Kit Heathcock - Writer

01/12/2023

Long and fascinating conversations with artisan baker Markus Farbinger and La Motte cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche (plus a fair bit of tasting of bread and bubbly) went into this deep dive story about fermentation written for La Motte

We talk to master baker Markus Färbinger and La Motte cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche about the role of fermentation in the bakery and cellar, and the alchemy that leavens bread dough, and turns sugar into the fine mousse of Cap Classique bubbles.

17/11/2023

My latest piece for Daily Maverick TGIF - a tough choice picking three from among the many fab Cape Town eateries, but the stories, vibe (adnd of course the excellent food) made the choice for me here. Boma on Bree Vadivelu Therapy Restaurant

Where to eat when you want great food and a lively vibe in Cape Town? Head to one of these three new spots: Boma on Bree, Therapy, and Vadivelu.

21/10/2023

Cheese, regenerative farming and great food. My latest story just out in Daily Maverick TGIF. Spoiler alert... cheese can be addictive!
Dalewood Fromage Joostenberg Wine The Kraal at Joostenberg Wine Estate

A collaborative lunch at The Kraal at Joostenberg, starring cheeses from neighbouring Dalewood Fromage, provides the perfect platform to talk about (and taste) regenerative farming in action.

17/08/2023

Really enjoying chatting to winemakers and getting all the stories for these Wine of the Week features.

Traditional, fun and flirtatious, this sparkling rosé cap classique from Kleine Zalze is fresh, fruity and perfect for any occasion.

09/06/2023

It's just opened on Kloof Street and already buzzing... We loved every bite when we visited Vadivelu earlier this week to review for Inside Guide

This vibey, modern-Indian restaurant on Kloof Street is a welcome addition to Cape Town’s burgeoning and world-famous foodscape.

19/05/2023

I tracked down South Africa's burrata sensation to its source and chatted to Davide Ostuni owner of Puglia Cheese. Here's the story...

For the pioneers of authentic Italian artisan mozzarella and burrata in South Africa, Puglia Cheese, it’s been a roller coaster ride, as owner Davide Ostuni recounts.

21/12/2022

A real hidden Franschhoek gem. My review for Inside Guide of Deux Lions on a valley farm outside Franschhoek.

With terrace tables beside a mountain stream, Deux Lions in Franschhoek offers elegant and relaxed dining, where kids and pets are welcome.

18/12/2022

So lovely to have a full on summer festival again after the Covid hiatus.. Wind and air being the theme, with flags, pennants, bubbles, and the yellow billed kite circling above us. And just like the festivals of the old days... except the kids are all growed up!

28/11/2022

At Vuur on Remhoogte Wine Estate every dish has been touched by fire – a feast of smoke and caramelised sweetness that is so much more than a braai.
My latest story for Daily Maverick

At Vuur on Remhoogte Wine Estate every dish has been touched by fire – a feast of smoke and caramelised sweetness that is so much more than a braai.

16/11/2022

Global flavours that feel like home.
So enjoyed visiting De Eetkamer in Stellenbosch for this Inside Guide review. Definitely one to go back to often.

Chef Marco Cardoso prepares a global small-plates menu in a renovated stable at De Eetkamer in Drostdy Road in Stellenbosch.

21/10/2022

So looking forward to visiting the new Osteria cheese bar by Puglia Cheese! It's at Waterkloof Wines and will be showcasing their fabulous cheeses - that burrata... And loads more authentic Italian dishes majoring on cheese. Here's what we know so far:

This hotly anticipated new cheese bar by Puglia Cheese at Waterkloof is a welcome addition to the Cape’s burgeoning and world-famous foodscape.

14/10/2022

The son of a farm labourer, Paul Siguqa realised a long-held dream when he bought Klein Goederust in 2019. Now he’s building a boutique Franschhoek Valley wine farm that’s all about ubuntu, sharing fine wines and South African farm feasts.
My latest story for Daily Maverick TGIFood

The son of a farm labourer, Paul Siguqa realised a long-held dream when he bought Klein Goederust in 2019. Now he’s building a boutique Franschhoek Valley wine farm that’s all about ubuntu, sharing fine wines and South African farm feasts.

13/10/2022

It really was an adventure discovering the new restaurant at Doolhof in a secret mountain valley above Wellington. Here's what I wrote for Inside Guide

A secret mountain valley above Wellington is home to Mila Restaurant, a charming bistro with a Mediterranean vibe on Doolhof Wine Estate.

16/09/2022

An inspiring Cognac tasting experience with Rémy Martin’s brand ambassador, Maxime Pulci, dispels myths and preconceptions of this rarefied spirit realm.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-09-16-time-and-terroir-the-essence-of-fine-cognac/

An inspiring Cognac tasting experience with Rémy Martin’s brand ambassador, Maxime Pulci, dispels myths and preconceptions of this rarefied spirit realm.

12/08/2022

I so enjoyed chatting to the Melck family for this story for Daily Maverick TGIFood. We started off talking about Annatjie's famous lamb afval recipe and veered off onto many stories and reminiscences about Muratie Wine Estate s colourful history.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-08-12-lamb-shanks-afval-and-living-history-at-muratie/

Annatjie Melck’s kitchen in the old Muratie homestead is at the heart of the family-owned Stellenbosch wine estate’s food story, from lamb afval to lamb shanks and home baking.

29/07/2022

Chefs and farmers cooking together - we had such a fabulous time with Abalimi Bezekhaya on Monday, cooking with their wonderful organic produce and cultivated wild and indigenous plants. It's all grown organically in community gardens and farms in Cape Town's townships and this was a celebration of their 40 year anniversary. Here's my story for Daily Maverick TGIFood. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-07-29-dune-spinach-and-nettles-a-storming-cook-up-with-abalimi/

Chefs and farmers celebrated 40 years of Abalimi Bezekhaya’s organic community gardens with an inspiring cook up, featuring cultivated indigenous plants and sparkling fresh produce.

08/07/2022

An intriguing taste of Turkey in Stellenbosch. My latest story for Daily Maverick TGIFood TURKSPIRIT

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-07-08-a-turkish-outpost-of-delight-in-stellenbosch/

Of all the tasting experiences you’d expect to find in Stellenbosch, Turkish Delight and Turkish coffee is probably not one of them. But Dilek Aktan of TurkSpirit brings an authentic taste of her home country to a hidden café off Plein Street.

17/06/2022

Have you ever cooked with culinary fynbos herbs? I did a fabulous tasting with South African Fynbos back in April and this is the story.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-06-17-a-taste-of-fynbos-exploring-south-africas-indigenous-culinary-herbs/

Aromatic and evocative of the veld, a new palette of fynbos seasonings and herbs challenges and delights palates at a masterclass tasting experience with Giselle Courtney of South African Fynbos.

09/06/2022

BLOG POST Jorge Silva chatted about some of the story behind the opening of family-run Black Sheep, a Kloof Street local's favourite since 2013. The Black Sheep Restaurant
https://www.kitheathcock.co.za/blog/the-black-sheep

The Black Sheep is a Kloof Street institution its constantly changing blackboard menus and lively evening vibe surviving the pandemic, and coming out the other

10/05/2022

What is the story behind vanilla? Katelyn and Antonino Allegra tell me all about the quality vanilla they source for The Kate Tin online baking shop.
https://www.kitheathcock.co.za/blog/like-vanilla-and-chocolate

Vanilla’s a really expensive spice and it’s super complex, over 350 compounds in it. When it’s good it’s amazing.

29/04/2022

A luscious reminder of Italy, the porchetta sandwiches at Lello’s Deli by Scarpetta are well worth seeking out. Read more in my latest blog post.
https://www.kitheathcock.co.za/blog/porchetta-at-lellos-deli

The porchetta is cooked for them by Luigi, he gets his pork from an Italian friend’s farm here in SA, then lovingly cooks it the traditional way.

14/04/2022

A chocolate story for the Easter weekend. I chat to Antonino and Katelyn Allegra about their chocolate journeys, how they met, direct trade cocoa, making quality baking chocolate for The Kate Tin , and what is next for Antonino, now he's moved on from Afrikoa.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-04-14-love-innovation-and-disruption-among-the-cocoa-beans/

Pioneering direct trade cocoa in Africa, innovating in making bean-to-bar chocolate, and baking up a Cape storm, Antonino and Katelyn Allegra share their chocolate journeys.

01/04/2022

A tea tasting with tea sommelier Craig Cupido at the Mount Nelson Hotel, followed by a tea and dim sum pairing with Nigiro Tea Merchants’ Mingwei Tsai, reveal a world of tea that is about energy and connection as well as flavour. Nigiro Tea Merchants Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel

A tea tasting with tea sommelier Craig Cupido at the Mount Nelson Hotel, followed by a tea and dim sum pairing with Nigiro Tea Merchants’ Mingwei Tsai, reveal a world of tea that is about energy and connection as well as flavour.

08/03/2022

I couldn't help waxing lyrical in the intro to my latest blog post. Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic tends to do that to you, even before you taste the first of the delicious dishes on the tapas for two menu. Here's the story from my spectacular lunch with my mum at the end of January.
https://www.kitheathcock.co.za/blog/lunch-at-chefs-warehouse-tintswalo-atlantic

The vibe at Tintswalo Atlantic is already magical before you even get started on the Chefs Warehouse tapas for two.

04/03/2022

Les Jeunes a Table is a special set menu for young people aged 18-29, at The Vine Bistro at Glenelly in Stellenbosch. My story about our recent visit with our young adult kids is just out in Daily Maverick TGIFood.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-03-04-where-young-palates-come-of-age/

Exploring the finer side of dining is usually beyond your budget in your 20s, so how do you expand your culinary horizons and discover new flavours? Christophe Dehosse has the answer.

21/02/2022

Next level Stellenbosch pavement dining at Rykaart's Stellenbosch with delicious food from Chef Alex Rykaart - read the story now on my blog https://www.kitheathcock.co.za/blog/rykaartsa-stellenbosch-restaurant-for-the-everyday-gourmet

16/02/2022

Dramatic decor and a celebratory dining experience in Durbanville. My review of Shakespeare's Restaurant for The Inside Guide https://insideguide.co.za/cape-town/restaurants/shakespeares/

There’s a sense of drama in the décor at Shakespeare’s Restaurant, making for an elegant dining experience that’s ideal for any special celebration.

11/02/2022

A non alcoholic aperitif from Babylonstoren, called Bitterlekker, enjoyed some lekker taste testing for this piece

If you were to bottle the essence of a visit to Babylonstoren, this delightful nonalcoholic aperitif is a celebration of the farm’s Cape Floral landscape.

04/02/2022

Finding out more about what makes gelato gelato and ice cream ice cream. Moro Gelato share the inside perspective on gelato and Kristen's Kick-Ass Ice Cream give me the scoop on artisan ice cream. Out in Daily Maverick TGIF today.

What makes gelato gelato? We all know it’s more than just the Italian word for ice cream, but what actually distinguishes the two? As we talk to two of Cape Town’s artisan producers, Moro Gelato and Kristen’s Kick Ass Ice Cream, the differences between gelato and ice cream, the science and the...

24/01/2022

Loved our first taste of new family run eatery Rykaart's in Stellenbosch, which I reviewed recently for Inside Guide.

European in feel, this chef-owned sidewalk restaurant in the heart of Stellenbosch serves unfussy and eminently satisfying seasonal plates.