Marataba’s Invigorating Summer Season Menu

Our menus are ever evolving, with a sustainable and seasonal approach, and food is a love language for our chefs. Spring and summer provide an irresistible allure for Chef DK of Marataba Luxury Lodges, who shares some of his inspiration and meal planning, designed to ensure your safari experience is elevated.

When the sun begins rising earlier, and the cold valley winds pass, the warmth of summer brings changes to Marataba, and along with it changes to our menu.

I look for the vegetables and pastries, that accompany the main acts of our dishes, that collaborates with the fresh rejuvenating feeling that the summer thunderstorms bring to the hotter days.

The evocative greens and bright yellows that emerge from the winter landscape inspire us to adorn the plate upon which our Grilled Salmon Fillet reclines. Nestled atop a velvety bed of Butter bean and Garlic purée, they bring harmony to the vivid bursts of salmon pink, green, and yellow, bestowing a calming cream hue to the overall presentation. The tender broccolini offers a delightful crunch, a touch of lemon imparts a subtle tang, and the purée provides a soothingly creamy texture.

As a chef, you never want to be left behind by the fast-paced world we live in. Food trends are constantly changing, and global palates are impacted by the ease of access to the creativity that comes out of kitchens.

Umami, charcuterie, functional food, flexitarian - in the ever-evolving world of cuisine they could leave a chef bewildered unless one charts a course of continuous exploration. It's a journey of seeking: seeking growth, seeking improvement, seeking novel flavours, colours, and sensations. Above all, it's a quest for a dining experience that is truly sublime, and one that elicits contented smiles from the souls who gather around your culinary creations.

The after-dinner mint is the perfect example of this philosophy. With a menu featuring Beef, Sea Bass, and Sweet Potato mains, dessert needs to be light and satisfying to conclude the evening's dining experience. And so, I aim for a dessert that embodies sophisticated simplicity.

It features homemade vanilla ice cream delicately infused with toasted fennel and crushed cardamom, resting on a bed of almond, coconut, and dates. Topped with candied fennel seeds, the after-dinner mint awakens the palate, preparing you for a peaceful night's rest. This dessert offers a delightful contrast of textures and flavours – it's crunchy and smooth, sweet and sour, making it an ideal conclusion to a day filled with game viewing, spa treatments, and quality time with loved ones.

When deciding on a new dish I must consider a few factors. Is the supply of the ingredients we will need to create this dish available on a regular basis? Is this dish complimentary to a safari lodge? Can this dish be prepared by my chefs? Is it an extremely time-consuming dish or will it flow with the fast-paced nature of a professional kitchen?

There is an unpredictability that piques the excitement of all who come to Marataba. One never knows what one will encounter when one goes out on safari - lions making a kill, an elephant blissfully frolicking in the Matlabas River, or simply seeing the vast array of birds we hold. However, a kitchen cannot have unpredictability. Food is an important aspect that enhances an experience – meals should be exciting, the plates interesting, the flavours full and the food wow. The colours should be as vivid as the birds that chirp, sing and whistle you wake. Food is our wax seal on the envelope of the love letter that is your visit to Marataba.

Summer brings tastes of delicious fruits with it - kiwi, strawberry, watermelon, passion fruit - along with memories of the juice of these fruits dripping down your chin as you guzzled them on a hot summer afternoon after playing in the streets with your friends. Passion fruit is the fruit I decided to double click on as my base flavour for another one of our desserts.

A Passion Fruit Semifreddo. Light, fluffy, and boldly built, it screams summer. Like ice cream, it’s something that everyone from the kids to the grandparents can enjoy. It’s a dessert I am very proud of as it leaves your mouth cheerfully confused. A crunch from the almonds married to the creamy texture of the Semifreddo. The sour passion fruit soulfully dances on your tongue with the sweet serene base semifreddo creating a cheerful confusion.

So, I delight in the Spring and Summer while I can. I encourage you to come and taste joy, taste wonder, taste Marataba. Be blessed, and I hope to see you at Marataba Luxury Lodges soon.