F & B recorded two Khoi men trading a thimbleful for two sheep).
• Prenia vanrensburgii: eaten by Khoi and San for its fleshy, nutritious leaves.
• Golden sage( Salvia aurea): used for respiratory ailments, as a culinary herb, and even fermented for warm drinks.
• Spekboom: consumed as food and applied medicinally for its soothing leaf sap.
• Kapokbos( wild rosemary): a culinary herb with favoured medicinal uses, especially for colds.
• Wild garlic( Tulbaghia violacea): both flavourful and medicinal.
• Pelargonium species: aromatic, soothing, and widely used for digestive and skin issues( so integral that the Cape San were once called“ the aromatic people”).
These ingredients are not nostalgic curiosities; they are part of South Africa’ s deep-time cultural and medicinal inheritance.
From ceremony to contemporary menus
As indigenous ingredients re-enter mainstream spaces, chefs emphasise the importance of respect.
“ We’ re seeing more chefs, including myself, working with ingredients like rooibos, honeybush and amaranth – not as trends, but as reconnections,” says Theron. Rooibos, long used for healing and ritual in Khoisan cultures, is now globally celebrated. Sorghum, once dismissed as a“ poor man’ s grain”, is enjoying a renaissance in breads, beers and desserts.
Dr De Vynck agrees, adding:“ Buchu, kapokbos, wild sage, wild garlic, Pelargonium … are plants deep-rooted in South African prehistory. They sustained health, healed the sick and were sometimes seen more as powerful than merely important. They form part of our immeasurable cultural heritage.”
Food as storytelling
Food is as much narrative as nourishment.
“ Food is storytelling,” says Theron.“ Recipes, ingredients, and cooking methods have always been ways of passing memory, values, and identity … Every plate can be a kind of story, one that acknowledges both the past and the future of our food culture.”
Beyond Restaurant’ s Head Chef, Zanté Neethling, in partnership with Executive Chef Sebastian Stehr, leads the culinary interpretation of Origins of Flavour, emphasises this intergenerational tradition:“ For centuries, food was far more than sustenance, it was a living archive of knowledge, ecology, and identity.” Elders transmitted wisdom through storytelling, rituals, and shared practice.“ This intergenerational transmission of food knowledge reflects an early form of sustainability and environmental ethics – one that modern gastronomy can continue to learn from and honour today.”
Dr Helary echoes this sentiment.“ Recipes are not just about ingredients; they are about history, spirituality, and connection to the land. When we use a botanical, we first ask: Who used it? What did it mean to them? How was it harvested or celebrated?”
“ Innovation doesn’ t always require invention. Sometimes it lies in rediscovery.”
The underrated stars of tomorrow
Theron is quick to champion hardy, flavour-rich plants like marog, num-num and sour fig –“ resilient, sustainable, and delicious” – as well as spekboom, which she’ s turned into a bright relish for Dexter beef at the estate.
Dr De Vynck hopes these plants move from foraging circles into everyday shopping baskets:“ I’ d like to see more of our indigenous herbs and plants available in supermarkets … building greater awareness of their benefits and versatility.”
He’ s particularly excited about“ overlooked” coastal shellfish and root ingredients( periwinkles, limpets, amadumbe, watsonia root), all packed with flavour potential and steeped in environmental connection.
“ The future of African botanicals lies in sustainability, regeneration, and cultural respect,“ Dr Helary.“ These plants have stood the test of time, and with the right stewardship, they can transform industries, communities, and ecosystems.”
“ Indigenous botanicals are not just a trend – they are a legacy, and with that comes responsibility.” TT
32 TRADE & TASTE / 2026