From Kruger’s Kitchen to Madiba’s Table: A Culinary Adventure with Three Chefs at a Historic Venue
Johannesburg – This year encourages South Africa to pause and honor significant milestones, bringing together two of its emblematic locations around a shared table.
Sanctuary Mandela — the historic Houghton residence of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg — and Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge, which overlooks the Sabie River atop the Selati Bridge in Kruger National Park, have initiated an innovative culinary collaboration: From Kruger’s Kitchen to Madiba’s Table: An Iconic Food Journey.
This partnership brings together three visionary entities: Sanctuary Mandela, Kruger Shalati, and Chef Wandile Mabaso, one of South Africa’s leading chefs in contemporary African gastronomy.
Together, they invite guests to experience a six-course dinner that spans Johannesburg and the Kruger region, connecting memory with landscape, and intertwining the legacy of a man with the vastness of a continent.
“He understood that the nation’s wilderness areas were much more than just scenery; they embody a shared national heritage.”
The occasion
This year commemorates what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 108th birthday.
It also celebrates the centennial of Kruger National Park — a hundred years devoted to conservation, ecological stewardship, and the steadfast commitment to safeguarding wild spaces for future generations.
These important anniversaries share a central theme: legacy. Not merely as a monument or nostalgic remembrance, but as a critical responsibility that endures.
Madiba frequently emphasized the significance of preserving Africa’s natural heritage.
He recognized that the country’s wild spaces — the rivers, fever trees, and open plains — were not just historical backdrops but part of the inheritance each generation is charged with maintaining.
From Kruger’s Kitchen to Madiba’s Table: An Iconic Food Journey celebrates that inheritance — expressed through the most human of traditions: sharing a meal together.
This event also launches the Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series — a platform designed to connect the group’s properties with South Africa’s finest culinary talents, creating experiences that transcend typical hospitality to form lasting memories.
The experience
An extraordinary dining experience awaits this July in Johannesburg.
On 17 and 18 July — surrounding Madiba’s birthday on the 18th — guests are invited to dine in the house he once called home.
Each evening starts with welcome drinks, canapés, and a guided heritage tour of the property, followed by a six-course meal complemented by exceptional wines.
Guests will share the table, mirroring how meals were meant to be enjoyed in this home.
The menu – a culinary voyage in six courses
Each of the six courses draws inspiration from one of the three collaborating partners — Sanctuary Mandela, Kruger Shalati, and Chef Wandile Mabaso.
Each course is rooted in a meaningful narrative.
The menu navigates the bush and the city, the untamed and the cultivated, the dishes cherished by Madiba and the landscapes that define South Africa.
It features indigenous ingredients, the memories of a Houghton kitchen, the expansive skies of the Lowveld, and the innovative ethos of contemporary African cuisine.
Wine pairings will be thoughtfully curated throughout, in collaboration with Boschendal.
The specifics of each dish are meant to be discovered at the table.
The chefs
Chef Wandile Mabaso collaborates with two colleagues who carry the spirit of this partnership forward: Chef Mordecai Brauns, Head Chef at Sanctuary Mandela’s restaurant Insights, and Chef Vusi Mbatha, Executive Chef at Kruger Shalati.
Both locations are part of the same family — united under the Motsamayi Tourism Group — lending a natural sense of shared purpose to the collaboration.
At Insights — rated as the top restaurant in Gauteng on DinePlan with a 4.8 rating, known for its Dine Like Madiba experience — Chef Mordecai crafts menus inspired by the tastes and preferences that Madiba treasured.
He has been part of the Sanctuary Mandela kitchen since 2021, initially as Sous Chef before becoming Head Chef, providing his cooking with a deep connection to this historic residence that is irreplaceable.
Chef Vusi at Kruger Shalati brings over a decade of progressive culinary experience to a kitchen that resonates with the landscape itself — his Kruger to Fork philosophy sources nearly everything from within a 30-kilometer radius, emphasizing menus based on indigenous ingredients and the seasonal cycles of the Lowveld.
Three chefs. Two iconic South African destinations. One table.
Tickets & Bookings
Tickets are available for R2,500 per person, which includes the six-course menu, wine pairings, a welcome drink, and a guided heritage tour of Sanctuary Mandela. Availability each evening is limited.
Reservations can be made through DinePlan or directly at Sanctuary Mandela.
Three prestigious partners. Two evenings. One momentous year.
Reserve via DinePlan or contact Sanctuary Mandela directly: info@sanctuarymandela.com | +27 10 035 0368 | WhatsApp +27 78 641 6061 | sanctuarymandela.com
Skills development
Beyond the dining experience, From Kruger’s Kitchen to Madiba’s Table upholds one of Mandela’s most enduring beliefs: education is the most powerful tool for driving change.
A dedicated skills development program provides mentorship, training, and hands-on learning for aspiring chefs and hospitality professionals, paving the way for emerging talent to learn from industry leaders and gain exposure to top-tier culinary and hospitality practices.
This dinner is more than a meal. As part of the Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series, Kruger Shalati and Chef Wandile Mabaso are working towards something even greater — and attendees will be among the first to discover what lies ahead.
About Sanctuary Mandela
Sanctuary Mandela, located at 4 13th Avenue, Johannesburg, is the former home of Nelson Mandela.
As a nine-room boutique hotel and living tribute, it serves as a space for reflection, legacy, and exceptional hospitality — meticulously maintained to honor the history and significance of its inhabitant.
Its in-house restaurant, Insights, welcomes both guests and the public. Sanctuary Mandela is part of the Motsamayi Tourism Group. sanctuarymandela.com
About Kruger Shalati
Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge is a unique lodge permanently anchored on the Selati Bridge over the Sabie River in Kruger National Park, where heritage, landscape, and human connection converge — with a team that is as integral to the experience as the stunning vistas from the carriage windows. Awarded two MICHELIN Keys and designated as South Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge at the 2025 World Travel Awards, Kruger Shalati continually redefines what it means to experience Africa. Kruger Shalati is part of the Motsamayi Tourism Group. krugershalati.com
About Chef Wandile Mabaso
Chef Wandile Mabaso hails from Soweto, regarded as one of South Africa’s most captivating culinary talents — a chef whose journey is as remarkable as the dishes he creates.
He began cooking at the age of ten, launched his career in culinary school, and traveled across Europe as part of a ship’s catering crew docked in Venice, spending nine months alongside Italian chefs and exploring the Mediterranean, western Europe, and the Baltic.
Later, he relocated to New York, arriving without connections, and worked his way into the kitchen of Gascogne, where he encountered his mentor, the legendary Alain Ducasse.
Ducasse invited him to train at Le Meurice — a two-MICHELIN-starred establishment — and nominated him as the ambassador of French Cuisine to South Africa.
Returning home in 2018, he opened Les Créatifs in Bryanston, Johannesburg, blending classic French techniques with indigenous South African components.
Named Chef of the Year at the Luxe Restaurant Awards, he has prepared meals for world leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as at global events like the BRICS summit.
His culinary creations remain rooted in South Africa — reflecting his heritage while showcasing his global influences.
About Chef Mordecai Brauns
Chef Mordecai Brauns serves as Head Chef at Insights, the restaurant within Sanctuary Mandela, and is celebrated as one of Gauteng’s highest-rated dining spots on DinePlan with a 4.8 guest rating, also recognized among the top 25 restaurants in South Africa for 2024.
He has worked in the Sanctuary Mandela kitchen since December 2021 — advancing from Sous Chef to Head Chef in May 2024 — developing a unique familiarity with this home’s rich heritage and the specific tastes it celebrates.
Having trained at the JHB Culinary & Pastry School and earned a Patisserie Diploma, along with experience in fine dining at Miarestate Hotel & Spa in the Eastern Cape and La Cucina di Ciro in Johannesburg, Chef Mordecai contributes a blend of technical skill and deep institutional knowledge to this collaboration.
The Dine Like Madiba menu is based on the premise that food can encapsulate stories, unite people, and create lasting moments — while also honoring the authenticity of the dishes shared at this table.
About Chef Vusi Mbatha
Chef Vusi Blessing Mbatha is the Executive Chef overseeing the Kruger Station and Kruger Shalati precinct, providing culinary leadership across multiple venues in one of South Africa’s premier safari hospitality settings.
A graduate of the International Hotel School with City & Guilds of London credentials in professional cookery and culinary arts, he recently completed a Management Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch Business School in 2024.
With over a decade of progressive leadership in luxury hotels, boutique enterprises, and destination dining, Chef Vusi has established a distinct culinary identity: the Kruger to Fork philosophy, prioritizing sourcing nearly all ingredients from within a 30-kilometer radius, utilizing an on-site garden, and collaborating with local farmers to incorporate indigenous ingredients like morogo, imifino, amasi, and Mongongo nuts into menus that reflect authentic South African flavors while appealing to a global audience.
His philosophy is simple: a meal, much like a game drive, should evoke a sense of exploration — intertwining flavor, landscape, and community, which are inseparable in the Lowveld.