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Dear Travelers and Food Lovers,
Welcome to Cape Town – the Mother City, where Table Mountain watches over a rainbow of cultures, and the Atlantic breeze carries the scent of spices from distant shores. If you’re tired of restaurant menus and tourist traps, come home with me instead. Let me open my door, light the fire in my backyard, and cook for you the way my family has for generations. This isn’t just dinner; it’s ubuntu in action – the beautiful South African belief that “I am because we are.” Sharing food around an open flame is how we connect, laugh, and make strangers into friends.
In my home, you’ll experience true Cape hospitality: relaxed, generous, and full of stories. We’ll sit under the stars (or around the kitchen table, or in the braai room if the weather turns), pour a glass of Stellenbosch red or a cold South African Craft Beer, and eat straight from the fire. No fancy plating – just honest, soul-warming food that tells the story of our Rainbow Nation.
The Heart of the Evening: A Real South African Braai
Nothing says South Africa like the crackle of a wood fire and the smell of meat on the grid. A braai isn’t a barbecue – it’s a ritual. We’ll start with hors d’oeuvres , delightfullly delicious biltong (dried, cured spiced South African Beef). Our braai will feature boerewors (spicy farmer’s sausage coiled like a snake), lamb chops rubbed with coarse salt, and chicken sosaties marinated in fragrant Cape Malay spices. The flames lick the meat slowly, giving it that unbeatable smoky flavour only real wood can deliver.
While the men argue over who is the “braai master” this time (it’s always a debate!), we make sure that the ladies glasses are always topped up, and the kids chase each other around the garden. We’ll throw on some mielies (corn on the cob) slathered with butter, and of course, the legendary braaibroodjie – grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato, onion, and Mrs Ball’s chutney that ooze when you bite into them.
Slow Magic in the Potjie
Or, we can have next to the fire, my three-legged cast-iron potjie (little pot) which could be bubbling gently over the coals. This is potjiekos – food cooked low and slow(4 hours), layer upon layer, never stirred (that’s the golden rule!). I’ll make a rich lamb potjie with carrots, potatoes, green beans, and a splash of red wine. The flavours marry over hours, creating a gravy so delicious you’ll want to mop it up with fresh roosterkoek (bread rolls baked on the braai).
Potjiekos came from the Voortrekkers who crossed the country in ox-wagons, but we Cape locals added our Malay spices and made it our own. It’s comfort in a pot – hearty, forgiving, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
The Sweet-Spicy Star: Traditional Bobotie
The third option, for something baked with love, I’ll serve my grandmother’s bobotie – the iconic Cape Malay dish that’s often called South Africa’s national treasure. Fragrant curried mince with hints of sweetness from apricot jam and raisins, topped with a golden egg custard and baked until puffed and beautiful. Served with turmeric-yellow rice (geelrys), banana slices, extra chutney and coconut on the side, it’s the perfect mix of savoury, sweet, and spicy.
Bobotie carries centuries of history: Dutch settlers met Malay cooks at the Cape, spices from Indonesia danced with local ingredients, and something magical was born. One bite and you’ll taste the rainbow.
Come Hungry, Leave Happy
This isn’t just a meal – it’s an evening of laughter, stories about rugby and rainbows, and the kind of warmth that only comes from cooking over fire with people you care about. My table is big, my fire is ready, and my heart is open.
Whether you’re a family on holiday, a couple seeking something authentic, or solo travelers craving connection, you’re welcome here. Limited spots, personal attention, and memories guaranteed.
Ke nako – it’s time. Let’s eat, drink, and braai like locals.
With Cape hospitality,
Gerhard van Eeden
