An exciting event called The Quiet Gift will take place on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 August at a luxury lodge on Chapman’s Peak. This unique collaboration between Chefs Warehouse, Tintswalo Atlantic, and the SA Art Fair aims to showcase quiet storytelling, community connection, and creative legacy through art and food.
A collaboration that celebrates creativity
First, over 20 artists will feature in the exhibition, which runs alongside four exclusive ticketed lunch and dinner sessions. As a result, guests will enjoy a blend of stunning artworks and a thoughtfully curated culinary experience.
Exploring legacy and cultural memory
Moreover, The Quiet Gift challenges visitors to think deeply about legacy. What does it mean to pass something on? Who shapes cultural memory? Curator Samantha Whittaker explains that the event focuses on the slow, intimate work of care — from shared meals to creative mentorship, and making space for others.
Supporting youth through art
Importantly, Lalela, a Hout Bay non-profit, plays a key role by showcasing youth artworks from under-resourced communities. These pieces will be printed on scarves and pyjamas, which will be available for sale. Consequently, proceeds will help fund Lalela’s classrooms.
Firdous Hendricks, Lalela’s Executive Director, shares, “It’s not just about being seen; it’s about being valued.” She adds that selling just 24 scarves will cover a full year of art classes, thereby creating a direct link between luxury and access.
Meet the featured artists
The exhibition includes photographer Chris Minihane, known for work published by National Geographic, digital artist Gavin Goodman, and Cape Town painter Imraan Christian, whose caracal paintings capture the ancestral wildness of the Cape. Additionally, sculptor Robbie Rorich and photographer Susanna Neunast offer nature-inspired work, while pieces by the late Paul du Toit explore legacy’s emotional side.
A venue connected to land and memory
Situated between mountain and sea, the venue deepens the theme of inheritance. Whittaker notes, “Being surrounded by wildness invites honest, grounded reflection — not performance.”
A menu that reflects the theme
Meanwhile, Head Chef Cameron Smith has designed a multi-course tapas menu using sustainable, local ingredients. This menu embodies the event’s ideas of care, connection, and respect for nature.
Small event, lasting impact
Although The Quiet Gift offers only four sittings, it keeps its scale intimate but its intention strong. In today’s world, where art often becomes commodified and access remains limited, this event asks: How do we honour creative work not just with money, but with space, attention, and continuity?
