Essence Festival promises a culinary extravaganza filled with Durban flavours

©Chris Van Lennep via 123RF

From 11 – 13 November, visitors will be taken on a tasteful three-day culinary extravaganza filled with local signature dishes from some of Durban’s most popular restaurants as well as gourmets dishes from critically acclaimed New Orleans-based chef, Kenneth Temple. Facilitated by Studio 54, the Essence EATS Culinary Festival, will showcase local restaurants and business owners through the incorporation of the 'Flavours of Durban’ festival, a popular event on the Durban culinary calendar.

"What we hope to do is to create a local festival supported by locals which will allow enormous growth opportunities for our local chefs and caterers. With our experience of having run Flavours of Durban 2015 we believe the three-day food festival will not only attract new markets but also help grow food enterprises in Durban," commented operations director of Studio 54, Gary Clayton.

Cooking up a storm

One of the celebrity chefs who will be giving demonstrations and imparting food knowledge is Chef Sherwyn Weaich, creator of The Gourmet Bushie Brand. He has travelled extensively throughout Europe and Africa cooking with both international chefs and the locals. He has featured in many high-profile culinary events and developed recipes and done brand placement for some of the country's biggest names.

Indian cuisine, which is such a vital component to the culinary make-up of Kwa-Zulu Natal, will be well served by Hollywood, Cane Cutter, while Tati Kasi Grill, Max Lifestyle, and Keys Group will provide tasty Shisa Nyama menus.

Three establishments, Sondela Restaurant, Royal Kitchen and Food Expert Company, will serve a wide range of African cuisine. A Durban African caterer, Sister Cities Chefs, will provide a few of their own African delicacies which are sure to be a hit with both visitors and locals alike.

Those who favour more European-style food will also be catered for with Pizzetta, serving Italian cuisine, and Keys on Davenport offering experiential dining of the highest order.

Seafood is popular in this coastal paradise, too, and Fish on Florida is bound to hit the spot with its tasty offerings, fresh from the ocean.

Most of the restaurants will have their chefs on stage and cooking up a storm in demonstrations that will certainly whet the appetite.

Encouraging small hospitality enterprises

The festival won't only be about food and chefs enjoying themselves, but a key element will be the launch of the Small Business Development Programme which is aimed at encouraging small hospitality enterprises.

One small eatery will be given guidance in terms of a day-to-day running of their restaurant. Clayton will spend two weeks at their stores helping with menu guidance and systems from a hospitality management perspective. The store will be given space on stage for a cooking demo.

The chosen enterprise will be trained in-house at one of the Keys restaurants and taught how to manage both front and back of house, look at financial planning and learn how to market their everyday business. The lucky operator will be given guidance in terms of menu creation, business systems control, hospitality management, performance targets, stock control, budgets and cost of sales and pricing.

For more information visit ESSENCE Festival Durban.