Setting New Standards in Dining

“Spekko Rice is setting new standards in dining” said Azelia Morkel, marketing manager for Die Burger newspaper, in her welcome speech at this year’s KKNK gourmet dinners.

“And”, she said, “we are not saying rice anymore, we are saying Spekko instead”.

The annual KKNK (Klein Karoo Kunstefees) is set in the town of Oudtshoorn and is a celebration, showcase and a stage for culture, language and food. Artists, television soap stars, famous authors, top chefs, journalists and television crews descent on the “dorp” to mingle with and bask in the admiration of students, farmers, culture vultures and a multitude of overseas guests.

Food at the festival included everything from “braaibroodjies” to “jaffels” and “boerewors rolls”; “tjops and dops”, chocolate cake and koeksisters; fancy cheeses and dishes from Nataniel’s table.

But – Spekko became the “most discussed: by sponsoring both Die Burgers 3 dinners, as well as the artists interviews filmed and broadcasted on the KKNK social media platforms.

Predominantly a showcase for Afrikaans drama, music and art, the KKNK is now firmly multi-cultural. The week-long event is considered one of South Africa’s largest arts and culture festivals, attracting thousands of visitors per year and which features some 200 performances. The 23rd annual festival took place this year from 24 – 30 March.

It is in this interesting stew that defines the festival that Die Burger dinners have taken the lead where good food is concerned. Chefs Tiaan Langenegger and Mynhardt Joubert – winners of kykNET’S reality cooking series Kokkedoor 1 – launched the first Die Burger dinner last year to great acclaim.

With tickets sold out as soon as the first article appeared in Die Burger for this year’s 3 dinners, the chefs set out to create an even better eating experience. Taking their inspiration from the theme “It is raining in the Klein Karoo”, Mynhardt and Tiaan proved why they won South Africa’s first local reality TV show.

With Spekko as main sponsor for the dinners, the chefs used Spekko rice variants in several courses. The starter was a Smoked and bottled Karoo bush salad with Spekko Saman Brown Rice. The main course featured 3 different rice dishes, served with a Karoo lamb pie: Smoked and fried Basmati rice with an olive and thyme butter; Turmeric flavoured yellow rice with dried and sugared citrus peel, and some splendid rice croquettes with stuffed with mozzarella cheese and enrobed with a Parmesan crust.

This year’s KKNK festival was noticeably colorful, with attendance by a wide spectrum of South Africans. Sponsors included Absa and kykNET, and in many cases the Royal Dutch Embassy; the Flemish government and then of course, South Africa’s biggest consumer magazines.

Weg! Magazine staged 4 X 4 events over the Swartberg Pass, ostrich viewing adventures, township tours and cycling events. Sarie magazine gathered the best local arts and crafts in their first pop-up shop; and Huisgenoot staged the premiere of Karen Zoid’s musical tour – Zoid Africa. RSG broadcasted live.

Performers and artists included Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo and John Kani; Marc Lottering with his show Hash Tag; Laurika Rauch, Robbie Wessels, Andriette, Amanda Strydom, Adam Tas and HemelBesem (SA’s answer to the Hip Hop from the Cape Flats; a clutch of Idols 2015 finalists and actors from the latest local films; tributes to the late South African Christopher Kindo (yes the ballet star) and Eduard Greyling starring in The Cape Dance Company’s shows.

Visual artists includes new boys on the block Lehlogonolo Mashaba with his prints and Kagiso Patrick with mixed media.

Many shows debuted, but old favourites such as Sizwe Banzi is Dead and the Jacques Brel Show vowed audiences.

Get Mynhardt and Tiaan’s recipes on the Spekko website at………