As the year slows, the one thing I can predict is that, as lockdowns and travel bans affect tourism, many more people will be at home, which means more cooking!

So, this week, with enough time to prepare and buy unique ingredients, we wanted to bring our Great Plains exceptional cuisine to your homes via our new Culinary Safari Supplement.

It has been designed to be a message of giving, goodwill and inspiration, and a guide to making that transition from being a cook to becoming a chef. It comes from all our Great Plains chefs across three countries, in response to us asking them what they would most like to share this holiday, even though our camps may not be as full as usual.

“What would you be serving? What do you want people to try at home?”

Ben at Mara Plains Camp said to others, “What do we most want people to serve that will make them remember us for that moment?”

So, the guide in this attached booklet is partly inspiration and a way to follow what you have experienced, or hopefully will soon be experiencing, when out in the bush with us (minus the lion roars and jackals calling).

I would love to see you set the table with your favourite safari paraphernalia and insist that your guests arrive dressed for safari, and if you can, serve excellent African wine, and think of us.

Don’t rush it, slow it; sip, don’t gulp; this moment is like life and love itself, where each moment counts.

To create the ambiance for all of this, use this attached link to listen to the soundtrack of what you might be hearing as you would when dining with us, and the moment will nearly be complete… nearly.

At some point, whether you achieved precisely what Assistant in Botswana or Patrick from ol Donyo Lodge wanted for you, I would suggest toasting yourself. Making an effort in life and showing up, really showing up, is what the world needs most now, and that should be celebrated.

As you will read, you will see that many of the great ideas here are secrets. Most of our chef contributors carry that special Fleur-de-lis symbol of excellence from Relais & Châteaux, the association of hotels and fine dining facilities that we are so proud to be a part of. Great Plains has the only safari camps in Botswana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe accepted by Relais & Châteaux, so it is no wonder that our chefs can put a book like this one together for you.

Of course, you can dress up, drink our wine, and experiment with our exotic dishes…but these are mere placeholders until our chefs can host you for real, once again.

Fond wishes,
Dereck