A weekend of food, wine, music and live sport: Glen Lewis and DJ Fresh are set to headline the entertainment line-up at Kaya 959’s Chefs & Chenin festival, taking place on 26 and 27 September at Crawford International Sandton. They will be joined by Thando Jay, Ben Major and Miss Makoti, with the weekend combining music, food, wine and live sport.
JOHANNESBURG, 22 SEPTEMBER: The countdown to the inaugural Chefs & Chenin Festival officially begins. In partnership with Kaya 959, the Chefs & Chenin festival is set to bring together food lovers, wine enthusiasts, music fans, and sports supporters when the two-day event takes place at Crawford International College Sandton on Saturday, 26 September, and Sunday, 27 September.Music meets food and wineAdding to the entertainment line-up are radio personalities and DJs Glen Lewis and DJ Fresh, who will headline the musical offering alongside Thando Jay, Ben Major and Miss Makoti.Once guests have eaten, there is plenty more to explore.
Chefs & Chenin will feature a Harvest Market, giving visitors an opportunity to browse and discover local products and food offerings. Live music will create the soundtrack to the weekend, while an exclusive kids entertainment zone ensures younger festival-goers are part of the experience too.Kids admission includes a meal, making the festival an experience families can enjoy together.The festival combines South African food and wine with live entertainment, giving visitors an opportunity to enjoy open-fire cooking, Chenin Blanc experiences, music and a range of activities across the weekend.Glen Lewis, who hosts Drive 959 and DJ Fresh, host of Kaya Breakfast, will bring their distinctive sounds to the festival as part of the weekend’s entertainment programme.
They will be joined by rising stars Thando Jay, Ben Major and Miss Makoti, adding a mix of talent sets and live entertainment to an event centred around South African food culture and wine.The entertainment forms part of a broader programme that includes chefs, wine experiences, a Harvest Market, live cooking and family-focused activities.Kaya 959 has been building towards the festival through a series of on-air activations and conversations with participating chefs, including Chef Tebogo Morgan, whose cooking journey and festival menu were recently featured on Kaya Breakfast.
“Chefs & Chenin is bringing together so many things that make a great weekend in Joburg – good food, good wine, good music and good people. I’m looking forward to being part of an experience where the food and the sound come together and everyone can simply enjoy themselves,” Glen Lewis says.“Chefs & Chenin is about more than what’s on the plate or in the glass. It’s about the atmosphere, the people, and the experience, and music is a big part of creating that energy. I’m excited to bring the Kaya 959 sound to a festival that celebrates food, culture and community,” DJ Fresh added.
The great wineChefs & Chenin is bringing a diverse wine experience, led by Pick n Pay on Nicol’s main Chenin Cellar Experience. The festival will feature South African producers including Blake’s Family Wines, Allée Bleue, Cavalli Estate and Black-owned Imvula Wines, alongside international selections from Wines of the World and Premier Cru Wines, with Wine Theatre showcasing wines from Wellington and the Piekenierskloof. The wine programme will complement the festival’s open-fire cooking, chef showcases, live entertainment, Harvest Market and family activities.
Sports fans will also have plenty to watchFor sports lovers, the weekend will extend beyond the stage and food experiences, with screenings of major sporting fixtures scheduled as part of the event.On Saturday, visitors will be able to follow South Africa’s opening AFCON 2027 qualifying fixture against Guinea. Bafana Bafana will host Guinea on 26 September, with the match forming part of the opening round of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.The weekend will also feature a screening of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 2026 race is scheduled for Saturday, 26 September at the Baku City Circuit, with the Grand Prix beginning at 15:00 local time in Azerbaijan.
Cricket fans can catch the second ODI between South Africa and Australia on Sunday, 27 September. The three-match ODI series is being played in South Africa, with the Proteas and Australia also scheduled to meet on 24 and 30 September.A festival built around the fireThe exclusive culinary and wine festival celebrates open-fire cooking and South Africa’s beloved Chenin Blanc. The concept is simple but ambitious – put exceptional chefs around an open flame, bring great wine into the conversation and create an environment where people can eat, taste, explore and connect.General access tickets include a tasting meal at a pop-up restaurant of the guest’s choice, allowing festival-goers to choose their culinary experience and discover the individual styles of participating chefs.The festival will also feature curated Chenin Blanc tastings, giving wine lovers an opportunity to explore the versatility of the variety alongside food cooked over fire.
“Fire changes food. It changes the way chefs cook, the way people gather and the way a meal feels. Chefs & Chenin is about celebrating that experience while putting the spotlight on the incredible chefs and producers who make our food culture so exciting,” says the festival team.
CHEFS & CHENIN Event: Chefs & Chenin FestivalDates: 26 -27 September 2026Venue: Crawford International Sandton CollegePresented in partnership with: Kaya 959Experience includes: Live-fire cooking, tasting meals, pop-up restaurants, curated Chenin Blanc tastings, Harvest Market, live music, and a kids’ entertainment zone.Kids admission includes a meal.
Tickets are available through Webtickets:https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1593448022END
