For just two nights this November, Kruger Shalati will host the next chapter in the Motsamayi Chef Collaboration, bringing acclaimed South African chef Wandile Mabaso once again together with Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha.
Taking place on 27 and 28 November 2026, the event brings together destination dining, luxury accommodation, and game viewing at Kruger Shalati, home to the iconic Train on the Bridge in the Kruger National Park.
The occasion continues the Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series at this distinctive safari setting. Launched at Sanctuary Mandela in July, the initiative now moves from Johannesburg to the Lowveld. Conceived as an occasional programme across Motsamayi Tourism Group’s properties, it brings visiting local and international chefs together with resident culinary teams, allowing each property to shape the experience.
Marking their second culinary collaboration Mabaso joins Vusi Blessing Mbatha, Executive Chef across Motsamayi Tourism Group’s Kruger properties – Kruger Shalati, Kruger Station and Kruger Untamed, and the Kruger Shalati culinary team. The initiative continues to focus on practical training and reciprocal skill-sharing.
Two chefs, two culinary perspectives
Born and raised in Soweto, Mabaso began cooking at the age of 10. His career took him through Europe and New York and eventually into the orbit of Alain Ducasse. He trained at Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse in Paris, which offers a two-MICHELIN-star experience, and Ducasse later nominated him as an ambassador of French cuisine to South Africa. In 2018, he returned home to open Les Créatifs in Johannesburg, where he combines French technique with indigenous South African ingredients.
Mbatha’s approach is closely tied to the Lowveld. His forage-to-fork philosophy known as the ‘Kruger Kitchen’ draws on an on-site garden, local farmers and ingredients sourced largely within a 30-kilometre radius of Kruger Shalati. Working this closely with local producers supports the community while keeping ingredients fresh, seasonal and connected to the landscape. Morogo, imifino, amasi and Mongongo nuts are among the ingredients through which he interprets the region for guests.
Mabaso brings classical French training and international experience; Mbatha brings an intimate knowledge of the Kruger landscape and its produce.
Rather than one chef simply arriving to take over another kitchen, the menus will develop through that exchange. Mabaso will also work directly with the resident culinary team, sharing techniques and ideas behind the scenes. Skills development and mentorship are intended to remain an important element of the wider Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series as it moves between properties.
A safari experience built around food
Kruger Shalati gives this collaboration an iconic setting. Its Luxury Train Carriage suites occupy a permanently stationed train on the historic Selati Bridge at Skukuza, high above the Sabie River, while Bridge House suites offer an adjacent accommodation experience on land.
For international travellers, the event brings together two compelling sides of contemporary South Africa: its increasingly confident culinary identity and the enduring appeal of the Kruger. For SADC nationals, it offers a different reason to return, with the food given as much prominence as the safari.
A collaboration series designed to travel
The Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series is intended to remain an occasional programme, with future editions planned across the group’s portfolio. Each will bring a visiting chef together with a resident culinary team, allowing the destination itself to influence the experience.
Event Summary and Bookings
- Event: The Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series at Kruger Shalati
- Dates: 27 and 28 November 2026
- Location: Kruger Shalati – Train on the Bridge, Kruger National Park
- Information & Reservations: www.krugershalati.com
Instagram: @Kruger_Shalati
Facebook: @KrugerShalati
INFO SUPPLIED
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About Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
- Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge is a luxury hospitality experience set on the historic Selati Bridge above the Sabie River in the Kruger National Park.
- Offering 31 rooms, consisting of 24 Train Carriage Suites and 7 Bridge House Suites.
- Each suite offers immersive comfort from the most unique location in the Kruger National Park: the historic bridge, where the very first visitors to the Park had a pioneering stay within the carriages, following a night of feasting, performance and tales from times long-gone.
- High above the riverbanks, aligned with the floor level of the train, lies the pool and deck, offering a swimming vista unlike any other – with crocodile, hippos, buffaloes and elephants greeting guests metres below!
- The property forms part of Motsamayi Tourism Group, whose portfolio also includes Sanctuary Mandela in Johannesburg. Motsamayi focuses on distinctive South African hospitality experiences rooted in place, culture, and storytelling.
How To Get There
- Self-drive from Johannesburg or fly to Skukuza Airport with Airlink from O R Tambo International or Cape Town International. Kruger Shalati collects guests at Skukuza Airport.
