The Cape Town Good Food and Wine Show

Mzansi’s beloved food and wine exhibition brings in the big guns of the culinary world

One of the country’s foremost gourmet events, the Cape Town Good Food and Wine Show promises to, once again, whet the appetites of Mother City foodies at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from Thursday, 23 to Sunday, 26 May 2013.

As a major highlight, British-born foul-mouthed celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay is billed to headline the 2013 culinary festival along with French pâtissier Eric Lanlard, Australian self-taught cook, restaurateur and food writer Bill Granger and Junior MasterChef Australia winner Isabella Bliss and her twin sister Sofia.

What to expect at the 2013 Cape Town Good Food and Wine Show

Interactive theatres and hands-on cooking workshops lead by first-rate, internationally renowned chefs are on the bill for the 2013 festival. So, anyone with a passion for food and wine would do well to tear themselves away from MasterChef reruns, get off the couch and go check out what’s cooking in the show’s demo kitchens.

Everyone from local head chefs and accomplished sommeliers to hipster-cum-pseudo food critics and two-minute noodle aficionados are sure to revel in the huge range of epicurean delights on offer at this culinary fair.

Highlights at the 2013 Cape Town Good Food and Wine Show

• CHECKERS CELEBRITY CHEF THEATRE: Join local and international celebrity chefs as they strut their stuff and demonstrate their cooking skills in an exclusive demo kitchen. The line-up includes Gordon Ramsay, Eric Lanlard and Bill Granger. With numerous hit TV shows and a famed reputation as Britain’s bad boy, the f-word flinging Gordon Ramsay will be cooking up a storm. Award-winning master pâtissier Eric Lanlard is changing the face of baking and infuses desserts, pastries and all things sweet with his revolutionary methods. Born to a butcher father, self-taught cook and restaurateur Bill Granger has always had a love of food and it’s his easy-going approach to cooking that is the essential ingredient in his recipe for success.
  Tickets: Ticket prices vary depending on the chef featured; see below for details.
• LITTLE CHEFS KITCHEN THEATRE: Isabella Bliss’s life changed overnight when she became the winner of the first Junior MasterChef Australia. Now, the teen chef and her twin sister Sofia (also a contestant and finalist in the TV show) are set to demonstrate their talents to groups of eager young’uns at this year’s foodie fair. Budding master cooks (aged 4 to 7 and 8 to 12) are invited to participate in hands-on workshops with the Bliss sisters as parents watch from outside the allotted area.
  Tickets: Tickets cost R100p/p for just a demo and R150p/p for a hands-on cooking experience (kids only).
• THE SOUTH AFRICAN BAR SHOW: This year (2013), the gourmand festival is incorporating a new lifestyle exhibition, The South African Bar Show, where exhibitors are set to showcase a range of alcohol brands and products – except for table wine. Fair-goers can relax and enjoy an assortment of whiskies, champagne, brandies, cocktails, craft beers and more to the sound of smooth jazz. Not to mention, the bar show is set to host the regional and national Mixology Championships. Alcohol will be on sale at the event, and all sales comply with the latest liquor by-laws.
  Tickets: Entry to this exhibit is free to all Good Food & Wine Show ticket holders.
• THE MY SPAR WINE & CANAPÉ THEATRE: Enjoy a delicious lesson in food and wine pairing at this exciting demonstration that combines a myriad of sweet and savoury canapés with sterling wines from Spar.
  Tickets: Entry to this exhibit is free to all Good Food & Wine Show ticket holders.
• DIAL-A-MOM THEATRE: Want to give your kids a wholesome, nourishing meal that won’t break your back or the bank? Get all the inside information from those in the know (leading nutritionists, teachers and occupational therapists) about children’s health and wellbeing at this interactive theatre.
  Tickets: Ticket prices for this demo theatre are yet to be confirmed.
• THE REAL FOOD THEATRE: At this theatre, attendees can get hands-on experience by participating in workshops that focus on the use of natural sustainable ingredients. This offering is also a must for food bloggers as it features workshops on food styling and photography and info on how to set up a successful food blog.
  Tickets: Ticket prices for this demo theatre are yet to be confirmed.
• BRILLIANT BAKING THEATRE: Catch master confectioner and chocolatier Eric Lanlard as he demonstrates how to create delicious sweet treats in this FREE foodie arena. The dessert god is also set to bake alongside a lucky guest as part of an epic bake sale – the yummy goods will be donated to charity.
  Tickets: Entry to this exhibit is free to all Good Food & Wine Show ticket holders; be sure to get there early as seats are limited.
• BEST OF CAPE TOWN: This arena will showcase some of the finest eateries in the Mother City. At a series of stations, these top-notch restaurants will offer festival-goers a sneak peek into their winter menus alongside tasters of their decadent dishes.
  Tickets: Ticket prices for this arena are yet to be confirmed.
• TAFELPRAATJIES: A new not-to-be-missed event that celebrates the Afrikaans language and culture, with well-known Afrikaans food celebrities demonstrating how to put together meals for different themed occasions.
  Tickets: Ticket prices for this interactive zone are yet to be confirmed.
• CREATIVE COFFEE THEATRE: Coffee enthusiasts will be drawn to this interactive zone by the aromas of java and can learn how to brew the perfect cuppa joe from seasoned baristas.
  Tickets: Entry to this exhibit is free to all Good Food & Wine Show ticket holders.
• DECADENT DESSERTS THEATRE: Join Eric Lanlard in hands-on demonstrations that introduce visitors to the art of crafting decadent and simply delicious desserts. Attendees will get to take home the sweet delights they create.
  Tickets: Ticket prices for this demo theatre are yet to be confirmed.
• DSTV VIP LOUNGE AND PHOTO BOOTH:Surround yourself with elegance and exclusivity while rubbing shoulders with your favourite celebrity chef in this premier lifestyle zone.
  Tickets: Visitors must purchase VIP tickets in order to have access to this exclusive zone; VIP packages are priced differently depending on the preferred celebrity chef – see below for details.

Tickets for the 2013 Cape Town Good Food and Wine Show

General tickets to gain access to the show are available via Computicket.com and Computicket outlets, and cost R110p/p for adults and R55p/p for kids between the ages of 2 and 12.

These tickets will get you samples of great food and wine, as well as entry to a few select cooking demonstrations and exhibitions. Not to mention, there are hundreds of great prizes (edible and otherwise) to be won, as well as special offers on cooking and baking equipment.

Those keen on seeing exclusive demos, gaining access to certain theatres and entering specific areas at the Good Food and Wine Show will have to purchase separate tickets; VIP packages are also available. Tickets that give festival-goers access to the Checkers Celebrity Chef Theatre are priced as follows:

General Access Celebrity Chef Demonstrations

These tickets allow holders to watch their chosen celebrity chef demonstrate recipes in the Checkers Celebrity Chef Theatre.

• Gordon Ramsay – R250p/p
• Bill Granger – R175p/p
• Eric Lanlard – R150p/p
• Isabella Bliss – R100p/p

VIP Access Celebrity Chef Demonstrations

VIP tickets include admission to the Good Food and Wine Show, wine and canapés in the DSTV VIP Lounge and Photo Booth and front row seats in the Checkers Celebrity Chef Theatre (for the chosen celebrity chef).  Holders will also get a signed copy of the relevant celebrity chef’s latest recipe book. Tickets are priced as follows:

• Gordon Ramsay – R950p/p
• Bill Granger – R700p/p
• Eric Lanlard – R650p/p
• Isabella Bliss – R580p/p

Exclusive Dinner Experience with Gordon Ramsay

Those who just can’t get enough of Britain’s bad boy can sit down to an exclusive dinner with Gordon Ramsay himself. Tickets for this elite supper cost R1500p/p and all proceeds will go to a nominated charity, The Table of Peace and Unity, which supports abused children.

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