African Relish is a Recreational Cooking School, set in the Karoo town of Prince Albert, South Africa. Our culinary hall is the only purpose built facility of its kind. Here our guests will enjoy luxury accommodation and discover the culinary pulse of South Africa, they can enjoy African Relish either as a stand-alone destination or part of an extended gourmet tour.
The partners in African Relish are Philip & Lisa Key and Jeremy Freemantle. They are old friends, drawn together by their mutual love of food and good living. We have spent most of our careers in the worlds of film, design and marketing. We chose this quaint village for its indefinable qualities of hospitality and sense of place in South Africa’s history. General Manager Virna Gouws adds her local knowledge and organisational skills to our management team.
Our culinary adventures draw on local knowledge, and together with resident Chef Vanie Padayachee and other visiting specialists, emphasis will be placed on local products, learning and enjoyment. The ingredients we use are always fresh, organic and dictated by their seasonality. True Karoo cuisine is our signature and we have designed our menus and our cooking courses around traditional cooking methods and ingredients passed down over the generations. We continuously explore ways of marrying tradition with contemporary flare.
The area is famous for its characteristic lamb, distinctive in its flavour because of the particular varieties of Karoo vegetation that the sheep graze on in the area. Venison and Ostrich are favourites with visitors. Some of the wonderful Karoo specialties we will introduce include, Karoo lamb shanks with creamy samp , sweet potato and lentil soup, lamb pie with sour cream pastry, stuffed belly of pork with peanut butter marinade, Kudu pie with cold water pastry, Skilpadjies (lambs liver in caul fat) Karoo Oysters, salted mutton rib. And then the traditional side dishes such as Slaphaksteentjies (onion in sweet and sour sauce), Roosterkoek (Griddle cakes) Mealie Pap and spinach tart, Olive bread, Pot bread, Koeksisters and Green fig tart, Quince crumble, Stewed quinces (very traditional) Kluitjies (sweet dumplings) Skurwepadda (Spicy vinegar pudding), Sago pudding with apricot jam and many more.
Courses and Tours
| Anytime Courses |
| African Relish offers you the opportunity to experience culinary adventures on an anytime basis. We offer ANYTIME® courses for the passing traveller with the opportunity to enjoy a wide choice of cooking themes and specialised activities. The courses vary from half-day to full-day or as long as you wish to make them as well. We offer a selection of culinary themes to choose from and we are also very happy to custom design your own ANYTIME® course according to your preference |
| Set Courses |
| Scheduled and themed courses are conducted in Prince Albert by Jeremy Freemantle together with visiting chefs who are invited to conduct specialist courses during the year. For more details on courses, itineraries and rates please enquire with us |
| Culinary Tours |
| Relax, unwind and taste - Join us for 10 days of leisurely cycling through coastal and inland Western Cape. Combine the delights of good food and scenic beauty including Cape Town, Paternoster & West Coast, the winelands of Paarl and Franschhoek and Prince Albert in the Great Karoo |
| The Restuarant |
| The African Relish restaurant is open by special arrangement for private functions and dinners. Cooking course participants will sometimes assist in the preparation of the dishes served to restaurant guests as part of the cooking experience. Guests are welcome to interact one on one with our kitchen team and discuss the menu in between courses and to observe a tranquil and efficient kitchen at work. Our menu changes each week, designed around seasonal, local produce and takes Karoo cuisine on a contemporary journey. |
