Anna Trapido: The Saxon gets a taste of the new South Africa

For the past 25 years, Qunu restaurant at the Saxon Hotel, Johannesburg has set the standard for Gauteng gourmet glamour. A recent collaboration with African Foodways Productions, and Leeu Passant wines sought to redefine luxury through hyper-local haute cuisine. Traditionally known for its retro-chic grillroom fare, Qunu has impeccable service, wonderful wines and a menu replete with Eurocentric culinary classic such as Steak Diane, saffron risotto with snow crab and lemon mousse with blackberry sherbet. All of the above are deeply delicious but guests at the Saxon – among the world’s best travelled people – increasingly expect more than familiarity. They are craving epicurean experiences unique to the cities in which they find themselves. In this case they are looking for meals infused with the taste of Johannesburg’s terroir.

Hyper-local cuisine is gaining recognition as the pinnacle of modern luxury, celebrated for its sustainability, exclusivity, and ability to tell compelling stories through food. Recognizing this shift, Saxon executive chef Matthew Foxon and his team designed a tasting menu replete with indigenous ingredients, challenging conventional notions of which food genres and flavours ‘belong’ on fine dining plates. By working with heritage crop farmers, foragers and artisanal producers, the chefs created dishes that articulated cultural, environmental, and personal narratives, elevating craft into art. Leeu Passant’s consistent commitment to heritage, biodiversity preservation and terroir-driven winemaking resonated with the evening’s overall objectives.

Full disclosure, my colleague RJ Van Spaandonk and I are African Foodways Productions. We came up with this concept, introduced the chefs to heritage food farmers, brought the winemakers onboard and drew up the glossary of ingredients given to guests. After that we sat back and let the chefs and sommeliers work without interference.

The menu, available for one night only, was an experiment to test the market. Since it was sold out, it seems likely that many more such meals will follow. We began with bouffant dombolo steamed breads, golden magwinya, goats’ milk curds and a radiant Limpopo-style mango atchar. This was followed by a rich, buttery ostrich egg scramble dotted with umami-intense Kalahari truffle shavings and tart amasi aioli. Shards of Aromat ‘vukoko’ (crisp crust from the bottom of the pap pot) added a nostalgic, playful touch, puncturing the potential for pomposity. Saxon sommelier Lloyd Jusa chose to pair the plate with Leeu Passant Radicales Libres 2019, saying “Its oxidative character with sherry-like, nutty notes, and caramelised, aged tones I think works beautifully with the savoury depth of egg and truffle, creating a luxurious, layered start to the menu.” Indeed it did.

Leeu Passant Chardonnay 2023 accompanied smoked tilapia on amadumbe with fragrant curry leaf oil and a sweet potato foam. While conceptually inspired by childhood fishing trips, the dish’s execution lacked the exuberance of the tale, delicate tilapia flavours subdued by the richness of foam and oil. The next course more than made up for the fish that got away. Pressed tongue was topped with crisp fried mogodu, isijingi (Zulu melon and maize melange) and pickled cabbage. Diners were offered a choice of either Leeu Passant Wellington Old Vines Cinsault, 2023 or the Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon, 2023. Inspired by the idea of matching traditional varietal, Cinsault, with local food, I picked the former. The tongue’s intense savouriness and the tripe’s crisp exterior were beautifully balanced by the wine’s red fruit and floral elegance.

A horned cucumber sorbet cleansed palates before in advance of braised lamb with cowpea and sorghum stew.  Sommelier Jusa explained that he paired this dish with The Leeu Passant 2022 because “ the red berry and leafiness connects beautifully with the lamb and the wine’s structured elegance is an ideal foil for the generous earthy cowpeas and sorghum.”

Dessert was a triumph, highlighting the heritage pleasures of khova (aka bhanana ka Shaka), Zulu heritage banana. Transformed into banana bread, ice cream, and caramelized garnish, the khova fruit’s silky-smooth texture, subtle sweetness and surprising citrus notes made magic with the spiced caramel and milk tart custard. Marula nut crumble and treacle tuile biscuits provided texture, while khova’s floral flavours lent vibrancy. The absence of a wine pairing with dessert was disappointing. Leaving the meal feeling unfinished.

Was it perfect? No. Was it groundbreaking and deeply delicious? Definitely. Did it answer the call from guests for an epicurean experience that could not have been eaten anywhere else in the world. Absolutely.

• Dr Anna Trapido was trained as an anthropologist at King’s College Cambridge and a chef at the Prue Leith College of Food and Wine. She has twice won the World Gourmand Cookbook Award. She has made a birthday cake for Will Smith, a Christmas cake for Nelson Mandela and cranberry scones for Michelle Obama. She is in favour of Champagne socialism and once swallowed a digital watch by mistake.