Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace Enjoys a Taste of South Africa
Perhaps best known for presenting Masterchef, it was inevitable that part of the focus for ITV’s South Africa With Gregg Wallace would be food. While it was veterinary work on a leopard in the Amakhala Reserve that made him most emotional in the first episode, his taste buds were clearly excited by a stew cooked in a three legged potjie pot over an open fire, accompanied by a cold beer.
And it was among the elephants, rhino and giraffes on the Amakhala Reserve that Gregg spent his first night in a tent, something he described as terrifying. Despite the luxury of a safari tent, with its proper beds and en-suite bathroom, Gregg admitted to sleeping little as he struggled without London’s streetlamps and was woken by every noise. He confessed, “It could be something as small as a squirrel outside your tent” but he worried that “every single sound seems like it’s going to be a lion.”
Rhino on the Amakhala Reserve
After his stay on the Amakhala Reserve, Gregg’s six part series continues through the land described as “A World In One Country” and took in Cape Town, The Whale Coast, Soweto, a Zulu village in the Garden Province and the Augrabies Waterfalls in the Kalahari Desert.
Whale watching on the Cape coast. Grootbos
His wildlife highlights included the aforementioned leopard, together with sharks and African penguins, while his best food experiences varied from fat cakes from food stall in Soweto, to a South African braai (barbecue) at sunset in the Kalahari Desert.
The penguins on Boulders Beach, Cape Town. Wilderness Touring, ©DanaAllen
As well as the rich flavours and diversity on offer, Gregg was struck by the value saying, “from a food and wine point of view, you will not get that quality at that price anywhere. A top end meal, three courses, in the smartest of hotels will cost you about £20. And the wines are just exceptional.”
Chefs in the kitchen garden at Babylonstoren in the Winelands
What Next?
South Africa is a big country and to follow in Gregg’s footsteps in the ITV series would take the best part of a month. Our team of South Africa experts can help you plan this length of trip, or help design a shorter trip based on the elements you think you’d enjoy most.
Please get in touch and let us help you plan a fabulous South Africa holiday.
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