Chef George Jardine
Chef André Hill
FROM TOWNSHIP BRAAIS TO CAPE VINEYARDS, CULINARY TOURISM IS RESHAPING SOUTH AFRICA’ S ECONOMY ONE BITE AT A TIME.
South Africa has long been celebrated for its remarkable diversity, and nowhere is this more evident than in its food culture. From Cape Town’ s bustling markets and award-winning restaurants to Johannesburg’ s bold street food and inventive fine dining, the country has become a true melting pot of flavour and identity. Travellers are increasingly arriving with an appetite not just for scenery but for the tastes that define place and people.
“ Food is often a direct representation of culture and place, and more and more people are seeking authentic cultural experiences,” says Radisson RED Executive Chef André Hill. This quest for authenticity drives travellers to engage more deeply with local communities.
Chef George Jardine, Head of Culinary at Valor Hospitality Partners AMEA, agrees, adding that,“ Culinary, or gastro, tourism stimulates multiple sectors within a destination, and serves as a catalyst for microeconomic growth.
This movement of people has clear economic benefits. Hill points out,“ By bringing people to areas they might not
normally visit, culinary tourism creates opportunities for more culturally diverse spaces and businesses to thrive.”
Culinary tourism encourages spending outside traditional hotspots and opens the door for new food ventures to flourish. Across the country, visitors are signing up for cultural food tours that allow them to break bread in the homes of locals in historical destinations such as Soweto, Bo-Kaap and Khayelitsha. Guests share Cape Malay feasts, learn about township food traditions, or take part in braai masterclasses hosted in family backyards.
Jardine notes that such activity boosts wider economic systems.“ Primarily, culinary tourism creates opportunities for direct spending and in turn this creates job growth. Culinary tourists support local agriculture and local producers, and this stimulation helps to develop SMEs. Showcasing cultural identity through food and beverage helps to create opportunities for export.”
He highlights Stellenbosch as a prime example.“ Stellenbosch and the surrounding areas have developed tremendously in the last 20 years as a result of culinary tourism. Having lived and operated a business there, I have seen first-hand
138 TRADE & TASTE / 2026