South African Tourism (SAT) has celebrated the country’s Heritage Day with the official launch of Season 4 of Food Trail South Africa.
Hosted by South African-born Australian chef and television personality Warren Mendes, Season 4 premieres on Network 10 on October 3 at 3.30pm (AEST).
SAT brought together travel industry partners, media and creators at The Calyx in Sydney’s Botanic Gardens to celebrate the new series.
Episodes will screen weekly, with viewers joining Warren on a journey to uncover South Africa’s hidden gems through its people, stories and flavours.
Observed annually on September 24, Heritage Day is a South African public holiday celebrating the country’s rich cultural diversity, traditions and shared heritage.
Food plays an important role in the occasion, with many South Africans celebrating the day by enjoying one of the country’s most enduring social and culinary traditions: cooking and gathering around the braai.
LtoR: Yana Shvarts, Melyne Hovasapian, Warren Mendes and Sheron Sultan
The Sydney event embraced the spirit of the occasion with a South African braai, food, wine and hospitality.
The celebration provided a fitting backdrop to unveil a new season that puts South Africa’s people at the centre of the story, using food to share their cultures, communities and experiences.
Across 10 new episodes, Warren travels from the vast Great Karoo and the protected coastline of De Hoop Nature Reserve to Cape Town’s Constantia Valley, Johannesburg, KwaZulu-Natal and the Greater Kruger.
At the heart of each episode are the people who bring South Africa’s food and culture to life – chefs, producers, guides, conservationists and local communities – who introduce Warren to the places, traditions and flavours they know best.
Food is the common thread, showcasing not only the diversity of South Africa’s culinary offering, but also the warmth, generosity and hospitality of its people.
Food Trail South Africa’s fourth season builds on the success of three previous 10-episode seasons, which have reached more than five million viewers in Australia alone.
New Luxury Escapes Signature Series Culinary Tour
Also announced at the event was a new Luxury Escapes Signature Series culinary tour, departing in 2027 and inspired by Food Trail South Africa.
Hosted by Warren Mendes, along with celebrity chef and media personality Miguel Maestre (below), the tour will offer Australian travellers the opportunity to experience some of the destinations, flavours and stories featured in the series first hand.
“What makes Food Trail South Africa so special is the people,” said Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager for South African Tourism Australasia.
“Season 4 captures the warmth and hospitality South Africa is known for, and we hope to inspire viewers to not only discover somewhere new on screen, but to experience it for themselves.”
“What I love about Food Trail South Africa is that there’s always another story to uncover,” said Warren Mendes.
“Even in our fourth season, South Africa continues to surprise me – with new places and new flavours I haven’t experienced before.
“That’s what makes this series so much fun… food opens the door, but it’s the stories people share and the connections you make that bring it to life. I’m really excited for audiences to come on the journey with us.”
Food Trail South Africa Season 4 is also available online via 10.com.au.
