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The Maverick Table · Series one

Rooted

A fine-dining evening that puts the Cape's indigenous pantry at the centre of the plate, paired with Dalla Cia wines.

When
Tuesday 10 November 2026
Where
de Tafel, Palm House Boutique Hotel and Spa, Cape Town
From
R2,500 per person
Book your seat Read the story on Daily Maverick

Why Rooted

Wine from here, food from here

The Cape has been making wine since 1659, yet its own heritage flavours rarely share the glass. South African labels still suggest sushi or pasta as partners, and the region's remarkably biodiverse indigenous pantry is almost nowhere to be seen.

African Foodways Productions and Daily Maverick set out to change that with The Maverick Table: a series of fine-dining food and wine pairing dinners built on indigenous ingredients. Rooted is the first.

Pairing food and wine from the same place does more than taste good. It gives visitors a reason to come, sets restaurants apart, builds demand for local produce, and introduces guests to the people who keep these foodways alive.

“What grows together goes together.”

A maxim of international epicures, as quoted by Daily Maverick
  • Fynbos
  • Snoek
  • Wild fennel
  • White mussels
  • Strandspinassie
  • Wormwood
  • Waterblommetjies
  • Sour figs
  • Pelargonium
  • Karoo lamb
  • Kapokbos
  • Springbok
  • White sorghum
  • Msobo berries
  • Marula nuts
  • Naartjie
  • Honeybush
  • Buchu
  • Bee pollen

From the Cape pantry, all on the night's menus.

The table

Who is cooking and pouring

  • Chef

    Gregory Henderson

    Multi-award-winning chef at de Tafel, the hotel's fine-dining restaurant, known for his creative cooking with heritage and foraged foods.

  • Winemaker

    George Dalla Cia

    Stellenbosch winemaker behind Dalla Cia, whose wines are paired with both menus.

  • Sommelier

    Richard Gosa

    Worked with Henderson and Dalla Cia on the two tasting menus.

  • Venue

    Palm House

    A restored 1920s manor house in Cape Town's southern suburbs, now Palm House Boutique Hotel and Spa.

Two menus, choose one

Henderson, Gosa and Dalla Cia created two seven-course tasting menus. Below are the dishes and pairings Daily Maverick describes from each.

The coast

Confluence

A fynbos-forward study of Cape coastal flavours.

  • Smoked snoek mousse in a wild fennel macaronWith Dalla Cia Bullicante
  • White mussel pavé with strandspinassieWith Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pressed quail with wormwood
  • Rock lobster and waterblommetjie curryWith Chardonnay
  • Palate cleanser of sour fig bubbles and pelargonium popping candy

The land

Refugia

Seasonal venison and African ancient grains.

  • Karoo lamb with kapokbos milletWith Dalla Cia Pinot Noir
  • West Coast springbok with white sorghum, msobo berries and marula nutsWith Dalla Cia Classico
  • Honeybush panna cotta, buchu ice cream and bee pollen biscuits, with peach and candied naartjie peel flavours and H&G Brandy
  • Racemosa moerkoffie to close the evening

Both menus come with Dalla Cia wine pairings. Bespoke vegetarian options are available.

Seats

Book your place at the table

TicketPer personPer couple
StandardR2,500R4,700
Maverick InsidersR2,250R4,200

Daily Maverick Insiders get special rates and first bite. Everyone is welcome.

Book on the Daily Maverick shop