Food Indaba 2025 highlights African food for AI

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in global knowledge systems, questions arise: How do we make sure African voices are heard? How do we ensure our culinary traditions, farming wisdom, and food systems shape AI rather than being shaped by it?

All these questions and many more will be explored, debated and brought to life at the annual Food Indaba, taking place this July in Cape Town. The Indaba is a vibrant, citywide celebration of food culture, innovation and community.

From 7 to 20 July, Food Indaba 2025 will explore the theme Artificial Intelligence and the Food System, sparking urgent and exciting conversations about the future of food in Africa.

Through more than 20 events, including immersive experiences, thought-provoking discussions, chef-led dining and family-friendly workshops, this year’s Indaba will bring together a dynamic mix of innovators, farmers, chefs, tech leaders and curious food lovers.

Whether you are passionate about sustainable agriculture, intrigued by emerging technologies, or simply love a good meal, Food Indaba 2025 will have something for every palate.

Here are 12 things not to miss at Food Indaba 2025:

1. Dialogues through Food

Three chef-led dining events at Makers Landing (V&A Waterfront) will offer immersive, multisensory experiences at the intersection of food, culture and innovation. Tickets range from R450.00-R550.00 per event.

• Dining with DeepSeek (Friday, 11 July): Chef Anwar Arendse of The Hood Kitchen will bring community flavour and entrepreneurial energy to a live, AI-assisted dining experience. Guests will co-create the menu using DeepSeek and Gemini AI, blending tech with Cape creativity. This will be a dynamic, crowd-driven celebration of future food culture.
• Ancestral Intelligence (Saturday, 12 July): Motheo Mamabolo, a multidisciplinary artist from Mahikeng, will present a six-course journey through fungi as tools for survival and sustainability. Expect fermentation, fungal cocktails and mushroom-powered storytelling – a sensorial deep dive into ancestral knowledge and ecological resilience.
• The Glocal Table (Saturday, 19 July): Researcher and self-taught cook Tarryn de Kock will unpack the global roots of “local” African staples like maize and chillies. Through eight courses and rich storytelling, she will explore food migration and colonial legacies. Guests can look forward to an unforgettable tasting journey across African food histories.

2. Food System Walking Tours

This year’s walking tours offer a powerful way to explore how history, culture, policy and urban planning shape Cape Town’s diverse food system.

Through three immersive experiences in the Cape Town CBD, Langa and Bellville, participants will trace food lineages from pre-colonial practices to present-day market systems and urban agriculture initiatives.

Each tour includes tastings and storytelling, revealing the deep connections between place, people and what’s on our plates. You will never see the city – or its food – the same way again.

Choose your route:

• Cape Town CBD: Explore ecological systems, colonial food histories and the city’s vibrant street food culture.
• Langa Heritage Precinct: Discover the geographic heart of Cape Town and unpack issues of policy, trade and local food production.
• Bellville CBD: A Pan-African food hub showcasing informal markets, waste-to-farm cycles, and community-powered sustainability.

Tickets are R500.00 per walk, available for booking of two or more.

3. Between the Lines: Kim Bagley in Conversation

Attendees will join celebrated cookbook writer Kim Bagley at The Book Lounge (Friday, 11 July) for a cosy discussion on her latest title, Cooking with Kim Bagley: A South African Fusion of Flavours.

Entry is free, but seats will be limited to 50. Booking via foodindaba.org is essential.

4. Hack the Kitchen: Kids Flavour Science Lab

Young food explorers (ages 6-12) will enjoy hands-on fun at the Cape Town Science Centre (Saturday, 12 and Saturday, 19 July, 11:00-12:30) where they’ll learn about indigenous ingredients and kitchen science by creating their own ice cream. Tickets: R195.00 per child.

5. Hack the Kitchen: A teens’ AI cooking jam

At Food Jams Studio (Saturday, 19 July), tech-savvy teens will pair up to use AI to create original recipes, cook them and enjoy a shared meal. A unique combination of coding, cuisine and creativity. Tickets: R300.00. Space is limited.

6. Tea with a Farmer

Visitors will sip farm-grown herbal tea and explore Cape Town’s urban agriculture movement. These guided tours at Oranjezicht City Farm and 16 on Lerotholi Urban Farm (Saturday, 12 and Saturday, 19 July) will provide insights into food justice, sustainability and local farming practice. Tickets: R195.00 per person.

7. Online Dialogue: AI, Knowledge & African Food Systems

An urgent online panel (Wednesday, 9 July, 11:00-12:30) will examine how AI can either erase or amplify African knowledge systems. Experts will explore: Whose data will train our models? Whose food stories will be told? Registration is free via foodindaba.org.

8. AI and the Food System Conference

This full-day conference at Makers Landing (Friday, 18 July, 09:00-17:00) will gather AI specialists, data scientists and food system leaders to discuss AI ethics, bias and African-led innovation in agriculture. Tickets: R500.00, including lunch.

9. AI & Data Power for Food Founders – Masterclass

Presented by Oribi Incubator (Wednesday, 16 July, 14:00-16:00), this workshop will offer practical tools for food entrepreneurs to wield AI responsibly – addressing data ownership, visibility and ethical use. Tickets: R150.00 via foodindaba.org.

10. Chef’s Summit

Chefs, food technologists and educators will convene at Makers Landing (Tuesday 15 July, 11:00-13:00) to discuss how AI is reshaping the kitchen – from workflow automation to sustainable sourcing. Limited public tickets will be available.

11. Zero Waste Summit

With 45% of South Africa’s food produced going to waste annually, this critical summit (Thursday, 10 July, 12:00-14:00) will convene the City of Cape Town, V&A Waterfront and chefs to explore radical solutions for change. Free, but ticketed via foodindaba.org.

12. Human Intelligence – Humanity Tour of the Iziko Natural History Museum

Led by curator Dr Wendy Black (Friday, 11 July, 14:30-15:30), this private tour of the HUMANITY exhibition uses a food lens to explore human origins. The exhibition reimagines evolution through the diversity of humans today, moving beyond colonial interpretations to tell a story of intelligence, creativity and endurance. Tickets: R120.00.

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