Ingredients

Tuna Mayo Mix

• ‍‍1 can brined tuna, drained
• 1 T capers, finely chopped
• 2 T red onion, finely diced
• 1 small dill pickle, finely chopped
• 3 T mayonnaise

‍Crunchy Slaw

• ‍‍½ cup red cabbage, finely shredded
• ½ cup white cabbage, finely shredded
• ½ small carrot, julienned or grated
• ½ green apple, julienned

‍Dressing

• ‍‍1 T fresh dill, chopped
• 1 T fresh mint, chopped
• 1 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 T dill pickle brine
• 2 T mayonnaise

Method

1. Prepare the tuna mayo mix:

• In a bowl, combine the drained tuna, capers, red onion, dill pickle, and mayonnaise.
• Mix well until everything is evenly coated.

2. Make the slaw:

• In a separate bowl, toss together the red cabbage, white cabbage, carrot, and green apple.

3. Prepare the dressing:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the dill, mint, parsley, pickle brine, and mayonnaise.
• Pour over the slaw and toss to coat evenly.

4. Assemble:

• Spread the tuna mayo onto a sandwich base of your choice.
• Top with a generous amount of crunchy slaw.
• Close with the other slice of bread or serve open-faced.

Enjoy a fresh, tangy, and creamy sandwich with the perfect balance of crunch!

For Youth Day, Studio H teamed up with Strone Henry to support Weskusmandjie’s Youth Day initiative, with the support of Woolworths. Under the leadership of Hilda Adams, Weskusmandjie, a dedicated group of local fisherwomen from Steenbergs Cove, hosted a meaningful and creative event for 40 children (ages 6–12) under the theme Ocean Protection on Youth Day. These burgers, made with Woolworths sustainably caught tuna, were served at the Weskusmandjie Youth Day event. Woolworths tuna is caught by hook and line one at a time, while supporting communities, protecting our oceans and future stocks of tuna.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the fish cakes

• ‍‍2 large potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
• 2 tins tuna, drained
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 T chives, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of two lemons
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Oil, for shallow frying

Dredging station

• ‍‍Cake flour, for coating
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Bread crumbs, for coating

To make the burgers

• 4 buns of your choice
• Lettuce
• Tomato slices

Method

1.⁠ ⁠Prepare the mixture:

• In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes and drained tuna.
• Add the beaten egg, parsley, chives, garlic and lemon zest.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

2.⁠ ⁠Shape the fish cakes:

• Divide the mixture into four equal portions.
• Shape each portion into a patty, about 2-3 cm thick.
• Place them on a tray and chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.

3.⁠ ⁠Dredge the fish cakes:

• Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls: one with cake flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with bread crumbs.
• Coat each fish cake in flour, then dip into the beaten egg and finally coat with breadcrumbs.
• Set aside on a plate.

4.⁠ ⁠Fry the fish cakes:

• Heat a shallow layer of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Once hot, gently add the fish cakes.
• Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
• Remove and drain on paper towel.

Assemble the burgers, using your buns and toppings of choice.

We threw a giant sandwich party on the last Sunday in March with our friends The Maak, Picnic (Faith Shields) and The Lookbook. The activation was the grand finale of The Bree Street Picnic Blanket.

Over a period of two months, public volunteers have helped The MAAK x Picnic sew community-scale picnic blankets, which were rolled out for a day of food, music, and playful public interventions. Anyone could join and volunteers assisted us to make coleslaw that would become the filling for our 20-metre sandwich. The coleslaw ingredients were all combined in a huge tarp by volunteers shaking and raking the salad! View the making of the slaw here.

The Bree Street Picnic Blanket is part of an ongoing research and public art project that explores collective-making as a tool to grow community and activate public space. Sewn together with volunteers, bespoke blankets are used as soft public infrastructure to prompt questions about how to make cities more human-centered, welcoming, comfortable and fun.

This project was part of Young Urbanists’ car-free street experiment. 🦓🛣️

Read more about the project here on The Maak's website.

Project Directors

🪡 ART DIRECTION, PROJECT FACILITATION by The Maak and Picnic (Faith Shields)

The Kitchen

🍞 SANDWICH PARTY by us.

The Stage

🎷 LIVE JAZZ + DJs by The Jazz Cult. Sound by A11 Agency.

The Living Room

🏗️ PROTOSCAPE by Lebo Kekana x NISH Design – A modular installation redefining how we engage with space and art.

The Formal Lounge + Scullery

🎨 DECOR + STYLING by The Lookbook

‍

100+ Flavours is a report of South Africa’s iconic ingredients, recipes, cooking methods and culinary tools. It showcases the overlapping influences – ancient and modern, urban and rural – that have created regional and cultural variations on shared themes – vetkoek meets magwinya, tšhotlo fuses with fynvleis, and bunny chows become kota and spathlos. The report highlights – in a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand way – the major impact that the ravages of colonialism, apartheid, poverty and dispossession have had on who consumes what, where and how often in South Africa. It also draws attention to the insightful social, economic, political, and psychological local stories that are infused into every spoon of soured sorghum ting and each bite of biltong. There is a tale to be told through every mouthful of mebos and each crunch of madzhulu termites. And there are ancestral acknowledgements in every sip of amasi, boegoebrandewyn and umqombothi.

THE TEAM

Concept: Studio H

Copy and research: Dr Anna Trapido

Copy editing, publishing: Hannerie Visser, JC Landman

Styling: Juwan Beyers

Photography: Ashleigh Frans, Daniela Zondagh

Graphic Design: Hoick

THE CLIENT

V&A Waterfront Makers Landing

THE BRIEF

Create a food-themed installation for Makers Landing

THE RESULT

We collaborated with Mikateko Media during the Makers Landing Seafood Fest to design an installation that would highlight the plight of South African fisherwomen.

With UWC PLAAS, Mikateko published a book, Beyond The Blue - Women of the Sea, that documents the lives and livelihoods of 17 women who give a snapshot into the world of fishing rights complexities, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and making a living from the sea.

We combined an installation of portraits from the book with an existing Studio H project, Visnetten, that just returned from The Netherlands. Visnetten was on show at @museumrijswijk in The Hague until the end of January 2022 as part of the show “Food For Thought”. Recipe cards attached to embroidered fishing nets tell the story of a broken food system and the invisible people, often women, in that system. Visitors are encouraged to remove the cards with seafood recipes to expose the embroidery.

THE TEAM

Mikateko Media and Koe’sister magazine: Ingrid Jones, Desiree Johnson, Roxanne Holman, Leane Feris

UWC PLAAS: Prof Moenieba Isaacs

Recipes: Koe’sister magazine

Fisher women: Solene Smith, Nadiema Jacobs, Katrina Ahrendse, Sarah Niemand, Betsie Lawrence, Charmaine Daniels, Rose Malan, Fatiema “Poppie” Kok, Michelle Singh, Carmelita Mostert, Rovina Europa, Porche Sebonka, Emily Newman, Mary Hull, Francis Oerson, Sharon Kruger, Taitum-Lee Manual

Embroidery by Keiskamma Art Project: Veronica Betani, Nombulelo Paliso, Bonelwa Paliso, Setyenzwa Mangwana, Esethu Makubalo, Nokuzola Mvaphants, Thabisa Gusha, Fikiswa Madlingozi, Sanela Maxengana

Graphic design: Casper Schutte, Spook Design

Installation concept and design: Studio H

Photos: Daniela Zondagh

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.

‍

‍

‍

Photos: Paris Brummer

Copy: JC Landman

At the 2022 Food XX Awards, we honoured a group of 19 women from across South Africa - and beyond - for their outstanding contributions to the food and hospitality industry. For this event, the Studio H team designed a neutral canvas that would represent our equality-themed Awards breakfast ceremony. We collaborated with some of our favourite women in food to produce the all-neutral breakfast spread of Wild Yeast edible sourdough cracker plates, Sweet LionHeart regal cakes (bright pink on the inside) and Studio H’s souttert cakes decorated by the SLH team with cream cheese frosting and gold glitter olives, soetkoekie forks and of course Krone Cap Classique to toast our winners.

THE TEAM

Programme MC: Khanya Mzongwana

Ayurvedic tea and meditation ceremony: Michele Mistry, Indikaap

Imphepho installation and intention setting: Ukutya

Keynote speech: Mmabatho Molefe, Emazulwini

Continental Connections: Anna Trapido

Thank you to our sponsors:

Event sponsor: Spekko Rice

Venue sponsor: Makers Landing

Awards sponsors: Spekko Rice, Krone, Nando's

Trophy plates: The Detailsmith

Publicity team: Ten X Collective

Social media team: Star Shongwe, Zanie Nxa

Production design: JC Landman

Culinary design: Juwan Beyers

Photos: Daniela Zondagh

Floral design: Mr Munro‍

THE CLIENT

Woolworth

THE BRIEF

Create short videos for social media that showcase new food products.

THE RESULT

A series of engaging stop-motion videos highlighting each new food product – from amadombolo and aubergine melanzane to confit duck curry and Chuckles coconut biscuits. Each video transitioned the product from its packaged form to a serving suggestion, demonstrating ease of use and visual appeal.

THE CLIENT

Adidas

THE BRIEF

We were briefed, alongside six other artists, to re-imagine sustainable footwear for the future for the new adidas concept store in the Waterfront.

THE RESULT

As a future food design studio, our approach is deeply rooted in exploring a sustainable future. With our micro mushroom farm, we celebrate mushrooms for their ability to perform the alchemy of transforming agricultural and other organic waste into a nutritious food source. Growing mushrooms is a unique blend of recycling, science and efficacy. This powerful combination makes them one of the most sustainably produced foods in the world.

The interior of the Stan Smith shoe has been converted into a micro mushroom farm and 3-D texture was added to the exterior of the shoe by sculpting fondant and piped royal icing flavoured with dried mushroom powder. The laces are coloured with natural mushroom dye.

THE TEAM

Concept, micro mushroom farm and laces: Studio H

Exterior design: Sweet LionHeart (Nikki Symons)

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

Menu items shot against moody restaurant interior backdrop.

THE TEAM

Styling: Juwan Beyers, Studio H

Photos: Daniela Zondagh

We are overjoyed to reveal the winners of this year’s Food XX Women in Food Awards! As the founders, we are incredibly proud, deeply moved, and endlessly inspired by these extraordinary women. Their achievements in reshaping the food industry, driving forward innovation, and promoting inclusivity are nothing short of remarkable. The winners embody the spirit and dedication that Food XX seeks to honour, and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate them. Dive into our full press release for all the details below. Let’s celebrate these trailblazers who are setting new standards and leading the way in the world of food.

PRESS RELEASE

FOOD XX Awards 2024

Recognising 19 Women Transforming South Africa’s Food Scene

A group of 19 women from across South Africa have been honoured for their outstanding contributions to the food and hospitality industry.

The winners of the 2024 FOOD XX Awards have been revealed, with 19 pioneers honoured at a special ceremony held at Soetmelksvlei, Babylonstoren, on Wednesday, 28 August. Launched by Studio H in 2019, the biennial awards celebrate the remarkable contributions of women across the food and hospitality industry, recognising excellence in everything from farming and food styling to education, culinary heritage, and beyond.

“We were once again overwhelmed by the incredible volume of nominations," says Hannerie Visser, director and founder of Studio H. "This only strengthens our conviction that women truly are the backbone of the food and hospitality industry. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that we take the time to celebrate and honour their remarkable contributions.”

The winners were those who received the most votes from a pool of over 500 candidates. Nominations were open to the public during the months of July and August, with the judging performed by an independent panel comprising winners from the year prior – as is customary at the FOOD XX Awards. This year’s panel consisted, amongst others, of Dr Anna Trapido, Zandile Finxa, Khanya Mzongwana and Errieda du Toit.

“We are thrilled to shine a light on the extraordinary women shaping the future of our industry,” says Visser. “The FOOD XX Awards are more than just a celebration of their achievements; they are a platform for amplifying their voices and fostering a community where women can inspire, uplift, and support one another across every aspect of food and hospitality.”

The 2024 FOOD XX Awards winners, by category, are as follows:

Baker: Megan Wessels, owner of With HÄRT Bakery

Behind the scenes: Chiara Turilli, co-founder of Lello’s Deli

Drinks: Danielle Schoeman, the founder and distiller at Doña Distillery

Food Educator: Debbie Ayub, co-owner & principal of Sense of Taste Chef School

Food Entrepreneur: Daniela Gutstadt, owner and executive chef of Culinary Table Restaurant and Deli in Lanseria

Farming: Iming Lin, owner of Meuse Farm

Food Heritage: Mashau Mabunda, founder of Xigugu Royalty

Food Photographer: Ashleigh Frans, owner of Wide Wing Photography

Food stylist presented by Spekko: Simone Nel

Food writer presented by Spekko: Khanya Mzongwana, Deputy Food Editor, Woolworths Taste

Front of House presented by Krone: Katlego Mathobela, head sommelier at Proud Mary

Future Food: Roushanna Gray, founder and owner of Veld and Sea

Giving Back: Nolizwe Sotondoshe, founder of Nande’s Kitchen

In The Kitchen: Jes Doveton, owner of Acid Wine Bar

Sustainability: Latiefah Behardien, the Chief Technical and Sustainability Officer at Woolworths Foods

Legacy Award: Abigail Donnelly, the Creative Food Editor at Woolworths Taste, Eat Out Chief Judge and Food Creative for Woolworths Foods Marketing

Trailblazer: Zyda Rylands, the outgoing CEO of Woolworths Foods

Chef of the Year presented by ClemenGold: Jessica van Dyk, Chef Patron at Post & Pepper

Food Icon: Xoliswa Ndoyiya, former personal chef to Nelson Mandela and custodian of Xhosa culinary culture

“Our winners are paving the way for a future where food connects us all in deeper, more meaningful ways,” says Visser. “Their creativity and determination are driving change that extends beyond the plate – redefining our relationships, our communities, and our shared experiences.”

‍

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

‍

THE CLIENT

Caesarstone

THE BRIEF

Design and produce the awards ceremony for the annual Caesarstone Student Designer Competition. This year, students were invited to create a conceptual and functional design to AMPLIFY an Olympic urban sports centre located in Nantes Park, Athlone.

THE RESULT

Battery Park, a vibrant urban park in the heart of Cape Town, served as the venue for the awards ceremony. The theme was brought to life through an immersive experience featuring amplified food and entertainment (including a 10-metre-long irostile, 1-metre-long sosaties and 100L of breyani), interactive elements, and an oversized newspaper showcasing the finalists' entries.

THE TEAM

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

Food collaborators: Seven Colours Eatery, Yoraya Nydoo

DJs: Ready D, Kixi

Graphic design: Spook Design Co.

THE CLIENT

Laphroaig Taste Trailblazer

THE BRIEF

Create a brand masterclass for a campaign that aims to create affinity with new whisky drinkers.

THE RESULT

A masterclass, immersive sensorial installation and lunch that introduces the brand through tales of peat, salt and fire. Guests interact with a library of sensorial elements that link to the flavour pillars of the whisky, followed by an interactive brand presentation and fire-cooked lunch menu and whisky tasting.

THE TEAM

Concept, design and creative direction: Studio H

Venues: Cradle Boutique Hotel, Emazulwini Restaurant

Photos: Brendan Croft, Stacy Hart

Studio H explored corn as a cultural connector during Milan Design Week 2025 with a mindful food installation. Commissioned by Novitá Communications for North America Night at Teatro Litta, the experience responded to the theme Not Lost in Translation – a reflection on design as a universal language – through a multilingual menu and storytelling rooted in culinary heritage across Mexico, Canada and the USA.

From a 3-metre cornbread cake sandwich to Faith Sotondoshe’s isinkwa sombila (steamed cornbread) and a tower of nachos topped with Jamón Ibérico and Claire Dinhut’s candied jalapeños, our menu celebrated corn in all its cultural forms. A piñata designed by Sanri Pienaar, paper fortune teller cutlery and handcrafted cornbread trays turned the evening into a multisensory moment – part meal, part message, part memory.

The evening was inspired by Italian composer and singer Adriano Celentano 70’s anglo-phonetics hit ‘Prisencolinensinainciusol’, a 1972 song with nonsensical, gibberish lyrics intended to sound like American English. Celentano used the song as a way to explore communication and language barriers, demonstrating how music can convey emotion even without real words

Produced by @novitapr‍

Art Direction by @rads.group‍

Culinary Design by @studio_h_

‍Studio H would like to thank:

Sanri Pienaar for the culinary art direction and styling

Mia Everson for making our cornbread tray vision come to life

Faith Sotondoshe for the isinkwa sombila

Strone Henry for the corn bread, syrups and salts

Claire Dinhut for the best candied jalapeño recipe

African Marmalade for the blue maize seeds

Inge Prins for the photos

THE CLIENT

Orchard on 25 for Don Julio South Africa

THE BRIEF

In celebration of World Tequila Month, we were tasked with crafting special media drops for Don Julio.

THE RESULT

Delivery of time-sensitive Man in the Hat ice sculptures with a hidden message inside and beautifully crafted tequila box & goodies.

THE TEAM

Studio H

‍

Sonic seasoning is one of our favourite tools when designing experiences. The term “sonic seasoning” refers to the deliberate matching, or pairing, of sound/music with taste/flavour in order to enhance, or modify, the multisensory tasting experience.

Photos: Alix-Rose Cowie, Jade Ruijzenaars

THE CLIENT

Dutoit

‍

THE BRIEF

Celebrate Apple Pie Day (13 May) with an apple tasting and lunch, whilst unveiling a new showstopper variety: the red-fleshed Kissabel apple.

‍

THE RESULT

A day of sensorial installations, crisp bites and bold flavours – guests tasted their way through 11 unique apple varieties, from zingy Granny Smiths to softly blushed Pink Ladies. And an apple pie-inspired feast by Chef Mmabatho Molefe. On the menu? A 2m-long apple pie mille-feuille, puff pastry apple roses, candied apple slices, apple and fennel salad misted with apple pie spray
and pork and apple sausage rolls with apple ketchup.

THE TEAM

Concept, menu and experience design: Studio H

Chef: Mmabatho Molefe

Styling: Klara van Wyngaarden

Venue: Lemkus Exchange

Photos: Daniela Zondagh

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

‍

THE BRIEF

We teamed up with 2 Stories to create an internal communications experience for Standard Bank.

THE BRIEF

Turnconversations about global creativity, internal comms and the future of AI at work into something sensory.

THE RESULT

The overarching theme was connection. We translated this into a physical language using string as a core decorative element – threaded through every touchpoint of the day, linking spaces, moments and interactions. A simple material, used deliberately, became a quiet but constant reminder of how ideas, people and systems intertwine.

When you turn ideas into experiences, you create space for connection, curiosity and collaboration in a way content alone can’t.

For the lunch, we designed an interactive menu:
SALAD: A Study in Connection
Breaded whole chicken
Whole lettuce heads
Vine tomatoes
Parmesan wedges
Connected cucumbers
Pain d'épi
Caesar dressing

Participants had to disconnect the connected elements to create their lunch — a deconstructed salad inspired by the elements of a chicken Caesar.

Alongside the menu, Juwan Beyers and Studio H hosted a collaborative cookie-making workshop, while Hannerie led an interactive food-play exercise, that included sonic seasoning tastings and some of South Africa’s favourite treats reimagined as jello shots (think jello rusks, cream soda float and Hertzoggies).