Looking for the mini-break of your dreams that just so happen to be one the best things to do in Prince Albert? No problem. Spend the weekend cooking and exploring new flavours alongside some of South Africa’s best chefs.
Join big names such as Nina Timm with her popular blog, Easy Cooking, and creative chef-owner Chris Erasmus of the imaginative Foliage in Franschoek, and cook shoulder-to-shoulder with these food experts!
We ain’t kidding. And it gets better. In between sharpening your kitchen skills and tucking into epic meals, you’ll get the chance to really explore the quaint Karoo village, meeting the local foodies, and discovering the ingredients that make it such a legendary culinary destination.
Getting up close and personal with farm fresh produce is honestly one of the best things to do in Prince Albert. It really is the little village that could: drop-dead gorgeous scenery, serenity aplenty, and a foodie community that knows how to make the most of the fantastic produce around them.
African Relish Cooking school is at the core of this culinary ’hood. Opened by Lisa and Philip Key over 10 years ago, the school has become a famous retreat for folks wanting to get a break away from it all and get down to the fun and therapeutic business of cooking and eating.
Under the guidance of the resident chef, the school offers a host of courses, but some of the undisputed favourites are the various visiting chef masterclasses that takes place during the course of the year.
African Relish invites experts in their respective fields to conduct a masterclass – perfect for those who want enough time to really immerse themselves and master a new skill, be it meat-curing, baking or cooking.
The class runs over an entire weekend leaving enough time to also explore, or should we say eatsplore, Prince Albert at your own pace. And, as the Karoo’s larder, Prince Albert has a lot of amazing local produce to discover – think Karoo lamb, venison, fresh figs, raw-milk cheese and cold-pressed olive oil – enough for the most epic feast.
One of the best things to do in Prince Albert – these cooking classes will immerse you in local food culture
Nina Tim, Easy Cooking With
Nina is returning to African Relish by popular demand for a weekend course to help food enthusiasts take their cooking and food photography into a whole new league – and to prove that you don’t need to blow the budget in the process.
All done the easy way, of course. In her trademark laid-back, friendly way, she’ll spend the weekend guiding you step by step through making the kind of food every dinner-party guest – and Instagrammer – dreams about. And you will have lots of opportunity to enjoy all the delicious creation, obviously.
Ravioli and gnocchi, quiche, roast seasonal vegetable salad, a lattice tart… the type of dishes that looks and taste amazing, but are deceptively simple to make. In between all the cooking and nom-nomming, Nina will show you all the ins and outs of plating, styling, and shooting your food to transform it into the stuff of trendy lifestyle blogs. No filters in sight.
Foraging & cooking with chef Chris Erasmus
A creative weekend of cooking and foraging with legendary Karoo born Chef Chris Erasmus, owner of restaurant Foliage in Franschhoek. Join him in celebrating organic food from farm and veld to plate. Meet local Prince Albert food heroes and spend time in the kitchen cooking with foraged ingredients.
Chef Chris will have you foraging in veld and town gardens, reworking classic recipes, making ciabatta from acorns (say what?!) and pickling and preserving. You will even do a bit of cheese curd making.
Chris was taught to cook by his Mom and the most important lesson he learned from her was how to make a little go a long way. At first he studied chemistry and dentistry and only later pursued his dream to become a chef at the Elsa van der Nest Academy.
After his internship at Five Flies in Cape Town he went abroad and met his food mentor Shane Osborn in the UK. Here he was taught urgency, precision and skill and was allowed to explore his interest in chemistry and analysis of all cooking techniques.
He returned home and put his valuable knowledge and experience to work as Executive chef at well-known restaurants, giving new life to old recipes. Pierneef received Eat Out top ten award in 2013 and wine destination two years in a row.
Chris’s global experience have taught him discipline, respect and passion for many different styles of cuisine. What excites him the most is being part of a new food awakening in Africa. He is determined to promote the local food community to diners and industry alike and is confident that our true haute cuisine have only just begun.
Highlights
- Get to know and learn from one of South African foremost food experts in this masterclass cooking experience in Prince Albert
- Spend an immersive foodie weekend indulging in your passion and learning new skills
- Hands-on cooking and learning
- Tips on how to make the best of seasonal produce
- Common mistakes and how to fix it
- Easy to follow fail-safe recipes including fail-safe recipes
- Enjoy a full weekend in the beating heart of the Karoo’s larder making new friends
Photography: Kleinjan Groenewald and Myburg du Plessis
