THE CLIENT

Emazulwini Restaurant

THE BRIEF

Media launch for new menu

THE RESULT

A Millets Celebration that was attended by media and creators to experience the new Emazulwini menu, and a feature and photo shoot included in the Studio H Millets report.

Read part of the feature below.

In celebration of millets, Chef Mmabatho has embarked on a culinary journey that challenges convention. Traditionally associated with humble fare, millets are now at the heart of Emazulwini’s spring menu. It’s a surprising twist that demonstrates the restaurant’s commitment to redefining perceptions about ingredients often dismissed as ‘not fine dining.’ This departure from tradition isn't just about following a trend, it’s an act of creative reinvention. Chef Mmabatho, born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal, has chosen to explore her culinary imagination beyond her childhood recipes. While the flavours and ingredients remain rooted in her family’s culinary traditions, the millet menu allows her to step outside the confines of her own life story.

Emazulwini’s millet-centric menu features three different varieties of millets: pearl millet, fonio, and sorghum. These ancient grains form the basis of a six-course culinary journey that is both a tribute to the past and a vision of a more sustainable future. The menu is meticulously designed to reflect the essence of the spring season, offering dishes that are light, fresh, and vibrant. It’s an embodiment of Emazulwini's philosophy of celebrating the changing seasons and the abundance they bring.

One of the signature dishes, “Lucky's Star,” is a creative tribute to a South African favourite – pilchards in a can. This dish features fried sardines, roasted red pepper, tomato puree, served with a millet and spinach salad composed of pearl millet, fonio, and sorghum. To end the meal on a sweet note, Chef Mmabatho has crafted "An African Love Letter," a dessert that focuses on three foods deeply rooted in Africa but enjoyed worldwide – coffee, chocolate and millet. It takes the form of a millet chocolate tartlet, coffee crémeux, nut crumble, and cardamom and vanilla ice cream, offering a sweet symphony of flavours that pays homage to the continent's culinary legacy.

Read the full feature in our Millets Report.

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Photos: Paris Brummer

Copy: JC Landman

THE CLIENT

Beanstalk for PUMA South Africa

THE BRIEF

Create a bold and immersive food experience for the relaunch of the iconic PUMA Mostro sneaker – a cult classic originally released in 1999 – hosted inside Cape Town’s Castle of Good Hope.

THE RESULT

A visceral menu and interactive food installations brought the surreal Mostro Lab to life – a space imagined as the inner workings of a living monster. The menu included molten synapse s’mores with black sesame shortbread, charcoal crackers dipped into neon pink hummus and golden split pea purée, glow-in-the-dark neurotropic caviar and charcoal bao filled with sticky soy lion’s mane and coffee-chilli beef. At the top of a winding staircase, a glow-in-the-dark jelly installation awaited in a hidden chamber.

THE TEAM

Concept, menu and experience design: Studio H

Chef: Strone Henry

Service staff: Hero Events

Photos: Jonx Pillemer

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THE CLIENT

Mamakashaka for Spotify Africa

THE BRIEF

Take the culinary lead for the Spotify Greasy Tunes Popup.

THE RESULT

Our studio was commissioned by Mamakashaka to be the culinary lead for the Spotify Greasy Tunes Popup that runs in Braam for the month of July. We designed the menu, set up the kitchen and are in charge of the daily food service in collaboration with Chef Luyanda Sogiba from Lish Foods. We assisted BCKRDS, who designed the CI for the project, to style the food for their campaign shoot.

THE TEAM

Menu design: Studio H

Food designer: Juwan Beyers, Studio H

Culinary execution: Jenny Ward, Luyanda Sogiba

CI design: BCKRDS

Creative Director: Wade Moonsamy

Lead agency: Mamakashaka

Project manager: Siba Mosana

Food prep for shoot: Food I Love You, Studio H

Photographer: André Badenhorst

Studio H Project managers: JC Landman, Angelique Smith

THE CLIENT

KRAAKTAFEL

THE BRIEF

The KRAAKTAFEL is a dining experience created and curated by Kraak, embracing vulnerability in nature. For the Johannesburg Edition at Nirox Sculpture Garden in the Cradle of Humankind, we were tasked with designing a menu for 300 guests that seamlessly complemented this ethos, creating a dining experience that was both intentional and evocative.

THE RESULT

In collaboration with chef Bianca Strydom, we crafted a menu that reimagined familiar flavours in unexpected ways,with clay as the central theme. For the arrival, we transformed the classic South African braaibroodjie into a delicate yet oversized mille-feuille: crisp lavash triangles layered with clay-baked onion chutney, smoked cheese crémeux, pickled onions, and a final dusting of smoked cheese snow. At the table, sculptural brioche bread was paired with salted waterblommetjie butter, membrillo, fynbos honey, and Baleni salt. The main course featured salt-crusted whole baked trout and 8-hour baked curried Karoo lamb shoulder, served with clay-baked root vegetables and freshly dressed greens. Dessert was an XXL Eton Mess installation – layers of crisp meringue, whipped cream, and seasonal fruits in a playful, deconstructed format. To close the evening, we served a final moment of contrast: the luxurious simplicity of caviar and potato crisps.

THE TEAM

Menu concept, design, culinary curation: Studio H

Food collaborator: Bianca Strydom

Bread sculptures: Lucky Bread

Culinary team: Bianca Strydom, Raymand Buitendag, Babra Moyo, Paul Mandiopera

Photography and videography: Daniela Zondagh

THE CLIENT

V&A Waterfront, Makers Landing

THE BRIEF

Create an activation for the opening of Makers Landing.

THE RESULT

100 Flavours was an interpretation of a what a South African Food Museum could look like. The 100 Flavours exhibition, that ran for six months at Makers Landing in the V&A Waterfront, educated and inspired visitors with a gastronomic journey through South Africa’s iconic ingredients, recipes, cooking methods and culinary tools. Visitors could discover South Africa's edible past amid archaeological evidence of the earliest cooking over fire at Gauteng’s Cradle of Humankind; savour the first feasts with prehistoric Cape West Coast shellfish midden mounds; admire the creativity of the ancient honey hunters depicted in KZN’s San rock art and then marvel in a past-meets-present epicurean experience with a wild flower honey tasting. All the while walking amongst the foundations of the pre-colonial Khoi Camissa trading station.

THE TEAM

Concept, production and curation: Studio H

Installation production: Studio H, Ilana Swanepoel

Ingredient sourcing: Studio H and Sisanda Nxumalo

Research and copy: Dr Anna Trapido

Graphic design: Casper Schutte, Spook Design

Photos: Jan Ras, Woolworths Taste Magazine and Ashleigh Frans

THE CLIENT

Sensory FX

THE BRIEF

Create a mechanism for us to showcase the way in which we develop flavours.

THE RESULT

We designed an olfactory experience for Sensory FX to showcase their flavour creation journey in a memorable way. The experience included various olfactory touchpoints and immersive moments. We based our design on research by neuroscientists, proving that stronger memories are formed the more a person participates in a particular activity and the more senses are engaged.

THE TEAM

Studio H

THE BRIEF

Design and create the most spectacular edible sculptures for FOOD XX Week and our Oranjezicht City Farm takeover weekend.

THE RESULT

Breathtaking edible art that exceeded our expectations and wowed the crowds!

Florist: Cameron Munro, Mr Munro Flowers and Tina Cloete, Tina's Floristry

Photos: Christopher James Chandler

THE CLIENT

Clockwork Media, for Disney+

THE BRIEF

For the launch of season 3, create an opportunity for the world of The Bear to come to life through an immersive activation that captures the essence of the show’s themes.

THE RESULT

A three-day fine dining pop-up restaurant where guests were immersed in the world of The Bear. The exterior mimicked the original sandwich shop in downtown Chicago (with arcade machines, a yellow cab, smoking grate and all), while the interior transported guests to Carmy's dream restaurant as featured in season 3. The menu, designed and executed by Michelin-trained chef Gregory Czarnecki, was carefully crafted to reflect the show's core themes.

THE TEAM

Lead agency: Clockwork Media

Design and event production: Studio H

Culinary consultation and live activation management: Studio H

Chef: Gregory Czarnecki

Kitchen team: Louise Wessels, Bianca Strydom, Cheri Kustner, Vuyo Makoba

Setbuilder and designer: Klara van Wyngaarden

Art department: Tiaan Schutte, Wolf Britz, Savannah Caster

Staffing: BlackJack Events

Logistics: DPK

Audio visual: Easy Agency

Collateral design and illustrations: Clockwork Media, Nikki Symons

Venue: Acid Food & Wine Bar

Photos: Mighty Fine for Clockwork Media, Marijke Willems

As a food design studio, we’re in our element when we get to translate material narratives into edible experiences. For the Art Party hosted by House and Leisure, Viviers Studio and Soho House, Studio H designed a menu inspired by the natural fibres explored in Lamb of Hope — the exhibition by Viviers Studio and Philip Fimano that formed the backdrop to the evening.

Drawing from the tactility and integrity of raw fibre, we approached each ingredient in its simplest, most honest form — then treated it as material. Pulled. Braided. Woven. Stitched.

On the table:

Turkish delight, delicately structured and hand-finished.
Fruit leather, hand-sewn by Juwan Beyers Food Design.
Braided fior di latté.
Hand-woven cracker breads.
Forelle pears in their natural blush.
A savoury mosbolletjie cake layered with lamb jam.

Each element became a study in texture and craft — exploring tension, pliability, repetition and form through food. The menu echoed the exhibition’s meditation on fibre, transforming softness into structure and nourishment into narrative.

A sensory extension of the installation.
Design you can taste.

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THE CLIENT

Kove Collection

THE BRIEF

Shoot content to launch the new restaurant's menu offering on their website and social media platforms.

THE RESULT

Restaurant menu items shot against graphic interior elements in the background. Simple pastry patters on monotone backgrounds to launch the bakery menu.

THE TEAM

Production: JC Landman

Photography: Paris Brummer, Warren Talmarkes, Daniela Zondagh

Styling: Juwan Beyers

In December 2023, we at Studio H were thrilled to unveil our 2024/5 Future Food Report during a series of presentations at our Tiny Empire office. As aspiring leaders in culinary innovation, these sessions provided a detailed exploration of upcoming gastronomic trends. Our approach involved comprehensive research, data analysis, and expert insights, all of which were shared with enthusiasm and great OPTIMISM - one of the very prominent themes. The presentations were not only informative but interactive, featuring a flavour museum, a pop-up shop, in-session tastings and a hot sauce workshop. This event underscored our commitment to staying ahead of culinary trends and showcased the dedication we bring to the intricate world of food design.

The team

Concept, experience design, menu design, culinary curation: Studio H

Food collaborators: Ever Peckish, The Fermentary by Sepial, Sweet Lionheart, Two in a Bush, Vinehugger, Lebanese Bakery

Graphic design: Spook Design Co.

Venue: Tiny Empire

For Chef Mmabatho Molefe, breyani means family. Inspired by church gatherings and shared pots from her childhood, this comforting dish featured at our FAMILY MEAL pop-up restaurant as a tribute to togetherness, memory and home.

Ingredients

For the spice mix:‍

• 1 1/2  t leaf masala
• 1 1/2 t curry powder
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t coriander
• 1 t garam masala
• 1/2 t fennel
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise

For the breyani:

• ‍‍2 cups basmati rice
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t grated ginger
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups mixed vegetables (eg. carrots, peas, green beans, potatoes)
• Breyani spice mix – see above
• 1 cup plain yoghurt (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander for garnish
• 4 cups water

Method

• Make the spice mix: In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the spice mix and set aside.
• Cook the rice: Rinse rice until the water runs clear. Boil in salted water until 70% cooked. Drain and set aside.
• Make the veggie base: In a large pot, heat oil. Fry the onion until golden, then add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Add veggies and spices: Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in the mixed vegetables and the spice mix. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Add yoghurt if using.
• Layer and steam: Layer the partially cooked rice over the vegetables. Sprinkle a little water on top, cover, and steam on very low heat for 15-20 minutes.
• Serve: Fluff gently, garnish with coriander, and serve hot.

​A homage to the humble bread basket - a generous gesture set on tables throughout the world. Weaving our ancient relationship with wheat into a timeless tradition of giving.

Originally shot and produced by the Studio H team for Chips! and then syndicated in Jan the Journal vol. 3.

Production and styling: Hendrik Coetzee

Photos: Marloes Haarmans

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Our team recently gave a talk at 100% Design in Cape Town and Joburg on the Future Talks stages. The food fight-themed talks were an investigation into the ways in which one could use food to draw attention to global problems in our food system, and hopefully find solutions too.

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As a food design studio, we’re in our element when we get to design experiences with ingredient deep-dives that pay homage to South African food culture – food design with intention and purpose. In May, we did just that, in collaboration with Chef Mmabatho Molefe. We focused on three humble ingredients: pap, meat and rice, for our Family Meal-themed pop-up restaurant.

Here’s how we celebrated pap: One of four sensory room installations was dedicated entirely to it. With the help of the Studio H community, we built an archive of maize meal from as far as Eswatini, KZN and Matatiele. Videos of South Africans from all walks of life making pap played alongside the installation, with the floor covered in maize kernels for an added sensory layer.

Here’s how we celebrated rice: A pot of Mmabatho’s breyani simmered in the centre of an almost empty room, accompanied by ambient kitchen sounds playing in the background. Guests could unpin a packet of breyani spice blend from a tablecloth. The following morning, they received the breyani recipe and the evening’s playlist via email. The veg breyani was served tableside from a huge pot on a trolley. As part of the table setting guests could use a magnifying glass to discover their names on a grain of rice.

Here’s how we celebrated meat: In the bread and tallow room, guests lit their beef tallow candles to mop up the melted fat with mini corn bread mosbolletjies.

Mmabatho served:

ON ARRIVAL

Beef tallow candles with mini corn bread mosbolletjies

Pap waffles with ushatini three ways (chunky, ketchup and jelly) and hung amasi spread.

Wine Pairing: Spier Signature MCC

A BIKE RIDE FROM SOUTHFIELD
“This dish pays homage to Chef Ryan (Cole) and a few things he introduced me to as a young chef.”
Tuna crudo with maize rice, candied beef tongue (seasoned with white pepper), jalapeños, sliced red onions and crack sauce.
Wine Pairing: Spier Seaward Sauvignon Blanc 2024

PAP/VLEIS
“A universally South African dish. Enjoyed in many different ways, yet still speaking to one culture.”
Pap, braised lamb neck, Studio H’s pickled waterblommetjies.
Wine Pairing: Spier Seaward Shiraz 2023

EDEN FAMILY CHURCH
“Whenever I think of the ultimate family time, it’s me and my family at church. Whether it was a fundraiser or a large church gathering, there was always a pot of breyani waiting to be shared.”
Seared duck breast, pea purée, green vegetables, cottage cheese served with vegetable breyani.
Wine Pairing: Spier Seaward Shiraz 2023

RICE & MILK
“When you’re craving uphuthu namasi but you’re out of both. A simple snack I used to enjoy with some leftover rice.”
Vanilla rice pudding, toasted rice and white chocolate cremeux, raw honeymoon, puffed rice paper, and white chocolate shards.
Wine Pairing: Spier Signature MCC 2023

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Download the Family Meal playlist, courtesy of A11 Agency, here.

Thank you:

Wine: Spier Wine Farm
Venue: Lemkus Exchange
Sponsorhsip: Bernice Blundell
Styling: Klara van Wyngaarder
Styling assistant and florals: Phillip Obermeyer
Decor design: Sumien Brink
After party drinks: Kalahari Truffles, Angelique Smith
DJ's by A11: Athi Maq, Aaron W Peters

THE CLIENT

Woolworths

THE BRIEF

Design an activation that brings Woolworths' immersive digital Farming For The Future campaign to life at Decorex Cape Town.

THE RESULT

We designed an 4-day activation aimed to showcase the visionary Farming for the Future campaign. The initiative and its overarching commitment “For Our Collective Tomorrow” intends to herald a new era in farming practices. Through an interactive installation, Decorex visitors were encouraged to make a pledge to reduce their impact on the environment in exchange for an apple.

Visitors were reminded of ways in which they can reduce our impact:

• Save energy at home
• Change your home's source of energy
• Walk, bike or take public transport
• Switch to an electric vehicle
• Consider your travel
• Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
• Eat more vegetables
• Throw away less food

THE TEAM

Concept, design and activation: Studio H

Photos and video: Warren Talmarkes

Vinyls and lifesavers: Longlife Lettering

Thank you: Decorex and Bielle Bellingham

Stand build: Happinest

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We’re collecting kids’ voices for a tiny sound installation!If your kid loves saying “Yum!” (and who doesn’t?), DM us a short voice note of them saying any of these lines or their version thereof. There is no right or wrong! “Yum!”“Mmm… delicious!”“That’s my favourite!”“Can I have more?”“So tasty!”“It tickles my tongue!”“Yum!”“Ooh, that’s good!”“Wow!”“Delicious!”“Yummy yummy!”“So good!”“More please!”“My favourite!”“Tastes amazing!”“Wow, that’s tasty!”“I love it!”“Mmm… the best!”“So yummy!”Add your little one’s voice to our flavour experiment

THE CLIENT
Woolworths Farming for the Future

THE BRIEF
Design an interactive spatial experience for Decorex Johannesburg that gives physical and emotional form to the Woolworths Farming for the Future sustainability platform.

THE CONCEPT
A sensory-led installation designed to prompt pause, participation, and behavioural shift. Rooted in regenerative thinking, the experience invited visitors to exchange a ClemenGold for a written pledge, transforming a transactional gesture into an act of commitment. Citrus-scented air and a wall of hand-signed promises created a living archive of collective intention.

THE INTERVENTION
Positioned at the entrance to the 100% Design hall at Decorex Johannesburg, the ClemenGold swap station functioned as both activation and artefact. Visitors were invited to peel their fruit into transparent bins, creating a slow-build, ephemeral data touchpoint, a quiet accumulation that rendered impact visible. The fruit became a medium for interaction, reflection, and design-led storytelling.

THE NUMBERS
6,000+ pledges signed over four days.

THE TEAM
Concept, experience design: Studio H
Stand production: Klara van Wyngaarden
Activation team: Eviwe Qubelo, Jana Wasserman, Mduduzi Miya

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