Gourmet Table Fare Or Just Quality Meals, WHat To Expect?

[spike.t]

My next trip though i pity the poor outfitter as i am bringing my son and not so sure they can keep up feeding him.

a teenager i presume?

 

[Saul]

I have absolutely no problem paying for five star accommodations, especially when it comes to food. With that said, I find that most outfitters claim to have these accommodations and gourmet meals. It is probably best to look at the prices to see if they reflect what you should be paying for the level of quality that you want.

I have been to far too many five star resorts with "gourmet" cooking that is downright pedestrian for the price I end up paying. Often times, the local steakhouse is far better.

Honestly, as long as they have great cuts of meat that can be cooked rare, it is going to be great. The most important thing is that they have access to top shelf liquor and can make some cocktails

On a side note, has anyone had really great seafood on their safari? I would assume that many of the South African outfits near the coast could make some really great dishes.

 

[dobber]

a teenager i presume?

a 23yr old power lifter, i could keep him fed no problems as a teen, the gallon of milk a day to help with weight gain was a bit of a stretch lol

 

[WRudman]

On my trip i ate better than i do at home, much better than what i ate on my fly in hunts for moose (except the fresh fish and moose tenderloin)
More than enough food to go around, even my picky wife ate plenty and didn't complain. My next trip though i pity the poor outfitter as i am bringing my son and not so sure they can keep up feeding him.

Is that what you call, "forewarned is forearmed"

 

[spike.t]

a 23yr old power lifter, i could keep him fed no problems as a teen, the gallon of milk a day to help with weight gain was a bit of a stretch lol

sounds expensive....thought teenage boys were bad enough

 

[Rolf_T]

Looks like a good idea to warn the outfitter in advance, or risk hunting hungry.
That could be expensive (being "hangry" with a gun with loads of animals within reach)

 

[Philip Glass]

I'm presently researching different opportunities for my first African Safari. One element of the trip that is very important to me is the quality of the food offered. One of the reasons I enjoy ocean cruises is the variety of well prepared dishes and the variety of different meals offered every evening. Many resorts are listed as four and five star establishments. I was just wondering if members who've had the opportunity to go on a few safaris could share their experiences and let me know what to expect in terms of meals and the quality they've experienced firsthand.

Aru Game Lodge in Namibia, where I have been many times, will meet and likely exceed your expectations. Great hunting, beautiful lodge, great food.
Regards,
Philip

 

[buck wild]

here's a sampling of my last trip- food was great; not sure it was 5 star but I wasn't looking for that either

Day 1- after an all-American breakfast of scrambled eggs, the meatiest bacon I have ever had and toast with homemade jelly (peach, fig). PH kept putting shredded cheese on his toast but I wasn’t feeling South African enough to try it.
lunch kudu burgers and fruit
dinner of roasted leg of lamb and veggies.

Day 2- cereal, toast, jelly
lunch braii with grilled lamb chops and grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches (Brickburn mentioned his fav **
Dinner tonight: braised oxtail with potatoes, rice and chocolate molten cake with custard

Day 3
lunch: lasagna
grilled steaks, spinach quiche and some type of bread pudding cake and custard our favorite dessert so far

Day 4
lunch fried yummy croissant roll stuffed with hamburger meat, cheese and tomatoes.
Dinner was chicken casserole, veggies and a fruit meringue pastry.

Day 5
Lunch today: ham carbonara, cheesy vegetables and homemade rolls
Dinner tonight: lamb curry, broccoli, salad, potatoes and orange tart cake with custard.
notes: I’m not sure exactly why, but the lamb in South Africa is far and away better than anything I have eaten in the States. As a matter of fact, I’ve eaten lamb less than a handful of times back home due to my distaste for it. If our lamb was this good, I’d have to add it the grocery list.

 

[Bsums]

I don't think anywhere you go you will have an issue of the food being horrible. But obviously were you go and hunt with will make the difference. Although the best is the wild game you shot grilled over the fire each night.

 

[Badger Matt]

Hunted with Spiral Horn Safaris in 2013 and the food was gourmet for sure. Their cook/chef used to work at Sabi Sands and every dinner was phenomenal. She asked us if we had any special requests and my father said he'd like some liver as my mother won't have it in the house; next morning...impala liver for breakfast! I asked to have Rockt Mtn Oysters from my buffalo; next evening we had both ends of the bull for appetizers...balls and tongue! My father never, and I mean never, eats dessert. He finished dessert every night in Africa.

 

[rookhawk]

I hunt with fly-camp accommodations so I wouldn't say that the food is "gourmet", at least not compared to a michilin star restaurant in the first world. Then again, even people's opinion of gourmet is open to interpretation but I'm taking your claim literally and responding as I think you intend.

When you read Robert Ruark's "The Horn of The Hunter" he remarks how incredible his fly camp food really was. Somehow the chef would make a soufflé out of a large metal soup can with nothing but mopane wood and a few bricks for the oven. Fresh "Tommy" gazelle steaks medium rare fresh off the braai. A shocking piece of fresh bread in the middle of the bush.

Those were my fly camp experiences too. Shockingly good food considering everything is truly MacGyver'd together using implements that would make an Amish kitchen look high tech.

So to conclude my experiences: The food is excellent quality and more intricate than you'd expect under boyscout under the star conditions. The food is not gourmet by Cordon Bleu standards of sauces, spices or presentation.

 

[Rob404]

Be adventurous and prepared for some foods that your not quite used to it's all part of the Safari. I'm a Chef by trade and was really excited to try the Local Cuisine

 

[Royal27]

Be adventurous and prepared for some foods that your not quite used to it's all part of the Safari. I'm a Chef by trade and was really excited to try the Local Cuisine

Anyone who doesn't try the local cuisine no matter where they go is an absolute fool. Try it once at least as you just never know...

Bossie asked me what I wanted to eat for this trip coming up and I told him biltong, game meat, and food like he ate growing up.

I can eat a hamburger here at home.