Movements shaping our dining experiences

The dynamism of SA’s dining scene is something to enjoy right now and the global recognition of local chefs also proves this. From championing sustainability to innovating with traditional foods, local chefs are defining the culinary movements that are shaping our dining experiences. A few of them share what to expect in 2025.

Bespoke experiences

“People are looking for an experience — something that goes beyond sitting at a restaurant. That feels thoughtful and connected, or has that hidden gem allure,” says chef Jess Shepherd of Good To Gather, a Stellenbosch farm-to-table restaurant.

Open just three days a week, the restaurant that Shepherd co-owns with husband, Luke Grant, works with local growers and offers a menu that changes weekly. “Our space is relaxing for the diner and you feel like you can breathe and connect with a moment that someone’s curated for you. We don’t have a menu, and we keep things simple in terms of letting seasonal produce shine — we want our flavours to whisper rather than shout.”

The preference for bespoke dining is on the rise with restaurants such as Reverie Social Table and Table De Meye popular with diners for prioritising slower, more curated experiences. 

On-the-go fusion and heritage

SA chefs are increasingly putting heritage on the table, celebrating their cultures and stories through food. Chef Moses Moloi — ranked 85th in the top 100 of global platform The Best Chef Awards — does this impressively at his restaurant Gigi, which offers refined contemporary SA fusion fare in Waterfall, Johannesburg.  

“At Gigi, we’re cooking with ingredients and flavours that are unknown globally and unique to SA, like beef tongue and ox livers,” said Moloi. “We’re also looking to the best of the best and sometimes unexpected, from the rest of the continent too — Limpopo worms, Nigerian okra, peppers from Malawi. We’re modernising these traditional African dishes, taking pride in that and educating people through food. We’re celebrating what we have on our doorstep, and it’s so exciting to see.”

Loved by locals and tourists alike, Moloi’s dishes take inspiration from his team, travels and his time in Cape Town. He prioritises an à la carte approach over a tasting menu to cater to the growing demand for flexible dining options by urban on-the-go diners.

An evolving wine industry

There’s been a notable increase in wine tasting rooms in the industry which are a great discovery tool allowing locals and tourists to seamlessly plan wine-tasting routes or sign up for wine clubs. 

“SA is currently making the best wine it’s ever made,” says Spencer Fondaumiere, head of the SA Sommelier Association. “There’s a lot more space for smaller producers, and we don’t have copy-and-paste wine lists any more. There’s been a rise in local verdelho, with a handful of producers making it. Then historical grapes like palomino, which were once used for the sherry trade, or colombard used for brandy — those established vineyards still exist. People are making incredible wines with them.” 

This year promises to be about more immersive dining experiences, celebrating heritage and seasonality, and a transforming wine industry.

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