Now, in France, we are privileged to share our love for ‘The Fire Pit,’ bringing flavours from Southern, North, and East Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, the Mediterranean, and the Americas into our teaching. We are surrounded by everything we believe in when it comes to quality ingredients, allowing us to craft dishes that truly celebrate the essence of fire and spice.
Join us on a flavour-packed adventure as we masterfully prepare salmon, pork, chicken, beef, and lamb, infusing each dish with the bold, vibrant flavours of paella. As the Fire and Spice experience unfolds, we will expertly grill vegetables over open flames and a hot griddle, ensuring a diverse and delectable feast for every palate.
Price per person sharing:
3,350.00 €
Le Calabash Cookery Experience includes the following amenities:
The price does not include the following:
08:30 – Start your day with a traditional French breakfast.
09:00 – Having grown up in South Africa’s biggest Indian influenced regions, Sidney was exposed to Indian cooking all his childhood which has had a tremendous impact on his life and taste buds.
His first visit to India was one that he found himself having a four day brush with the authorities, he will however tell you that it was simply one of his most memorable experiences in his life as two things he has in common with Indian folk is his passion for good food and cricket, there is a story to be told.
Today we embark on a journey mainly with Indian roots and the Tandoor oven. The tandoori community have cooked in urn-shaped ovens for over 5000 years, today it is the pillar of the Punjabi and wider Indian kitchen, while its charred meat and pillowy breads, slapped on the inner red-hot wall, have inspired a love for tandoori around the world.
With today’s modern BBQ equipment, especially the ceramic barbecues it has become easy for the home chef top replicate the tandoor dishes.
Today Sidney takes you on a hands-on Tandoor journey with you preparing and learning,
13:00 – Enjoy the fruits of your morning’s cooking for lunch.
19.00 – For dinner tonight Sidney prepares his ‘Wood Fired Harissa Shakshuka’ with naan and for dessert Alison shares with you her Persian Coconut Rice Pudding with Aromatic Pears.
08:30 – Start your day with BBQ breakfast.
When on tour in Southern Africa or The Middle East there is always a hint of Fire and Spice in the air, today we share with you a little taste of our adventures on your breakfast plate.
09:00 – In our consumer driven world we are inundated with choices that are packed with ingredients that are better left behind. Virtually every recipe calls for salt or pepper, and most commercial brands are loaded with MSG.
Sugar, Salt and Fat are essential in the quest for the perfect BBQ, but sadly due to the fact that they are cheap, their presence is far too great in most of our choices, today we share with you how easy it is to prepare your own BBQ Sauces, Marinades, Wet and Dry Rubs, Cures, Seasonings, Glazes, Salsas and Dipping Sauces lowering the levels of highly processed sugar and salt.
13:00 – Enjoy the fruits of your morning’s cooking for lunch.
Middle Eastern Lamb Cutlets
Marinated Peppers
BBQ Muhammara
Labné
Turkish Flatbread
Chilli and Garlic Oil
This afternoon, Sidney shares with you the recipes for three of his favourite marinades using fresh herbs.
Alison give you her secrets to prepare a Madagascan Spicy Chocolate Tart with Mascarpone Ice Cream.
19:00 – Tonight, we indulge in our afternoons work savouring a Salmon we prepared together.
Hot Smoked Salmon with a Pean Chorizo and Lettuce Casserole.
Mosbolletjie Bread with a Chorizo Butter Candle
For dessert you will enjoy your Spiced Chocolate Tart.
08.00 – Depart for Tours
Today we experience Culinary France and Cultural Loire Valley and a morning out of the kitchen.
Beautiful, dynamic and lively, the city of Tours is on the route to the châteaux of the Loire. Let's start with the historic heritage: the town where Honoré de Balzac was born is proud of its 'Cathédrale' and 'Plumereau' districts. The soaring cathedral of Saint-Gatien, the narrow-cobbled streets and half-timbered houses imbue the city with a seductive medieval flavour. Yes, this is one of France's prettiest towns.
Alongside the restaurants and bars, the many boutiques in Tours are a delight for shoppers and for a long time Tours was known as the little Paris for its retailing dynamism.
We visit Tours best bakery to choose our breakfast pastries which we will enjoy in a little market coffee shop. This morning, we explore both the indoor ‘Les Halles Food Market’ and the twice weekly outdoor market. We visit the old town which clusters around place Plumeria; its old houses restored to their former glory.
13:00 – We enjoy Bistro lunch in Tours.
We return in the afternoon where you are taken on a Pastry rollercoaster ride with Alison as she shared with you the recipes and techniques to create your own take on The Pavlova.
Sidney takes you on a nostalgic ‘Cheeseburger’ journey or as he calls it; ‘The Cadilac’ Dolls House Cheeseburger, a road down memory lane.
19:00 – Before dinner Alison shares her famous Rose and Hibiscus Gin and Tonic, a favourite sundowner when we are on Safari in Southern Africa.
For dinner we enjoy our afternoon's work.
08:30 – Start your day with a traditional French breakfast.
Sidney has a love for fresh ocean fish and there are endless possibilities when it comes to cooking fish over the coals, smoking and baking in a woodburning oven.
You will be taken on a whirlwind journey which covers three continents and some of Sidney’s most treasured recipes.
13:00 – Enjoy the fruits of your morning’s cooking for lunch.
After lunch you embark on a chocolate journey that compliments a evening around the fire.
We will share with you our Famous Caramel Cookie which with Alison’s Chocolate Marshmallow makes the perfect Smoor.
17:30 – Leisure time until dinner.
19:00 – Tonight, we return to Le Calabash for a relaxed evening indulging in the finest French Cheeses local Charcuterie and Zevenwacht Wines savouring the flavours of the region in the comfort of our culinary haven with a wine tasting hosted by our close friend and Cellar Master Hagen.
Hagen is one of South Africa’s most talented and 2025 Investec Wine Maker of the Year. Multi Gold Medal Awards with International Wine Making experience in the USA, France, New Zealand, France and Australia, Hagen bring a exciting and vibrant breath of air to the Fire and Spice Journey.
Sidney and Hagen will share with you how to add Fire and Spice to your Cheese and Wine Evening using your Grill, Kettle BBQ and Pizza Oven. Let’s take a walk on the wild side with our cheese to include.
08:30 – Start your day with a traditional French breakfast.
We start the day with an introduction to the key techniques of pizza-making, covering kneading, fermentation, and maturation. leading the way, we’ll work with both classic and Neapolitan pizza dough, setting the foundation for great results.
From there, it’s time to get hands-on with kneading and shaping. Whether working with a traditional pizza base or fine-tuning the techniques of Neapolitan dough, guidance will be provided throughout to help achieve the right texture and structure.
Once the dough is ready, we’ll move on to spreading, baking, and, of course, tasting our classic pizzas and focaccias. This session is all about understanding the textures and flavours that define these Italian favourites.
13:00 – You will enjoy your own handcrafted Pizza for Lunch.
In the afternoon, we shift focus to focaccia, including Palla and Padellino styles. Everyone will have the chance to work on their shaping and baking techniques while bringing these traditional breads to life.
For anyone looking to refine specific skills, there will be time for extra guidance. Whether it’s perfecting shaping techniques, improving fermentation, or adjusting baking times, our chefs will be on hand to offer advice and support.
19:30 – A night out with the Bond’s
For Dinner tonight Alison and Sidney take you to our local Brasserie run by a young husband and wife team.
08:30 – Start your day with a traditional French breakfast.
09.00 – Mediterranean culinary journey, exploring the vibrant flavours of France and the Mediterranean Basin. Chef Sidney will share some of their most cherished culinary favourites and together we embark on our final Fire and Spice journey at Le Calabash.
In between all our preparation we will as a team work on our lunch where Sidney shares with you his passion for a ‘Out of The Box’ Paella.
Easy, Adventurous and ‘’A Walk on The Wild Side’
18.00 – We meet for drinks around the coals where you are presented with your Pit Master Chefs Jacket and Certificate.
19:00 – Tonight, we indulge in our afternoons work savouring the delicious dishes we prepared together.
08:30 – Start your day with a traditional French breakfast.
11:00 – Departure is by 11:00, allowing you to bid farewell to the tranquil surroundings of Le Calabash with cherished memories and newfound culinary skills.
