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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Richard and Gillian

Cape Town, South Africa

USD
$38-$84 per person

Contemporary South African food and wine with professional chefs

Host offerings
  • House
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Richard and Gillian

Both Gillian and Richard are chefs. Gillian is City and Guilds trained and Richard by experience - designing, building and running their own restaurants. They currently own a restaurant in Cape Town, called MOZAMBIK N1, situated within N1 City Mall Goodwood, and do consulting work within the hospitality and retail industry. Richard is also a garagiste winemaker, wine collector and is very knowledgeable and passionate about the local wines, which is a large part of the region's culture. Gillian is an artist and ceramicist and her beautiful artwork decorates the home, accenting their lovely living area to make you feel right at home. Gillian and Richard believe in eating and treating your body well and only use the best ingredients to prepare a meal! Being in the restaurant business for so many years, they know where and how to procure the freshest local ingredients. Gillian and Richard are extremely knowledgeable not only about the local cuisine, but also about global cuisine and the local region. He is happy to plan itineraries for guests around the Western Cape for day outings. Their home has a pool so you're welcome to swim in it during the summer months.

Their home is within an hour of the Western Cape Winelands, which is a major tourist area and grape growing region. The nearest winery is a 10-15 minute drive in case you would like to visit on your own after your Traveling Spoon experience.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-10 guests) Food is the center of this home, with large indoor and outdoor dining tables, a kitchen, and braai. Like most South Africans, cooking on the braai is the couple's favorite meal and social activity. Braai is cooking on a fire/barbequing which is very popular and a significant part of the culture in South Africa. Gillian and Richard have a fantastic outdoor braai where they often host. There are multitudes of different foods that are traditional to South Africa’s diverse culture (predominately Cape Malay, Afrikaans, English, and African) from their Dutch, British, Indian and Malaysian influences. Your meal may include traditional bredie (stew), curry, roasts including lots of braai (bbq) plus salads, and will end with traditional desserts such as malva tart (sweet pudding), lemon meringue or koeksisters (a syrup-coated twisted or braided doughnut).

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Join Richard and Gillian in their kitchen for a Cape Town cooking class and learn how to make 2-3 of the dishes you will be eating later. Richard and Gillian would love to know your preference before they set the menu and would be happy to teach you dishes you are keen on learning. You may learn how to make prawn and nectarine salad and how to braai delicious rump steak or cook chicken breasts in tomato sauce with a spinach and feta stuffing and a lemon meringue. You can expect your cooking class to last for 1-2 hours.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) There are a number of Saturday Morning markets in Cape Town, the best for organic vegetables being the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, held between 9am and 2pm only on Saturdays (closed certain Saturdays during the Xmas festive season) just outside the V&A Waterfront. Home grown vegetable growers showcase and sell their produce through this extremely popular market. It is advisable to get there early for both parking and produce! After the market visit, you will return home to prepare a delicious meal, utilizing the ingredients you have bought.

Notes: Please note a market experience can be booked only on Saturday and Sunday. Also Richard and Gillian have a little daschund so guests must be aware that there is a pet in the house. They are a very casual couple and enjoy having people around their dinner table.

Languages spoken: English, Afrikaans

PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

With Richard and Gillian's combined experience of chef, restaurateur, winemaker, and entrepreneur, the food they prepare is delicious and tastes that much better when accompanied by stories of where the food originated, the unique ingredients, and how the flavors come together. The first and main courses were delicious, but the dessert - a traditional apricot sponge cake called Malva Pudding served with cream and custard, was incredible! Their company is delightful and their love for sharing food with family or old and new friends alike makes you feel right at home. It would be impossible for anyone to dine here and not learn something new!

Kimberly and Daniel, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

4.43 (7)
Our family would do this tour in every city possible if the experience was half as good as this was a highlight of our trip!
- Garett February 24, 2023
Richard and Gillian are not only excellent chefs, but very knowledgeable about Cape Town. Richard can advise about wine, and both are excellent sources of information as both have lived there all their lives. Their daughter Georgia is an extra bonus, who has great presence for someone just finishing high school, and is a good source about young people in Cape Town. I truly felt like an invited guest in their comfortable home. They obviously enjoy people and are open and curious about other cultures.
- 511lindal May 26, 2019
Jo, Richard and their daughter treated our family to a warm, intimate evening filled with great food, wonderful South African wines pulled from the cellar beneath the kitchen floor and loads of stories, old and new about their decades of living in Cape Town. When they learned upon our arrival that my daughter-in-law had numerous food allergies, Jo went to her freezer, pulled out GF pasta and turned it into a delicious entree without missing a beat in the conversation. It was a delightful surprise to talk with their daughter, who is at the tail end of her high school experience, an experience which is radically different than what my kids had growing up in Chicago. We had never considered the tight security under which Cape Town teens need to live to be safe. It was fascinating to learn about her life.I wish I could tell you the names of the traditional dishes that Richard and Jo cooked for us, but I don't recall them. What I do recall is that everything was delicious and plentiful. It was a memorable dinner in a two week trip that was filled with great dinners.
- CDNChicago May 23, 2019
Contemporary South African food with professional chefs. Dinner/cooking with Richard and Gillian was great! Would totally recommend for any Cape Town visit! We had delightful and informative conversation and instructions. Great food and intimate setting showing daily South African life. I even learned a new cooking technique with the braai part of the meal. A dinner with Richard and Gillian is a must!!!
- Storminca May 14, 2019
Contemporary South African food with professional chefs. Dinner/cooking with Richard and Gillian was great! Would totally recommend for any Cape Town visit! We had delightful and informative conversation and instructions. Great food and intimate setting showing daily South African life. I even learned a new cooking technique with the braai part of the meal. A dinner with Richard and Gillian is a must!!!
- Storminca May 14, 2019
A most enjoyable evening hosted by very hospitable hosts Richard and Gillian who made the dinner not only memorable but an experience we are glad we had arranged.Our party of 8 thoroughly enjoyed an outstanding typical South African meal with superior local wines. Sadly due to the late hour the evening ended, but we left with the feeling that we had spent a fabulous time with new friends.A highly recommended experience that should not be missed.
- Irwin W May 24, 2018
Hallo zusammen,LEIDER MUSS ICH HIER ALLE INTERESSENTEN EINDRINGLICH VOR DIESEM EVENT WARNEN!Es handelt sich um eine Abzocke, wo weder die beschriebene Tour statt findet noch in Kontakt getreten wird mit Interessenten/Anfragen, noch auf E-Mails reagiert wird.Ich finde es sehr bedauerlich, dass weder Tripadvisor noch der Veranstalter es für nötig halten in Kontakt zu treten oder zumindest im Vorfeld eine Absage zu schicken.Der Gipfel der Frechheit war dann die Tatsache, dass nach der Buchung, welche etwas mehr als 3 Wochen vor dem Termin angefragt wurde, eine entsprechende Bestätigung via Email kommen sollte. Leider vergebens. Eine Email mit Bestätigung oder Absage kam nie! Dennoch wurde fleißig das Geld abgebucht und kein weiteres Lebenszeichen von irgendeinem der Verantwortlichen von sich gegeben.Selbst mehrmalige Kontaktaufnahme mit Tripadvisor wurde ignoriert und mit Schweigen gestraft - das Geld selbst nach mehrmaliger Aufforderung nicht zurück überwiesen.Das zum Thema vertrauen im Netz und Verbraucherschutz... Transparenz ist ebenfalls überhaupt nicht vorhanden.Jeder der sich diesen Dreck ersparen möchte sucht am besten privat bzw. vor Ort nach einer entsprechenden Möglichkeit und spart sich die Zeit auf Tripadvisor. Ich hoffe inständig, dass ich vielen den Ärger, den ich hier habe, ersparen kann!VG
- Rueger T December 15, 2017
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Richard and Gillian

$38-$84 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • No waiting! Booking confirmed instantly
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $44 $40 $38
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $60 $54 $48
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $84 $74 $68
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $44 $40 $38
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $60 $54 $48
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $84 $74 $68
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 12:00pm-3:00pm 6:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:30am-3:30pm

Meet Richard and Gillian

Both Gillian and Richard are chefs. Gillian is City and Guilds trained and Richard by experience - designing, building and running their own restaurants. They currently own a restaurant in Cape Town, called MOZAMBIK N1, situated within N1 City Mall Goodwood, and do consulting work within the hospitality and retail industry. Richard is also a garagiste winemaker, wine collector and is very knowledgeable and passionate about the local wines, which is a large part of the region's culture. Gillian is an artist and ceramicist and her beautiful artwork decorates the home, accenting their lovely living area to make you feel right at home. Gillian and Richard believe in eating and treating your body well and only use the best ingredients to prepare a meal! Being in the restaurant business for so many years, they know where and how to procure the freshest local ingredients. Gillian and Richard are extremely knowledgeable not only about the local cuisine, but also about global cuisine and the local region. He is happy to plan itineraries for guests around the Western Cape for day outings. Their home has a pool so you're welcome to swim in it during the summer months.

Their home is within an hour of the Western Cape Winelands, which is a major tourist area and grape growing region. The nearest winery is a 10-15 minute drive in case you would like to visit on your own after your Traveling Spoon experience.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-10 guests) Food is the center of this home, with large indoor and outdoor dining tables, a kitchen, and braai. Like most South Africans, cooking on the braai is the couple's favorite meal and social activity. Braai is cooking on a fire/barbequing which is very popular and a significant part of the culture in South Africa. Gillian and Richard have a fantastic outdoor braai where they often host. There are multitudes of different foods that are traditional to South Africa’s diverse culture (predominately Cape Malay, Afrikaans, English, and African) from their Dutch, British, Indian and Malaysian influences. Your meal may include traditional bredie (stew), curry, roasts including lots of braai (bbq) plus salads, and will end with traditional desserts such as malva tart (sweet pudding), lemon meringue or koeksisters (a syrup-coated twisted or braided doughnut).

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Join Richard and Gillian in their kitchen for a Cape Town cooking class and learn how to make 2-3 of the dishes you will be eating later. Richard and Gillian would love to know your preference before they set the menu and would be happy to teach you dishes you are keen on learning. You may learn how to make prawn and nectarine salad and how to braai delicious rump steak or cook chicken breasts in tomato sauce with a spinach and feta stuffing and a lemon meringue. You can expect your cooking class to last for 1-2 hours.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) There are a number of Saturday Morning markets in Cape Town, the best for organic vegetables being the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, held between 9am and 2pm only on Saturdays (closed certain Saturdays during the Xmas festive season) just outside the V&A Waterfront. Home grown vegetable growers showcase and sell their produce through this extremely popular market. It is advisable to get there early for both parking and produce! After the market visit, you will return home to prepare a delicious meal, utilizing the ingredients you have bought.

Notes: Please note a market experience can be booked only on Saturday and Sunday. Also Richard and Gillian have a little daschund so guests must be aware that there is a pet in the house. They are a very casual couple and enjoy having people around their dinner table.

Languages spoken: English, Afrikaans

PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

With Richard and Gillian's combined experience of chef, restaurateur, winemaker, and entrepreneur, the food they prepare is delicious and tastes that much better when accompanied by stories of where the food originated, the unique ingredients, and how the flavors come together. The first and main courses were delicious, but the dessert - a traditional apricot sponge cake called Malva Pudding served with cream and custard, was incredible! Their company is delightful and their love for sharing food with family or old and new friends alike makes you feel right at home. It would be impossible for anyone to dine here and not learn something new!

Kimberly and Daniel, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

4.43 (7)
Our family would do this tour in every city possible if the experience was half as good as this was a highlight of our trip!
- Garett February 24, 2023
Richard and Gillian are not only excellent chefs, but very knowledgeable about Cape Town. Richard can advise about wine, and both are excellent sources of information as both have lived there all their lives. Their daughter Georgia is an extra bonus, who has great presence for someone just finishing high school, and is a good source about young people in Cape Town. I truly felt like an invited guest in their comfortable home. They obviously enjoy people and are open and curious about other cultures.
- 511lindal May 26, 2019
Jo, Richard and their daughter treated our family to a warm, intimate evening filled with great food, wonderful South African wines pulled from the cellar beneath the kitchen floor and loads of stories, old and new about their decades of living in Cape Town. When they learned upon our arrival that my daughter-in-law had numerous food allergies, Jo went to her freezer, pulled out GF pasta and turned it into a delicious entree without missing a beat in the conversation. It was a delightful surprise to talk with their daughter, who is at the tail end of her high school experience, an experience which is radically different than what my kids had growing up in Chicago. We had never considered the tight security under which Cape Town teens need to live to be safe. It was fascinating to learn about her life.I wish I could tell you the names of the traditional dishes that Richard and Jo cooked for us, but I don't recall them. What I do recall is that everything was delicious and plentiful. It was a memorable dinner in a two week trip that was filled with great dinners.
- CDNChicago May 23, 2019
Contemporary South African food with professional chefs. Dinner/cooking with Richard and Gillian was great! Would totally recommend for any Cape Town visit! We had delightful and informative conversation and instructions. Great food and intimate setting showing daily South African life. I even learned a new cooking technique with the braai part of the meal. A dinner with Richard and Gillian is a must!!!
- Storminca May 14, 2019
Contemporary South African food with professional chefs. Dinner/cooking with Richard and Gillian was great! Would totally recommend for any Cape Town visit! We had delightful and informative conversation and instructions. Great food and intimate setting showing daily South African life. I even learned a new cooking technique with the braai part of the meal. A dinner with Richard and Gillian is a must!!!
- Storminca May 14, 2019
A most enjoyable evening hosted by very hospitable hosts Richard and Gillian who made the dinner not only memorable but an experience we are glad we had arranged.Our party of 8 thoroughly enjoyed an outstanding typical South African meal with superior local wines. Sadly due to the late hour the evening ended, but we left with the feeling that we had spent a fabulous time with new friends.A highly recommended experience that should not be missed.
- Irwin W May 24, 2018
Hallo zusammen,LEIDER MUSS ICH HIER ALLE INTERESSENTEN EINDRINGLICH VOR DIESEM EVENT WARNEN!Es handelt sich um eine Abzocke, wo weder die beschriebene Tour statt findet noch in Kontakt getreten wird mit Interessenten/Anfragen, noch auf E-Mails reagiert wird.Ich finde es sehr bedauerlich, dass weder Tripadvisor noch der Veranstalter es für nötig halten in Kontakt zu treten oder zumindest im Vorfeld eine Absage zu schicken.Der Gipfel der Frechheit war dann die Tatsache, dass nach der Buchung, welche etwas mehr als 3 Wochen vor dem Termin angefragt wurde, eine entsprechende Bestätigung via Email kommen sollte. Leider vergebens. Eine Email mit Bestätigung oder Absage kam nie! Dennoch wurde fleißig das Geld abgebucht und kein weiteres Lebenszeichen von irgendeinem der Verantwortlichen von sich gegeben.Selbst mehrmalige Kontaktaufnahme mit Tripadvisor wurde ignoriert und mit Schweigen gestraft - das Geld selbst nach mehrmaliger Aufforderung nicht zurück überwiesen.Das zum Thema vertrauen im Netz und Verbraucherschutz... Transparenz ist ebenfalls überhaupt nicht vorhanden.Jeder der sich diesen Dreck ersparen möchte sucht am besten privat bzw. vor Ort nach einer entsprechenden Möglichkeit und spart sich die Zeit auf Tripadvisor. Ich hoffe inständig, dass ich vielen den Ärger, den ich hier habe, ersparen kann!VG
- Rueger T December 15, 2017
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $44 $40 $38
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $60 $54 $48
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $84 $74 $68
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $44 $40 $38
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $60 $54 $48
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $84 $74 $68
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 12:00pm-3:00pm 6:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:30am-3:30pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.