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What's on the menu? By Harsha Prag, JWT Johannesburg |
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Preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup have certainly been filled with controversy. From the Dalai Lama being refused a Visa, to questions surrounding the advertising, or lack there of, of the event. My concern however is closer to home. Growing up in a fairly traditional Indian home, feeding people has been hotwired into my circuitry - so that whenever I'm in a group of people, I have an inexplicable need to feed. And yes, the women in my family are very proud!
With the most visitors this country has ever hosted arriving in a year's time, what are we going to be feeding them? Sure, we have plenty of reasonably authentic Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Indian and Sushi restaurants to cater to all types of tourists. But what about something more 'home grown'? The question is especially ironic in that South Africa's raison d'être has its origins in the search for spices, an essential component of any meal. Furthermore, our country's heritage can be seen in the food we traditionally eat - from Boerewors (Dutch influence) to Bobotie (Malay influence) to Pap (Indigenous influence) to Samoosas (Indian influence). Food need not simply be the answer to hunger pangs, it can also be a good way to introduce our guests to the variety of cultural influences that make up South Africa, thereby paving the way for conversations about our history, society and mindset. We South Africans love our food and we're becoming more willing to try out new flavours and experiences. This can be seen in the rise of cooking shows and cooking schools that shed light on a whole host of new cuisines, as well as the sale of equipment like steamers and woks in mainstream stores. One no longer has to go to specialised stores to get non-local ingredients like wasabi, Parma ham and tortillas. Local restaurants have also embraced these new flavours and localised them to create exotic dishes like ostrich ravioli and tandoori crocodile. While I am a huge fan of how cosmopolitan we're becoming, I do believe that our traditional cuisine is severely underrated. The fact that there are so few restaurants offering traditional local fare serves to support my view. When I first began pondering the state of South African cuisine, I asked various friends and colleagues which restaurants they would recommend to tourists - restaurants that would give them a good taste of South African cuisine. I was met with quite a few blank stares. It seems that most people eat traditional fare at home. The question I'd like to pose then is, "How do we welcome visitors and showcase our rich cultural heritage, short of inviting them to our homes for a traditional potjie or umngqusho?" Cuisine is an integral part of the 'South African' experience. I challenge restaurants to start including and serving proudly local fare. It's time we take on the world and inject a bit of South African flavour. Who knows, maybe we can match the success of the 'California Roll' and 'Beef Chow Mein' with 'Biltong' and 'Bunny Chow' and expand our impact on the world.
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