Discovering Joburg through food

A magical evening of storytelling combined with delectable food and drinks, the Migrant Cuisine Storytelling Dinner is one of JoburgPlaces’ most exciting tours and dinners. The memorable evening in the city presents a discovery of the history and cuisines of some of Joburg’s most prominent migrant communities.

“The story of Johannesburg is the story of migration and this is a city of migrants. The idea is to tell stories through the food of Johannesburg,” Gerald Garner, author and founder of JoburgPlaces said.

In less than two years, JoburgPlaces has become the voice and upholder of all things Johannesburg and is known for its fascinating inner-city walking tours, storytelling dinners and events. Together with guide, Charlie Moyo and chef, Bulelwa Mbonambi, the JoburgPlaces team has already hosted close to 27 000 people on exceptional tours and dinners.

On 7 August, Gerald and the team hosted a special mid-week edition of the Migrant Cuisine Storytelling Dinner taking tourists, artists, foodies and the curious Joburger on a six-course culinary journey across Africa and the world.

“This is one of my favourite tours because I get to visit different countries without even living Joburg. It reminds me that food is the one that reminds us that we’re all universal before all those lines and borders were drawn,” Chef Bulelwa said.

Cooking up a pan-African storm, Chef Bulelwa credits her interactions with African matriarchs in order to get a grasp of the origins of popular migrant dishes. Even though the menu is pan-African, Chef Bulelewa said she adds her South African flare with each dish.

“The real authenticity of food is the food that your mother, grandmother or aunty actually makes for you,” said Chef Bulelwa.

Paired with inspiring migrant stories told by Charlie, the six course dinner was kicked-off with a mouth-watering Cape Malay Soup and Chinese dumpling – starters from different parts of the world with a common-thread in the ingredients. A testament to the universality of food and dining.

Spoilt with two main meals, the sadza and carapau relay the story about feeding a nation on stretched ingredients – a feat that has long been associated with migrant communities and matriarchs who would tend to the needs of families while the men went to labour in the City.

“I go to all these areas and I look for the matriarchs of the family. If you want to know where a dish originates or what makes a dish great, you look for the matriarchs,” Chef Bulelwa said.