Township tourism is growing in popularity as locals and internationals visitors alike continue to visit the City’s vibrant and diverse townships to sample township living first hand.

This includes the Good Food and Wine Show who held a celebrity chef cookout at popular shisanyama, Eyadini Lounge in Umlazi today, 29 October 2015.

The Good Food and Wine Show is being held from October 31 to November 1, 2015 at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

The Good Food and Wine Show Durban Township Cookout saw celebrated chefs and food personalities share local flavours, authentic cuisine while imparting cooking techniques to locals in a true township restaurant.

The line-up included winner of Masterchef Australia Brent Owens, Masterchef Australia finalist Renae Smith, South African celebrity chefs Jenny Morris also known as ‘The Giggling Gourmet’ and Peter Ayub as well as UK chef and TV personality Reza Mahammed.

Runner-up of Masterchef South Africa, Siphokazi Mdlankomo and TV personality Lorna Maseko-Lukhele also demonstrated their superior cooking skills at the cookout.

The crowd, which consisted of locals, emerging chefs and culinary students, were treated to an impressive display of talent during the two 30 minute cook-offs.

Team Australia with Owens and Smith paired up to verse Team South Africa which had Morris and Mahammed on the team.

The first team used popular local ingredients including maize meal and tin fish. They prepared pap and curry which was a favourite with the crowd.

Team South Africa meanwhile created a vetkoek boerewors roll with chakalaka.

The second cook off was between Ayub who prepared Turkish hotdogs using traditional steamed bread for the roll and lamb for the sausage. Mdlankomo made a bacon burger with mushroom sauce with Maseko-Lukhele assisting her.

The overall winner was Owens whose dish was declared the best tasting at the event.

Sibusiso Dlamini from Umlazi Township Tourism said events such as these continued to promote township tourism.

He said people needed to be educated about township life which was not all negative.

“Township tourism is important to change visitors’ perception of the City. Townships have a rich history that needs to be shared. Visitors especially from Asia and Europe don’t have a true understanding of our country and are surprised when they come here, especially to the township, to see people living well and peacefully together,” he said.

Dlamini said the non-profit organisation was formed in 2007 as there was a gap in the tourism market.

“We wanted to create a link between established suburban tourist sites and the township. We wanted to promote Umlazi as a choice destination and allow tourists to get a feel of township life and learn at the same time about how townships were formed and why people were moved here. It also drives economic empowerment as these tourism establishments create employment for locals and leads to development in the township,” he said.

Dlamini said Umlazi is all about a “unique lifestyle” and the route they took residents showed this.

“We have a beautiful park called How Long Park that rivals some of the City’s best parks. People enjoy themselves on these tours and go back to their respective countries and tell people about our City. Those people then make a trip here, it is boosting tourism,” he said.

The Good Food and Wine Show has plenty on offer including the Celebrity Chefs Theatre local and international chefs will be in action. There is also a baking theatre, live appearances from favourite local TV celebrities and a Slow Food Theatre which provides a platform for small produces from family farming to artisanal foods.

ENDS

Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Head, Tozi Mthethwa.

For more information members of the media can contact Gugu Sisilana on 031 311 4855 or email: gugu.mbonambi@durban.gov.za or Princess Nkabane on 031 311 4818 or princess.nkabane@durban.gov.za