Attention chefs, as well as food and wine lovers far and wide: the time has come again for the fascinating gastronomical event that is the Spier Secret Festival. This annual celebration of food and wine will take place the Spier wine farm outside Stellenbosch on Friday 24 October 2014.

The much-anticipated conference serves as a platform where local and international food experts will engage in a variety of talks, workshops, tastings and dinner events. As the primary focus is on ethical food production, attendees can expect to learn a great deal about artisanal produce and sustainability.

Food ingredients at the Spier Secret Festival. Photos courtesy of the event.

“We are delighted to present the Spier Secret Festival for a third time,” says Annebelle Schreuders, Spier’s Marketing Director. “Both ethical food production and responsible tourism are important to Spier, so we are looking forward to the insights to be received from this event.” Highlights include a lecture on sustainable practices in South Africa, an alternative meat cutting demonstration and a presentation on food design. A wine-fueled celebration of Spier’s rich heritage is also on the menu, with a lecture and special tasting towards the end of the day. The festivities continue on Saturday 25 October at the Spier Secret Market, where some of the Western Cape’s finest small producers, bakers and street-food vendors will showcase their wares.

Introducing the stellar conference lineup, the speakers are:

Marcelo Bolinha – a meat consultant from Brazil who has revolutionised traditional butchery practices
Fritz Schoon – artisan baker and owner of Schoon de Companje in Stellenbosch
Wongama Baleni – entrepreneur and co-owner of Department of Coffee (DoC), Khayelitsha’s first artisanal coffee shop
Liam Tomlin – Multi award-winning restaurateur, restaurant consultant and owner of Chefs Warehouse and Canteen
SulSolSal – Guido Giglio of Brazil and local boy Hannes Bernard make up the minds behind SulSolSal, a design and research consultancy with a specific focus on design in the southern hemisphere
Sheryl Ozinsky and Kurt Ackermann – founding volunteers of Oranjezicht City Farm
Ole Hansen – A Norwegian salmon smoker dedicated to sustainable practices
Heather Thompson – self-taught dessert designer, conceptual confectioner and ‘chocolate haberdasher’ working as SOMA Confection
Vanessa Marx – Executive chef of Dear Me and Eat Out Rising Star Award winner

Food servings at the Spier Secret Festival. Photos courtesy of the event.

All bookings for the conference can be made through quicket.co.za and bookings for special hotel accommodation packages can be made at 021 809 1100 or reservations@spier.co.za.

Follow the official festival hashtag #spiersecret on Twitter and Instagram.