All systems are go for The Plant Powered Show this weekend

It’s all systems ‘grow’ for this year’s Plant Powered Show, which runs from Friday, 26 May to Sunday, 27 May at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The Plant Powered Show will appeal to anyone passionate about food, health, wellness, the environment and conscious living. It also caters to professionals in the trade industry, including retail, restaurant, hotel and hospitality establishments, local distributors and exporters seeking innovative, high-quality products.

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ALSO SEE: Meet the top chefs taking centre stage at The Plant Powered Show in Cape Town

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An impressive lineup of renowned chefs and talented mixologists will demonstrate their culinary expertise at The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth. Additionally, don’t miss out on the immersive daily Masterclass programme, where you’ll have the opportunity to cook and indulge in a wide array of mouthwatering plant-based dishes while shaking up sensational cocktails alongside some of the show’s most prominent attractions.

The bumper line-up of chefs and mixologists include English chef, writer and presenter Tom Hunt; plant-based African food educator Jane Nshuti; international award-winning wild and indigenous chef, Gregory Henderson; Chef’s Table Cape Town founder Santi Louzán; Western Cape wild foods expert Loubie Rusch; chef and food stylist and editor of TFG’s MyKitchen magazine, Chad January; vegan bakery Cinnamon Club owner, Jacques Kruger; nutritional therapist and naturopath, Aliya Ferguson; Sunshine Food Co. founder Elisha Madzivadondo; classically trained French chef Damian Jardim; ex-Delaire Graff Estate and Boschendal chef Christiaan Campbell; Jenny Morris, aka the Giggling Gourmet, co-founder of the vegan sushi restaurant Plushi Carin Brink; executive chef at WE Café, Eugene Volkov; co-owner and director of Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen & Cape brandy bar Kurt Schlechter and one of the country’s top mixologists, developers, trainers, and event managers for everything bar related, Roxanne Read, aka Rox the Fox!

The three-day event will include diverse and compelling talks by leading health and wellness experts in The McCain Health & Wellness Talks in association with ProVeg SA, exclusive industry networking and a marketplace stocked with plant-based food, drink and conscious living products to sample and buy.

It will also have the Valpré Hospitality Area, which is ideal for networking, relaxing and enjoying Valpré wine spritzers; the Plant Pub, which will serve conscious cocktails curated and mixed by top mixologists, including the renowned AJ Snetler; and a variety of delectable foods available from pop-up eateries in the Living on the Veg area.

Additionally, Latitude Aparthotel and the City of Cape Town are bringing you The Plant Powered Show Popup Podcast, which features Sean Loots, a well-known podcaster, interviewing a variety of producers, experts and chefs.

SA Chefs, the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), the Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA), SANHA, the South African National Halaal Authority, ProVeg SA, Beauty Without Cruelty and the City of Cape Town have all lent their support to the initiative.

The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth

Here’s a sneak peek at the Checkers Plant Kitchen’s free demonstration schedule, powered by Simple Truth:

• Jenny Morris demonstrates her red kidney bean, cauliflower, corn curry and quick broccoli soup recipes.
• Gregory Henderson is showing off his Botanical Hargrow Mirror.
• Jane Nshuti makes moringa and basil pesto gnocchi.
• Rox the Fox concocts her Green Goddess Fizz.
• Steamed baby marrow and pecan nut dumplings, vegetable slaw, roasted carrot and dukkha spice and dark chocolate tart with sweet cashew nut cream are among the dishes prepared by Christiaan Campbell.
• Chad January prepares Asian-style tofu, spinach, mushroom and wilted greens with sesame dressing and tofu, spinach and mushroom tikka masala.
• Tom Hunt’s vegan truffles, multi-seed plant milk and apple scrap cider vinegar.
• Eugene Volkov created a salad on a tofu cream pillow as well as an onion soup garnished with broccoli and cauliflower.

The Checkers Plant Kitchen, powered by Simple Truth, will feature free tasters of the chefs’ recipes for audience members and the emcees will be radio host Guy McDonald and fitness, food, travel and mental health guru Amy Hoppy.

The Plant Powered Show’s hands-on masterclasses

The popular hands-on masterclasses, which will be held daily and limited to only 20 premium ticket holders per class, will feature some of the aforementioned chefs, plant-based experts and mixologists demonstrating how to make dishes, drinks, dips, desserts and much more.

A sample of the lineup is as follows:

• Damian Jardim’s Mediterranean broth bowl and Mediterranean tacos
• Lemon, avocado and basil Aliya Ferguson’s Pasta with Lemon and Rose Sorbet
• Santi Louzá’s vegan paella
• Carin Brink in “The Beauty of the Beetroot”
• Damian Jardim’s Rainbow Sweet Potato Casserole
• Cocktails “Inspired by Fynbos” with Kurt Schlechter and Schweppes Premium Mix
• Loubie Rusch explores dune spinach in the wild, in cultivation and in the kitchen.
• Jacques Kruger’s raw avocado chocolate tart and vegan meringue

The emcee for the masterclasses will be the executive director for BNI Cape Town and Johannesburg, Björn L. Salsone.

The full programme details for both The Checkers Plant Kitchen and the masterclasses are available here.

Details: 

• Date: 26 May: 10am to 6pm | 27 May: 10am to 6pm | 28 May: 10am to 5pm
• Location: Cape Town International Convention Centre 2, Corner of Heerengracht & Rua Bartholomeu Dias, Foreshore, Cape Town
  
• Tickets: Quicket
• Contact: 087 700 6521 | [email protected]
• Website: plantpoweredshow.com

ALSO SEE: The Plant Powered Show in Cape Town and Joburg this year

The Plant Powered Show in Cape Town and Joburg this year

By Sarah du Toit for Cape {town} ETC. 

Feature Image: Nadine Primeau / Unsplash