What Is Gastronomy? A Love Letter to Fine Dining, Food and Travel
Cover photograph by Jake-Lee Coetzee, photographer for Southern Sun Hotels at Mount Grace Hotel & Spa, 2026.
There is a moment, just before the flames leap, when a whole kitchen holds its breath.
A chef tilts the pan, the brandy catches, and for one golden second the room is nothing but heat, light and promise. I have chased wildlife across the bush and stories across the continent, and I will tell you a secret: some of my favourite wild things live on plates.
Welcome to the table. Pull up a chair. Today we are talking about gastronomy.
So, what is gastronomy?
Gastronomy is more than eating. It is the art and the science of food, culture and place, all folded together like fresh pasta. It is the farmer, the fire, the fork and the story that arrives with every course. If you would like the textbook version, Wikipedia's entry on gastronomy is a lovely start. Ours is a little more whimsical: gastronomy is how a place tells you who it is, one mouthful at a time.
At Adventure Lifestyle Magazine, we make travel dreams come true and find the extraordinary in the mundane. And nothing is more extraordinary than an ordinary Tuesday lunch turned into a memory.
Where the story begins: fresh pasta and quiet magic
Watch the hands of a good chef and you will see poetry. Ribbons of fresh fettuccine, lifted with care, twirled into a nest, set down like a small promise.
And then the finish: ribbons of pasta, ribbons of pesto, sun-dried tomatoes glowing like little rubies, feta falling like first snow. A sprig of parsley on top, because even comfort food deserves a crown.
The first bite: small plates, big feelings
Jewels first. Tartare crowned with glistening roe, tiny petals scattered like confetti.
Then paper-thin beef, blushing under shaved parmesan and peppery rocket, with flowers that look as though they wandered in from the garden and decided to stay.
Three little crostini lined up on black stone, each one a tiny stage show. This is the part of the meal where conversation slows and eyes widen.
The heart of the plate
A prawn standing tall like a dancer mid-bow, resting on silky pasta in a sauce the colour of late afternoon sun.
Lamb cutlets, caramelised and proud, leaning on a swirl of pumpkin purée.
A roulade wearing a crown of microgreens, with violas peeking out at the edges.
Sizzling aubergine under a blanket of melted mozzarella, finished with a pink bloom.
And because gastronomy is also joy, not only polish:
A crackling pork knuckle, golden chips and a spoon of sauerkraut, shot in the dappled light of a wooden table. Sometimes the finest dining is simply the plate that makes everyone at the table go quiet.
What is in your glass?
A good meal deserves a good drink, and the bar has its own kind of poetry.
Mint, fresh and green, in a glass as cool as a first morning in the mountains.
Indigo liquid, a single block of clear ice and a lilac blossom perched on top like a tiny crown.
Sky-blue and frosted, finished with a dried orange wheel and a flower.
And one for the moody hours: dark, smoky and quietly dramatic, with a dried lime and a basil leaf.
We have been so lucky
We have had the privilege of sitting at many fine dining tables, from lodges deep in the bush to hotel kitchens in the city. Our cover photograph was shot for Southern Sun Hotels in the kitchen of Mount Grace Hotel & Spa in the Magaliesburg, and every table has taught us something. Travel gives you the place; the table gives you its soul. You can read about the world, or you can taste it.
Want to wander further? Explore our Food stories, Taste stories and Travel stories. Planning a trip? Start with our guide to the best time to visit South Africa, or our top affordable travel destinations for 2026.
Now it is your turn
This is where the story becomes ours, together. We would love to hear from you.
What does gastronomy mean to you? A memory, a flavour, a grandmother's kitchen, a street stall in a faraway town? Tell us in the comments below.
Do you love food and travel as much as we do? Be honest. Have you ever planned a whole holiday around one dinner reservation? (We have. More than once.)
Who should we feature next? A restaurant, a lodge, a chef, a bar, a winery, a hidden little kitchen you wish the world knew about? Email us at director@adventurelifestylemagazine.com with the subject line "Feature this in the next issue", and tell us why it deserves a spotlight. The best suggestions could land in our next issue.
Follow the journey on Instagram and Facebook, and come back soon. There is always another table waiting.
Until the next course,
Jake-Lee Coetzee
Owner and PR & Brand Partnership Director, Adventure Lifestyle Magazine
Find the wanderlust in the mundane.
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