a stage.

When curating the Time Out Market Cape Town, the team came up with a list of the types of cuisines that makes the city the vibrant culinary destination it is, and then put together a list of the leading, most exciting and most aspirational local representatives in these categories before narrowing it down to the 13 with which the market will launch.

“The food scene in Cape Town has really exploded in the last 10 years. We wanted to make sure that we didn’t only have the celebrity and well-known chefs and restaurants but also the local gems and up-and-coming talents, giving them an opportunity to showcase their expertise at the Time Out Market too,” says Russ Meyer, GM of Time Out Market Cape Town.

The first five vendors, which we can exclusively name, encapsulate this ethos and include a mix of top chefs, exciting up-and-comers and long-standing Cape Town favourites.

1. Bertus Basson — De Vrije Burger

Award-winning chef and restaurateur Bertus Basson will be bringing his iconic burger joint, De Vrije Burger, to the Mother City for the first time at The Time Out Market Cape Town. A firm favourite in Stellenbosch, De Vrije Burger sees the top chef deliver his take on the ultimate burger made with 100% free-range beef, double cheese, homemade bun and all the trimmings. It’s the simple made extraordinary, staying true to the chef’s dedication to local, seasonal and consciously sourced ingredients.

2. Vusi Ndlovu — MLILO “Fires of Africa”

Hot on the heels of his critically-acclaimed pop-up EDGE at The Mount Nelson, the immensely talented young chef will be launching MLILO “Fires of Africa” — a concept he has created specifically for the market. Once again leaning into his passion for African dining, Ndlovu has looked to the continent’s street food for this project, along with the age-old tradition of cooking over fire. From Senegal down to SA, his idea here is to celebrate the different ways African food markets and vendors use fire, with the menu offering a tantalising glimpse of Africa through his contemporary take on the local favourite “shisanyama”.

3. John van Zyl — The Melting Pot Seafood

Chef John van Zyl of Elgin’s The Melting Pot at Oak Valley, will be bringing his exceptional, globally influenced menu to the table, where he’ll be serving up a host of seafood dishes inspired by his travels. The vibrant menu will feature seasonally changing dishes packed with plenty of flavour. Expect the likes of sashimi with fermented black bean dressing, coconut and mint; a mixed seafood Peruvian-style ceviche with butternut puree and sweet potato crisps, as well as the simple goodness of beer battered hake sliders with smoked potato purée and tartare Sauce. 

5. Yann Rey — Unframed Ice Cream

Known for its unique and delicious combinations, ice-cream maker Yann Rey’s Unframed will be scooping up its range of “classic with a twist” flavour combinations. The ice cream is meticulously crafted from scratch, and made in small batches, using real, sustainably sourced ingredients. From vegan beetroot chocolate ginger, to lemon-infused olive oil with white chocolate and vegan coconut raspberry, market-goers can indulge in an array of unconventional flavours along with waffles, cookies and sundaes.

The announcement of these first five vendors most certainly sets the bar for what can be expected when the market launches later this year, where it’ll surely and swiftly become a must-visit culinary destination for tourists and locals-alike.