South Africa’s Top Chefs Cooking It Up At Ein Prosit Food Festival
Chef Johannes Richter and Chef Kobus van der Merwe will be representing South Africa at the 25th edition of the internationally renowned Ein Prosit Food Festival in Italy for the very first time. As they cook alongside culinary icons from around the world, these two acclaimed chefs will be giving South Africans yet another reason to be proud of their heritage.
Ein Prosit Food Festival
Hosted in the historical city of Udine, the Italian food and wine festival presents the best of the best in the culinary industry. In fact, people attending the festival will be able to explore top-of-the-range cuisine from around the world in a fine dining atmosphere.
Sommeliers will also be hosted at the Ein Prosit Food Festival, pairing the experience with recommended wines. Festival goers will have the opportunity to partake in masterclasses, wine-tasting experiences and daytrips to nearby vineyards. All that, with the most knowledgeable sommeliers in the world leading the way.
In addition to this year marking the 25th anniversary of the Ein Prosit Food Festival, people can look forward to some South African influences in Italy too. Yes, two South African chefs are finally crossing the ocean to take part in the festival’s excitement for the very first time.
Chef Johannes Richter
Durban-based Chef Johannes Richter is the Head Chef, Front Of House Manager and sommelier at The Living Room Restaurant at Summerhill Guest Estate. While he was born in Germany, he was raised in South Africa. Now, the well-travelled chef brings his experiences back home every time. Alongside his focus on hyper-endemic ingredients and sustainable cooking practices, Chef Richter also blends ancient processes, modern thinking and classic techniques to showcase the diversity of KwaZulu-Natal cuisine.
He received the EatOut Woolworths Sustainability Award in 2022 and placed 13th in the Top 20 Mercedes Benz Eat Out Awards in 2019. Hence, his success in leading The Living Room to victory comes as no surprise.
Chef Johannes Richter will be collaborating with Italy’s sustainable trailblazers, Chef Chiara Paven and Chef Francesco Brutto, from the Michelin Star and Michelin Green Star restaurant, Venissa. They will cook up a storm on 18 October 2024 at La Di Moret Hotel.
Chef Kobus van der Merwe
Based at Wolfgat in the small town of Paternoster in the Western Cape, Chef Van Der Merwe is renowned for his ‘strandveld’ cooking techniques. Essentially, he uses the West Coast as his inspiration, utilising locally sourced ingredients that are collected from the coastline daily.
Wolfgat was named the Best Restaurant In The World at The World Restaurant Awards in 2019. Ultimately, the intimate twenty-seater restaurant offers a sustainable, historical and culturally rich dining experience.
Chef Kobus Van Der Merwe will join Chilean Chef Rodolfo Guzman from Borago Restaurant, which placed 29th in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards. On 18 October 2024 they will work together to offer a diverse dining experience rooted in the coastlines of their respective countries at Le Fucine Gourmet Restaurant.
The Ein Prosit Food Festival will launch on 17 October 2024 and will run over four days. In addition to the above, Chef Richter and Chef van der Merwe will also host a South African-style dinner on 19 October 2024. This culinary experience will take place at Aquila Nera Restaurant. In essence, the experience will feature cuisine from opposite ends of South Africa and those in attendance will be privy to the diverse nature of the country and its people.
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