Embracing the wilderness: The chef who brings foraged ingredients to the plate

Roushanna Gray was raised in the heart of nature.

During her teenage years, Gray would forage for mushrooms with her family in Cape Town, South Africa. After relocating to the coast 14 years ago, she fully immersed herself in the practice of wild foraging.

Gray established her own tea garden and began experimenting with wild flavors, incorporating edible flowers and herbs into iced teas and cakes.

She became a private wild food chef, sourcing fresh ingredients like veldkool (a wild vegetable resembling asparagus) and mussels along the coast during the summer months.

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"I believe that food harvested at its freshest and sourced as locally as possible is the healthiest for you," says Gray. "Wild foods, in particular, fit perfectly into that philosophy."

In recent months, Gray has noticed a surge in interest for the wild food recipes she shares on Instagram.

Wild foraging is experiencing a resurgence, with more and more wild food pioneers emerging in the region. However, as Gray points out, "the true foragers aren’t on social media – they’re out there working in the mountains and the wilderness."

The "season of flavor"

Wild foods encompass anything not cultivated by humans, typically native species ranging from edible weeds and flowers to seaweeds and shellfish. They are harvested based on the season.

The Cape Floral Region offers an abundance of wild foods, recognized by UNESCO as one of the world's most biodiverse regions. Over 9,000 plant species thrive in its rich vegetation.

"Foraging in this area provided the primary food source for the Khoi people, one of the Earth’s oldest indigenous groups," says Mark Heistein, CEO of Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve.

Heistein also notes that many of these plants are known for their medicinal properties, such as rooibos tea, a globally exported health drink.

Wild rosemary, confetti bush, and wild sage are often used to marinate chicken.

Samphire and kruipvygie, a wild green succulent, add a unique flavor to salads, while the native buchu plant is steeped in brandy.

Since 2017, Gray has been sharing her passion for the edible landscape with both locals and tourists through seasonal workshops.

Currently, it’s winter in Cape Town, a season Gray refers to as the "season of flavor," when "everything flourishes in the rain-drenched region of the Western Cape."

Gray runs the workshops through her company Veld and Sea in Cape Point, about 70 kilometers south of Cape Town, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans converge.

She estimates that she has taught thousands of individuals the art of foraging.

Before the pandemic, her coastal foraging classes took groups to local rock pools, where they would gather ingredients like edible seaweeds and shellfish, then create and share their recipes.

When Covid-19 reached South Africa and the country entered lockdown in late March, Gray was forced to halt her in-person workshops. Despite the easing of some restrictions, she continues to attract a growing following online.

During the lockdown, Veld and Sea hosted 10 online workshops for groups of up to 22 people, offering playlists and drink recipes to complement the sessions.

"It’s quite ironic to foster a connection to nature through a screen," Gray remarks. "But I do believe there’s been a shift in how people view nature during this time—emphasizing the outdoors and recognizing the link between our food and the landscapes around us."