THE CLIENT

Nando's

THE BRIEF

Create a series of content for Nando's social channels (stills and video) amplifying the launch of two new Nando's Bag 'n Bake flavours.

THE RESULT

In tandem with the launch of the Nando's #PERiTricks activation, Studio H produced content (stills and video) to support the launch of the two new Bag 'n Bake flavours. Content was published across Nando's social channels (Youtube shorts, Tiktok, Instagram, brand website) with a range of digital and IRL recipe cards. Aimed at a younger demographic, we added some non-traditional ways of cooking, should you not have access to a full kitchen as a student. Aligned with the brand's deep South African roots, all recipes celebrate local flavours, with recipe names giving a nod to iconic pop culture moments.

Some of the recipes featured are "Private Skool Skopas" (a play on Rice Krispies treats) made in a tumble dryer, "A Boerie is a plan" made with a steam iron, "iMover and Shaker", a shake-shake slaw recipe made by shaking ingredients in the Bag 'n Bake bag.

THE TEAM

Concept and production: Studio H

Recipe development: Studio H, Keletso Motau, Strone Henry

Recipe styling: Keletso Motau

Videos: Yellow Brick Media

Stills photography: Daniela Zondagh

THE CLIENT

Anglo American

THE BRIEF

Create a disruptive future food-led activation.

THE RESULT

We baked over 1000 millet cookies to create millet milk tart sandwiches with 3D prints for the Anglo American Mining Indaba Gala Dinner. Let’s join forces in the International Year of Millets and discover the full potential of this ancient grain to feed the world and combat climate change.

Get the recipe.

THANK YOU

True North Events

In a world where teaching healthy eating habits and responsible food choices to children has become more crucial than ever, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our Kids Food Studio digital recipe and activity book. This innovative and engaging document is designed to empower children aged 5 to 12, with essential skills and knowledge (from kitchen basics to the food rainbow), allowing them to foster a positive bond with food from an early age.

Kids Food Studio is more than just a resource; it's a dynamic experience that takes young learners on a food adventure.

Buy the little KIDS FOOD STUDIO recipe and activity book.

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Recipes: Rowan Hackley, Kabelo Tala, Juwan Beyers

Graphic design: Casper Schutte

THE CLIENT

Laphroaig

THE BRIEF

Design a sensory tasting kit for the iconic single malt Scotch, Laphroaig.

THE RESULT

The sensorial kit links the brand to the peaty hills of Islay through touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight, making for a memorable tasting experience wherever it is presented to the consumer.

THE TEAM

Design and production: Studio H

Photography: Daniela Zondagh

THE CLIENT

M-Net

THE BRIEF

Conceptualise a dinner for the MasterChef South Africa sponsons and guests for Earth Hour 2021.

THE RESULT

Amidst accelerating climate change and staggering biodiversity loss, Earth Hour continues to inspire millions of people to take action for our planet and nature. Every year, at 20:30 on the last Saturday of March, supporters in over 190 countries and territories unite, taking action on and raising awareness of the issues facing our one home.

With MasterChef South Africa’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, it was only apt to host the official sponsor’s dinner on Earth Hour 2022. This dinner was attended by 80 of the main sponsors, associated sponsors, contestants and judges, DStv Rewards Winners, production agency and members of the media. The dinner was prepared by Chefs Mmabatho Molefe and Bertus Basson, and the canapés were served on ‘Shellegance’ by local artist Lucie De Moyencourt.

THE TEAM

Venue: Makers Landing

Sponsors: M-Net, DStv Rewards, Pick ‘n Pay, V&A Waterfront, Makers Landing

Associated sponsors: @home, Hisense

Chefs: Eike by Bertus Basson, Mmabatho Molefe, Emazulwini

Canapé plates: Lucie de Moyencourt

The Client

Cherry Time

The Brief

Create a disruptive activation for Cherry Time.

The Result

At Studio H, we are committed to designing experiences that reveal the intricate connections between food systems and the natural world. One such project, created in collaboration with our client Cherry Time, highlights the essential role of bees in agriculture.

This installation captured live audio recordings of bee activity directly from the hives within Cherry Time’s orchards. Paired with video footage and presented in a custom-designed installation box, the result is an immersive sensory experience that invites participants to engage with the symbiotic relationship between pollinators and food production.

By bringing the soundscape of Cherry Time’s orchards to life, this sonic installation offers a unique opportunity to deepen the connection between consumers and the ecological systems that underpin sustainable agriculture. It serves as a reminder of the critical balance required to maintain both biodiversity and the resilience of our food supply.

This collaboration with Cherry Time reflects Studio H’s commitment to creating thoughtful and impactful design interventions that tell the stories of those working to protect and enhance the environments that sustain us all.

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Concept: Studio H

Creative direction: Studio H

Video and sound: Jeffrey Moffat

Art direction: Creative Revolt

Vinyls: Signbomb

Collaborators and activation venues: Paul's Homemade Ice-cream and Oranjezicht City Farm Market

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

For the Only One Ingredient lunch presented by Studio H in Venice, as part of Littlegig Homofaber, we served a six course water-themed menu. This lunch was prepared in collaboration with Hotel Il Palazzo Experimental and their Head Chef, Denis Begiqi.

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ARRIVAL DRINKS by Experimental Cocktail Club

Alcohol-free Cocai Cola (Venezianos refer to seagulls as cocai)

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COURSE 1: VENICE TAP WATER

The first course was water sourced by Studio H and the Littlegig team from 126 water fountains that provide safe drinking water for the city of Venice. In an effort to minimise the environmental impact of tourists, the team at Venice Tap Water compiled a map of water fountains to encourage visitors to access clean water from these sources instead of using plastic water bottles.

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COURSE 2: PICKLED WATERBLOMMETJIE

South Africa’s indigenous waterblommetjie grows naturally in ponds and dams during winter and is foraged on a large scale. The waterblommetjies we served were sourced from Babylonstoren  – we pickled and then marinated them.

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COURSE 3: SEA

Fish Martini with sorghum flatbreads and bokkom oil. We took sorghum flour from South Africa and asked the hotel to use that to make their famous flatbreads. Sorghum is an ancient African grain that has been cultivated in Southern Africa for at least 2000 years, is not only drought-tolerant but also extremely versatile as an ingredient. Bokkoms are a salted, sun and wind-dried fish delicacy – the ones we served were made by the women of Weskusmandjie. (Available via Abalobi). We turned the bokkoms into a powder and added it to olive oil. The oil we sourced in Modena from Massimo Bottura’s condiment collection, Villa Manodori.

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COURSE 4: WATER SALAD

A tablescape salad with seasonal water-dense fruit and veg. Guests were encouraged to create their own water salad by foraging from the table scapes in front of them, using hardware tools to cut their fruit and veg and salt spray or salts provided to season their salad. The salad consisted only of fruit and veg with a very high water content, sourced from Rialto Market in Venice. We provided three types of salt. Sea lettuce salt, harvested and made by Weskusmandjie, mushroom salt from Babylonstoren, containing oyster, cloud ear, portobello and shiitake mushrooms and lastly, Baleni salt, a very special salt sourced from the hot mineral spring which was declared a Natural Heritage Site in 1999. The current Baleni Salt Project workers harvest in winter according to ancient ritualised practices and only women can work at the salt spring, all their movements governed by a secret symbolic language.

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COURSE 5: MINDFUL EATING

Spaghetti pastificio felicetti with vongole clams and samphire

This course was all about mindful eating and slowing down to appreciate the food that we eat. We served Chef Denis’ vongole with clams and samphire (a coastal succulent that grows on dunes). The deliberately heavy and awkward cutlery for this course was designed for us by Cape Town artist, Githan Coopoo, with the intention to slow you down and to amplify your mindful eating experience. Experts recommend that you wait one minute between each bite of food – so we encourage you to put down the cutlery in between bites, slow down and enjoy every mouthful of Chef Denis’ dish.

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COURSE 6: CAMEL MILKSHAKES WITH KOFFIEKOEKIES

We ended the lunch with a dish that the guests co-created with us: a camel milk coffee milkshake served with Babylonstoren’s koffiekoekies. The secret ingredient was a choice between something that grew in an abundance of water or in a desert. The winner? Desert, meaning that we flavoured the milkshake with Kalahari Truffle Aperitif, an extremely rare truffle that grows in the expansive deserts of Southern Africa and is only available for harvest 5-weeks a year. (Find the recipe on our website - link in bio.)

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TAKEHOME SNACKS: OSTRICH EGG MARSHMALLOWS

Inspired by Hannerie’s great grand parents who were ostrich farmers, we prepared two flavours of ostrich marshmallows. The marshmallows were designed to enjoy before and after that evening’s Masked Ball. The superfood-rich baobab marshmallow was for added energy, whilst the restorative qualities of the spekboom mallow would make for a welcome snack in the morning.

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THANK YOU:

Littlegig:

Georgia Black

Seth Shezi

Bielle Bellingham

Marina Gemeliaris

Homo Faber:

Hanneli Rupert

Il Palazzo Experimental:

Chef Denis Begiqi

Guillaume Pinaut

Pietro Lorefice

Venice Tap Water

Marco Capovilla

Hoick:

Claire Johnson

Adam Strong

Tiffany Schouw

Chefs:

Louise Wessels

Bianca Strydom

Collaborators:

Weskusmandjie

Babylonstoren

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

Moët & Chandon

THE BRIEF

Studio H has been the lead agency on the Moët & Chandon Golden Tree project for a number of years, driving the structure design and launch events.

THE RESULT

In 2017, 2018 and 2019 the tree consisted of 1680 empty champagne bottles that were collected from across the country and carefully re-used to make a 10-meter-high tree by 15 people over 17 days. 15 300 LED lights were used in 26 concentric rows to create the light.

Most recently, in 2021, a new tree design was launched at Nelson Mandela Square. It was an evening as memorable as it was celebratory in the City of Gold, as Moët & Chandon brought its unique savoir-fête to open South Africa’s festive season in style at the Moët & Chandon Golden Tree opening celebration at Tang Restaurant, attended by the country’s leading celebrities and dignitaries.

Festivities began with a musical performance by SAMA winning artist Simmy who entertained guests with her hit song Sonini. As is custom, Moët & Chandon included iconic South Africans in the experience – this year with Zozibini Tunzi, global humanitarian and Miss Universe 2019, alongside SA cricket captain Temba Bavuma. Black Coffee’s brilliant surprise performance ended the evening with an atmosphere few will forget.

The new Moët & Chandon Golden Tree, poised to offer perfect golden reflections of the Sandton skyline, is a sight to behold. Golden baubles adorn the tree’s gleaming metal exterior, while (for the first time) the interior opens to offer guests a truly immersive experience. Expect a show-stopping chandelier, crafted from 1,400 Moët & Chandon bottles, hanging delicately over a custom-designed champagne cork floor.

THE TEAM

Concept: Studio H

Architect: Stephen Hitchcock, Stretch Architects

Studio H: Hannerie Visser, JC Landman, Hendrik Coetzee, Elena Schutte

Styling: Klara van Wyngaarden

Logistics: Dirkie van der Merwe, Henk van der Schyf

Reveal moment: Tiaan Schutte

Venues: TANG Sandton, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City Mall

Staffing: Holla’

Travel: JetSet-Go

THE CLIENT

Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery

THE BRIEF

Shoot content for the restaurant and bakery, as well as their Festive offerings.

THE RESULT

The restaurant and bakery items were photographed against simple but striking backgrounds, using various plates & trays, and pastries to create eye-catching patterns.

THE TEAM

Production: JC Landman & Hannerie Visser

Photography: Daniela Zondagh

Styling: Sumien Brink

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The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). Millet, an ancient grain, is indigenous to South Africa, and has the potential to play a major role in addressing climate change and food security. The Millets Report includes articles by many experts; from nutritional benefits by Mpho Tshukudu, recipes by Khanya Mzongwana and Tapiwa Guzha, to a humorous column by Dr Anna Trapido, a manifesto for the Sorghum Agenda by Zandile Finxa and a personal essay by Mokgadi Itsweng.

THE TEAM

Contributors: Khanya Mzongwana, Tapiwa Guzha, Mpho Tshukudu, Mokgadi Itsweng, Zandile Finxa, Dr Anna Trapido, Lynette Botha

Copy editing: Lynette Botha, JC Landman

Table scapes in millet flour: Hendrik Coetzee

Recipe styling: Khanya Mzongwana

Millet photos styling: Juwan Beyers

Photos: Daniela Zondagh

THE CLIENT

Eskort

THE BRIEF

Create 107 extraordinary cakes for Eskort’s 107^th birthday. As South Africa’s leading antibiotic-free pork producer delivering quality you can trust since 1917, we were briefed to take it a step further – the cakes had to feature pork sausages and bacon, of course!

THE RESULT

Teaming up with Sweet LionHeart, we came up with six designs for sweet and savoury cakes that honoured the products on which Eskort’s early success was built.

“It’s not often a brand gets to celebrate a 107^th birthday,” says Eskort Marketing Director Marcelle Pienaar. “And we wanted to do something epic to mark the occasion but also underpin it with a nod to who we are and where we have come from.”

Eskort was born in the small town of Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal when nine farmers started the Farmers Cooperative Bacon Factory in 1917. It started making sausages in 1920, and they won a gold medal at that year’s Rand Easter Show.

These days, Eskort has more than 300 world-class pork products, ranging from high-end fresh cuts to convenience meals and staples. But Gold Medal pork sausages remain a favourite with South African consumers, and more than 300 of them decorated our savoury focaccia cakes, which had an onion jam base and cream cheese icing. Bacon decorations were dotted around the vanilla buttercream icing covering the sweet vanilla cakes.

The delicious creations didn’t just stay on display. Thanks to the efforts of SA Harvest, they were distributed to Salt River High School in Cape Town and the 123 Movement, a non-profit company that aims to bridge the gap between the disadvantaged and the privileged by eradicating hunger and purposelessness.

“Birthdays are a big family occasion, and these cakes were an expression of the family values that have sustained Eskort over the years,” says Pienaar. “Many people call us a ‘family corporate’, so celebrating our birthday with delicious cakes seemed very fitting. The cakes were a huge hit, and they proved that with imagination and innovation there’s really no limit to the versatility of pork.

Shoot production, concept and creative direction: Studio H

Culinary production: Studio H

Cake decoration: Sweet LionHeart

Stills shoot: Nikki Symons

Video: Jeff Moffat

THE CLIENT

V&A Waterfront

THE BRIEF

Create a brand-led activation for Moses Coffee at Makers Landing.

THE RESULT

Studio H assisted and mentored the curation of the inaugural African Coffee Expo by Moses Coffee. At this one-day expo and celebration of the best in African Coffee, attendees had the opportunity to interact with local coffee experts and equipment suppliers through expo stands and interactive workshops, while enjoying great coffee, food and beverage pairings and live music.

THE TEAM

Festival curation: Moses Lebofa

Festival prodution: JC Landman

Photos: Ashleigh Frans

THE CLIENT

Meta Creators Dinner

THE BRIEF

Design a future food menu for the Meta Creators Dinner

THE RESULT

The starters were personalised 3D printed vegan schmear designs, based on questionnaires completed by guests before the event. Each guest received a URL version of their IRL 3D print.

The main course was a flexitarian dish with vegetables as the star and the meat as a side dish. The harissa-grilled cauliflower steak, caramelised cauliflower puree, smoked cep velouté and crispy kale was infused with rosemary smoke, served with a side of lamb noisette and lamb jus.

We intentionally designed dessert with overtly bitter notes – a fynbos soufflé with a juniper and grapefruit ice cream and grapefruit gin digestif. Guests could then sonically season their desserts to make it taste sweeter by listening to the soundtrack supplied.

THE TEAM

Commissioned by Clockwork Media

Vegan schmear: Amma’s Creamery

Ugly gin: Pienaar & Son

Graphic design: Spook Design Co.

THE CLIENT

Dutch Design Week

THE RESULT

We used residue water from fermented foods from around the world as perfumes, accompanied by printer-generated food insults to encapsulate the concept that, at the core, we all eat the same.

Residue waters from traditional fermented dishes, that are deemed worthless, were packaged as a range of high-end perfumes. They highlight how valuable the microbes in foods are to the human body. This range of anti-perfumes, representing countries from around the world, was accompanied by a food insults* printer to draw attention to the fact that often, horribly, cultures are ridiculed for their most precious and proudest national dishes. This interactive installation, where visitors are encouraged to smell and taste the anti-perfumes, serves as a reminder that we all eat the same.

All the insults were gathered from actual Youtube footage.

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

Only One Ingredient (OOI) – a conceptual food offering, focused on one ingredient or theme, that is designed by our team and executed by our chefs. For CherryTime we created a cherry-inspired feast, hosted at to celebrate the harvest.

On the menu:

On arrival:

• Richard Bosman Charcuterie baguette with Cherry Time pickles and preserves
• Cherry sours

Main course:

• Sepial's Kitchen Cherry Time KFC with kimchi rice
• How Bao Now Cherry Time glazed pork belly bao OR mushroom bao
• Jafflehead bobotie jaffles OR potato curry jaffles with Cherry Time chutney
• Pickled Cherry Time salad

Dessert:

• Harlow frozen yogurt gelato with fresh Cherry Time cherry swirls
• Vadas Cherry Time pasteis de nata
• Deluxe at Market Day coffees (cherry liqueuer optional)

Sonic installation: Studio H

Vases: Brigit Lilley

Chef: Bianca Strydom

Waiters: Hero Staffing

Photos: Daniela Zondagh

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Studio H prides itself on being at the forefront of culinary innovation in the intricate world of food design. One of the core elements in staying ahead of the curve is food trend forecasting, which requires comprehensive research, data analysis, and expert insights to predict future food trends. Embracing this strategic approach, we are excited to announce the release of our 2025/6 Future Food Report — an in-depth, carefully curated forecast of the gastronomic landscape that lies ahead.

We recently hosted a series of in-person sessions to present the latest report to clients and industry friends. You can order and download the report in our online shop.

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THE CLIENT

Narrative PR

THE BRIEF

Design a menu for the opening of Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen’s Cosmopolitan Renaissance exhibition in Cape Town.

THE MENU

Central to the artist’s work is the concept of bio-cultural diversity, which he investigates through exploring the themes of interconnectedness, and sustainability. The menu, inspired by the Five Kingdoms of Nature:

Animals: Red centre devilled eggs

Plants: Asparagus and edible flower skewers

Fungi: Grilled mushroom skewers

Protists: Kelp, rice paper puffs and kelp-cured fish

Monera: Mold-ripened cheese with shaped jelly on handmade crackers

THE TEAM

Concept, menu design, culinary curation: Studio H

Culinary collaborator: Mia Everson