Why You Can Look Forward to the Mzansi Food & Drink Show
Don’t have any weekend plans yet? Are you looking for a different Father’s Day experience? Mzansi’s biggest culinary extravaganza, the Mzansi Food & Drink Show, is set to take place at the Kyalami International Convention Centre from 15 to 17 June and it promises a sumptuous Youth and Father’s Day celebration! Visitors will be able to enjoy food and drink tastings, cooking demos, masterclasses, braai competitions, exclusive offers and an exciting marketplace. In fact, this event caters for the whole family.
The Mzansi Fire & Feast Meat Festival
South Africa is known for its braai culture. Hence, a braai competition as part of the Fire & Feast Festival is inevitable. The ‘King of the Braai’ contest will see ten of the country’s greatest grillers tussle it out with their tongs to find out who has the best BBQ skills. From chicken starters to lekker braaibroodjies with ‘Toks en Tjops’ co-presenter, Rika Nieuwoudt as the MC, it should be quite the occasion. Then, ‘The Butcher Block Challenge’ will discover the best butcher in Mzansi. They’ll be clutching their cleavers and sharpening their knives, carving up the best cuts of meat! In addition, there will also be also a ‘Meat Smoke-Off Competition’ during which six teams will compete in four meat categories. BraaiBoy will be the MC for this smoking-hot challenge.
The Ring of Fire Chili Festival
A first for Mzansi, this fiery hot festival will feature competitions including the ‘Ring of Fire National Pod Challenge.’ Enthusiasts will battle it out to see who can best handle the heat. Another competition is the ‘Hot Wings Challenge’ – a tongue-tingling competition which may or may not let the tears flow. The ‘Best Sauce Challenge’ will have people sample an array of zesty sauces and vote for their favourite. From tangy to volcanic, these sauces will set the taste buds ablaze. The ‘Hot Chip Challenge’ will present the hottest potato chips you’ve ever encountered. Can you stand the burn? And, dads, go ahead and ‘Challenge Your Children!’ Show your kids who the real champion is by challenging them on the spice challenge. Who’s the next chili champion in your family?
The Coffee & Chocolate Expo
There will even be something for the coffee lovers. This event will include the highly anticipated ‘Barista Battle Royale’ in which former champions unite in teams of three for an epic barista battle. Each member will have a specific role. One will craft and present two exquisite espressos, another will create two velvety milk beverages and the third will dazzle with two innovative signature drinks. The challenge? They only have 10 minutes to prove they’re the king of coffee!
Visitors can also expect some exciting coffee roasting workshops, coffee and chocolate pairings, tastings and demonstrations.
The Fine Food & Wine Show
Multi-award-winning chef, Pieter Malan’s masterclasses on Fine African Indigenous Cuisine are not to be missed. Also, you can experience Chef Zana Alvarado, National Chairperson of SA Chefs Women in Culinary, in action. Another must-see is the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs) Chef of the Year Gauteng Regional Finals Competition. Finally, celebrate the Mzansi Junior Chef of the Year competition in which Mzansi youth display their chef skills live on Youth Day! All the details are available on The Mzansi Food & Drink Show website.
The Bar & Good Spirits Showcase
This one will be catering for everyone – from exclusive bar owners to students who built their bar out of pallets. The showcase promises to be an interesting experience, to say the least. Think bottle-tossing skills combined with mixology worth witnessing. From mixology classes to whiskey and wine tastings, there will most definitely be something for everyone.
The Mzansi Food Market
A magnified market experience, that’s what it is! Yes, expect stalls of every kind – from unexpected flavour combinations to innovative production practices. Visit, see, taste and buy. Exhibitors will include Sausage Saloon, Old School Fudge, Abu Asa Libnan, Baan Bootsbar Thai Cuisine, Pat Thai, Stir Fry Queen, The Boba Crew, Qzinne Pizza & Grill, Waffle O’ Stick, Neo’s Smokey Delish, The Slushy Mocktails, Local to Global Foods Achar, Yum Yum Bubbletea, Lebanese Shawarma, Core Liquids, Tobs Wraps, The Holy Crepe, R&N Bites and Anything Gourmet plus stacks more tantalising treats to tempt the taste buds!
Bookings: Howler.co.za