August 2025

The V&A Waterfront played host to this year’s Food Indaba, a thought-provoking programme curated by Food Dialogues, exploring the theme “AI and the Food System.” Through panel discussions, shared meals, and roundtables, the event brought together a wide range of voices from the food industry, tech, academia, and civil society — all asking big questions about the future of food.

Intelligence Beyond the Algorithm

This year’s Indaba pushed us to rethink the idea of intelligence itself. While artificial intelligence and emerging technologies took centre stage, the conversations extended far beyond algorithms — considering indigenous knowledge, cultural intuition, ecological wisdom, and human creativity as equally valid and necessary forms of intelligence in shaping future food systems.

The core idea? That there’s no such thing as “artificial” intelligence — only tools and technologies created and trained by people. With this in mind, the Food Indaba explored how we might balance digital tools with deeper, more rooted intelligences to build food systems that are inclusive, just, and regenerative.

Makers Landing as a Key Venue

As part of the V&A Waterfront’s broader food ecosystem, Makers Landing hosted several of the key events, including:

· Zero Waste Summit

· Chef’s Summit (15 July)

· AI and the Food System Conference (18 July)

· Food Founders AI Roundtable (16 July)

Each event brought together industry professionals, innovators, and entrepreneurs for robust discussions around sustainability, creativity, and the role of intelligence in the kitchen and beyond.

Food, Memory and Imagination

Two immersive food experiences framed the Indaba with powerful storytelling:

· Ancestral Intelligence (12 July), a dining event led by Chef Motheo Mamabolo, explored indigenous ingredients and cultural heritage.

· The Glocal Table (19 July), hosted by MasterChef SA finalist Tarryn de Kock, invited guests to reflect on identity, memory, and belonging through a shared meal.

Food as Culture, Dialogue, and Innovation

By hosting and supporting the Food Indaba, the V&A Waterfront continues to foster its role as a public platform for food as more than nourishment — as a space for dialogue, experimentation, cultural exchange, and future-focused innovation.

These events reaffirmed the Waterfront’s commitment to creating meaningful food experiences that reflect the complexity and diversity of Cape Town’s communities.