Promoting South African indigenous and cultural foods through contemporary menu adaptations - a case study

Abstract

The food service industry is an integral part of tourism both locally and globally, producing billions of meals annually ranging from take-outs to gourmet meals. Tourists returning to travel post-COVID-19 may be more discerning, making the promotion of authentic indigenous or local food experiences even more relevant. Even though the role of food in authentic indigenous experiences has only been evaluated to a limited extent, research has shown that authenticity is a vital trait and key motivator for tourists drawn to genuine indigenous experiences. Contemporary interpretations of classic cultural dishes and new dishes using indigenous ingredients should however be done with a sensitive cultural approach, acknowledging the indigenous culinary wisdom. This study presents an example of a contemporary menu with new or adapted food dishes, developed by Culinary Arts students at the University of Pretoria for a public event. Visual ethnography was employed as the methodology to collect visual data and capture menu adaptations and guide the discussion of indigenous cultural foods as part of promoting gastro-tourism experiences. Contemporary interpretations of classical cultural dishes and local foods, as well as newly developed dishes celebrating indigenous ingredients, have considerable potential to confirm the authenticity of South Africa as a tourism destination and increase its competitive advantage in this area. The case example presented in this paper is an illustration of how tourism can be rekindled after the global pandemic, and how much-needed stimulus for economic growth that could elevate the lives of local communities, can be created.