An Extraordinary Culinary Weekend with Chef Wandile Mabaso

July 16, 2026

Stay at Kruger Shalati this November and experience a remarkable meeting of culinary talent in the heart of the Kruger National Park.

There are few places in the world where extraordinary wildlife, award-winning luxury and exceptional cuisine come together as seamlessly as they do at Kruger Shalati.

This November, that experience becomes even more remarkable as celebrated South African chef Wandile Mabaso returns to the Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series, joining Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha for an exclusive two-night culinary collaboration on 27 and 28 November.

Following the launch of the series this July alongside chef Mordecai Brauns from Sanctuary Mandela, this latest chapter continues Motsamayi’s commitment to celebrating South Africa’s finest culinary talent while creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration, mentorship and innovation.

For guests staying at Kruger Shalati over these dates, the collaboration becomes part of an already extraordinary escape: an iconic setting above the Sabie River, immersive safari experiences, warm hospitality and two evenings where exceptional South African culinary talent takes centre stage

A Meeting of Two Culinary Philosophies

Chef Wandile Mabaso’s journey has taken him from the kitchens of Soweto to some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants. After training in Europe and New York, he refined his craft under the legendary Alain Ducasse at the two-MICHELIN-starred Le Meurice in Paris before returning home to establish Les Créatifs in Johannesburg, where classical French technique meets indigenous South African ingredients.

Alongside him, Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha continues to shape the culinary identity of Kruger Shalati through his acclaimed Kruger to Fork philosophy. Working closely with local farmers and an on-site garden, his menus celebrate indigenous ingredients and the remarkable flavours of the Lowveld, creating dishes that are deeply connected to the surrounding landscape.

Across two evenings, the chefs will share ideas, techniques and inspiration through thoughtfully curated dining experiences where their individual styles converge to create something entirely unique.

It is a meeting of two distinctive culinary philosophies, united by craftsmanship, creativity and a shared passion for telling South Africa’s story through food.

Beyond the Plate

The Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series is about far more than remarkable dining.

At its heart is a commitment to education and the future of South African hospitality. Each collaboration includes a dedicated skills development programme that provides mentorship, training and hands-on learning opportunities for aspiring chefs and hospitality professionals.

By creating opportunities for established chefs to share their knowledge, techniques and experiences, the series nurtures emerging talent while strengthening the future of the country’s culinary industry.

Because the greatest legacy a chef leaves is not only measured by the meals they create, but by the people they inspire.

A Culinary Journey That Continues

The Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series brings together celebrated chefs across Motsamayi’s collection of exceptional destinations, creating experiences that celebrate place, provenance and partnership.

Each chapter introduces a new destination, a fresh creative dialogue and another opportunity for guests to experience South African cuisine through a different lens.

In November, that journey leads to one of the country’s most remarkable settings: Kruger Shalati, suspended above the Sabie River in the heart of the Kruger National Park.

Here, the landscape is never simply a backdrop. It becomes part of the experience.

A stay at Kruger Shalati is already unlike anywhere else.

Wake above the Sabie River as the bush comes to life below. Head out into the Kruger National Park on safari. Return to the stillness of the bridge, cool off overlooking the river and watch the light shift across a landscape that has been unfolding to its own rhythm for centuries.

And on 27 and 28 November, there is something more to savour.

Guests staying with us over these dates will experience the culinary collaboration between Chef Wandile Mabaso and Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha, bringing together two distinctive culinary voices for two memorable evenings at Kruger Shalati.

For one remarkable weekend, the rhythm of the wild, the flavours of the Lowveld and the creativity of two exceptional chefs meet above the Sabie River.

Stay with us this November and be part of the experience.