There is no need to go to Cape Town or Jo’burg for a “Taste” of “Good Food and Wine” when there’s going to be a world-class food fair right here in Nelspruit in July and August.

Towards the end of July 2011, Riverside Mall will be staging tantalising food promotions and exhibitions with its FEAST food festival which will be followed by the Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger which comes to Mpumalanga’s entertainment mecca, Emnotweni Casino, at the end of August this year.

“Our community and whoever is lucky enough to be in Nelspruit over this time will be treated to an epic food festival unlike anything seen in this region before. Top chefs from five countries including Romania, Iceland and the USA will be visiting Emnotweni as part of the tour. This presents a fantastic opportunity for local people to explore a rich diversity of cuisines prepared and demonstrated by some of the world’s most-renowned chefs.

“Running up to the WCTAH event, our partner in delivering first-class entertainment to Nelspruit, Riverside Mall, will host FEAST – which includes a series of food promotions and expos spanning for more than a month. In a nutshell, it is a six-week long explosion of fun, food and wine to delight the senses.

“We are really excited about the upcoming BIDVEST World Chefs tour against Hunger and FEAST, we are already counting down the days,” says Ig Olivier, General Manager of Emnotweni Casino, which is one of the sponsors of the Mpumalanga leg of the Bidvest WCTAH.

The Bidvest WCTAH is a global fundraising initiative which aptly aims to alleviate hunger amongst South Africa’s poorest communities. From 21 to 30 August, over 250 chefs from over 45 countries will descend on South Africa to raise funds and awareness for the plight of the hungry. Bidvest is the main sponsor of the campaign, donating R3.6 million to the cause. Southern Sun is another key sponsor, providing the accommodation for the chefs while they are in the country. Other companies and groups help to extend the reach of the campaign through their own promotions and fundraising initiatives.

This will be the third Bidvest WCTAH, previously known as the World Cooks Tour for Hunger. The first, which took place in 1993, raised R500 000 for hunger alleviation in South Africa. The follow-up tour in 2003 raised R1.5million for local charities, and the goal for this year is raise over R5-million.

During their visit to Nelspruit from Thursday the 25th of August to Sunday the 28th of August, the touring chefs will host dynamic cooking demos at Emnotweni Casino’s newly-refurbished Explorers Restaurant and Riverside Mall’s Food Court. They will also host a whisky tasting and auction in the mall, and visit some of the local charities selected to benefit from the tour.

During the Bidvest WCTAH, Explorers will have a set menu with dishes designed by the chefs during their demonstrations.  A portion of the meal price will go towards the fundraiser.

“There is going to be a lot happening in the run-up to, and during, the Bidvest WCTAH, with events and food promotions taking place daily. We hope that our local community will join us in celebrating good food, friends and wine. Aside from providing great opportunities to try new things and have some fun, it is all for a good cause. All the monies we raise through our initiatives as part of the Bidvest WCTAH will go to needy charities in and near Nelspruit,” says Olivier.

You can also sample the speciality dishes from the home countries of the visiting chefs at the Emnotweni Sun Hotel, where you’ll be treated to delicacies from Iceland, Saudi Arabia and Mozambique.  Call 013 757-3000 to book your seat.

For more information about the Bidvest WCTAH, visit www.worldchefstour.co.za.
For more information about the event or to book your seat for the chefs exhibition or the gala dinner, please contact Marina Coetzee on 013 757 4300 or visit www.emnotweni.co.za.