A very busy day in the kitchen

After the sightseeing over the weekend our whole group was simply itching to get busy in the kitchen! The day started early when we were picked up from the hotel and dropped off at the Prue Leith Academy in nearby Pretoria.

The Academy itself is picture perfect and the red geraniums in the window boxes were a clear sign that spring was definitely on the way. South Africa is well known for its amazing weather and year round sunny skies and the locals were happy to see us enjoying the wonderful weather.

We were briefed on the local dishes we would be preparing and by this time not only were we aching to get started but our mouths were watering in anticipation and the chance to try new and different foods. The principal chef gave us a rundown of what was expected of us and to be honest we were a little nervous and apprehensive. The kitchen is bigger than what we were used too and things new and strange. However the enthusiasm and passion of the staff soon put us at ease and we found our feet very quickly.

We were introduced to a myriad of different flavour combinations and although unusual, they were absolutely heavenly. We were soon to realize that pinning a definitive label on what constitutes a typical South African dish is not possible. The diversity of culture and language has become so intermingled that favours from around the world create a truly unique ‘African fusion’ of tastes.

Next came the best part of the day were we sampled some of the local cheeses and Olive oils. As the day progressed we become more confident in our pronunciation of the local names. Still we all had a good laugh as we got horribly tongue tied trying to say some of the more exotic names for some of the dishes. With a hard days work behind us we returned to the hotel, ready for the main event the following day...

For more information please go to http://www.pandemonium.co.za