A new look Good Food & Wine Show comes to Durban from August 8 and is spot on with what’s hot and fabulous in food and cooking fashions.
Celebrity chefs in the show this year are TV personality James Martin; Vivek Singh of London’s Cinnamon Club, who has changed the face of Indian cooking; Anjali Pathak, a talent in the Indian food and spice arena and part of the Pathak spice family; and vegan baker Mellissa Morgan who is known to her fans as Ms Cupcake.
Martin, a famous British foodie says: “People sometimes get so wrapped up in the detail of cooking. To me, it should really be the whole package. Cooking should be about great food with good people.”
Singh explains his concept of Indian food: “In my experience of cooking Indian cuisine, I have come across numerous examples of authenticity as a reason for not doing things rather than trying something different. I wanted to free Indian food from the straitjacket of tradition and, in order to do so, it was important to push the perceived boundaries beyond what was considered to be authentic.”
Pathak says: “I love bridging the gap between traditional Indian and contemporary international cuisine. Spices are some of the most exciting ingredients to work with and when you have mastered the basics, all you need to do is practise and find what you like best. In the end, cooking is about having fun. I also like to prove that Indian food is healthy and it is not only about rich sauces and curries.”
Larger-than-life Ms Cupcake is out to show visitors that everybody can eat cake, regardless of allergies: “Everybody deserves great cake. It is my job to create indulgent and decadent cakes for them regardless of what they can and cannot eat. My team and I bake incredible cakes, raising the profile of a vegan diet and educating people on how they can create ‘free from’ cakes for themselves.”
The chefs will appear in the Celebrity Chefs Theatre where our local and international celebrity chefs will be whipping up their signature recipes and demonstrating dishes for visitors to recreate at home.
In the DStv Celebrity Chef Photo Booth visitors will be able to have their pictures taken with a celebrity chef.
* The show will be held at the Durban Exhibition Centre from August 8 to 11. – Lifestyle Reporter