Another Spekko Kitchen takes a bow

A mix of star-struck visitors, food from the roots of the South African culture and a certain French flair, is how one can describe the debut of the Spekko Kokkedoor kitchen at the Good Food & Wine Show in Johannesburg.

Kokkedoor of course, is kykNet’s Afrikaans take on international reality cooking competitions. After the first series flighted this year on DSTV, cooks from small towns and out of the way hamlets in South Africa suddenly saw themselves catapulted into the limelight.

With Spekko as anchor, the stars were showcased for the first time at a Good Food & Wine Show. Not only did the public drive for miles to see the action in the Spekko Kokkedoor Kitchen, but they could taste spectacular new recipes and sit down for lunches and dinner with the cooks.

With host Caro Alberts – accomplished chef, food writer and stylist as MC – the Spekko Kokkedoor Kitchen became the recipient of the Gold Award and was also voted the most interactive stand at the show. After having won the same accolade at the Good Food & Wine Show in Cape Town and in Durban this year – this is indeed an achievement.

This is what you could have tasted:

• Tannie Poppie Coetser, the country’s most famous “ouma” turned her hand at a banana bobotie with yellow rice;
• Theresa de Vries and Rendil Pietersen who hails from Wellington, teamed up again to make a delicious smoorvis dish;
• Magda Thompson wowed the diners with an arancini and smoked chicken salad
• The two winners from the Kokkedoor series 1 – Tiaan Langenegger and Mynhardt Joubert cooked paella and an old fashioned rice pudding;
• Sarel from Sabie – also seen in MasterChef season 1, got quite a few more admirers with his whole trout stuffed with rice;
• Alida Klopper and Therese made an innovative rice nougat;

Then, there were more delicious offerings on the plate, with dishes such as gorgonzola risotto with red onion pickle; croquettes with home-made mayonnaise; Jasmine rice pudding with strawberries and yoghurt; nasi goring; ricotta and rice tart; and a wood smoked bacon and gruyere rice dish.

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More Photos from the Kokkedoor Kombuis: