Nederburg has teamed up with queen of Afrofusion cuisine, Chef Nti, who’s dreamed up some exciting new flavour-popping kasi recipes to mark the 50th anniversary of the winery’s much-loved red blend, Baronne.
The perennially popular Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend, launched in 1973, remains a great Mzansi favourite. Based on annual domestic volumes sold, the equivalent of a bottle of Baronne is opened somewhere in the country every 15 seconds.
Chef Nti, or to call her by her full name, Nthabiseng Ramaboa, has been inspired by the wine’s succulent, smooth spiciness, and mouth-filling palate to develop a suite of new-generation, street-style dishes.
The high-profile fashionista and food influencer is widely followed for her imaginative foodie TV and social media content that recasts traditional township favourites with innovative flair.
She’s the host of Street Food in Africa, airing in over 140 countries on the Food Network channel, sharing South African flavours and culinary culture with the world. Not surprising then, that diners queue up to attend her bespoke dinners at her award-winning Taste Kitchen venue in Jozi.
For Nederburg she has developed a selection of Baronne-friendly dishes that, like the wine itself, blend heritage and modernity with delicious results.
Maize, for example, gets a huge shout-out from her. In her debut cookbook, Chef Nti – My Modern African Kitchen, she called it “not only as an essential part of South African culinary heritage but also as one of the few equalisers in our beautiful and diverse country. I want to instil a sense of pride in what we grew up eating.”
Now she’s turning to ditlwadi, lerotse, morogo and other indigenous heritage ingredients, encouraging us to honour our culinary past with fresh and original takes on old favourites. But, always mindful that the dishes and techniques should be fun and accessible, she’s identified substitutes for cooks who can’t yet find the originals.
Nederburg hopes that will soon change, though. It is participating in a multi-party project to protect and preserve indigenous vegetables, fruits, pulses and grains. The winery is working with the South African Chefs’ Association and two NGOs – Harvesting Heritage and SocioTech BBL – to support small-scale farmers in cultivating these ingredients and bringing them to market for professional and home cooks.
“Nederburg dates back to 1791 and has a long and proud South African provenance,” says senior brand spokesperson Jackie Olivier. “We value cultural and culinary heritage and invest in ideas and people who, like us, seek to conserve traditions while infusing them with contemporary technology, research and thinking.”
