We see fruits and vegetables year-round in the shops and on our plates, but as seasons change, so should the items we use in the kitchen. 95% of the ingredients that are used in Chef James Diack’s three restaurants (Coobs, The Federal and The National) come from his family’s farm, Brightside in Magaliesberg. This gives James unique insight into South Africa’s produce seasonality and he’s created a calendar as a guide for South Africans to see what they should be putting in their basket each month – because that’s when they taste their best.

James explains: “The guide will educate diners and consumers about seasonality, and how to shop and eat seasonally. This will then trickle down into each of my restaurants with regularly changing menus and dishes featuring these seasonal ingredients.”

Provenance and sustainable practices are the underlying yardstick for James’ three establishments.

“Seasonality and sustainability are all about protection – protection of the environment, protection of our diners’ health and not least of all protection of animal health. All of our practices are geared toward these goals,” James says.

Brightside Farm’s gardens supply Diack’s restaurants with herbs, vegetables and fruit, and the farm also supplies James’ acorn-fed wild boar, pork, lamb, duck and the occasional pigeon or guinea fowl.

“Sustainable farming isn’t only about what you farm, it’s about how you farm – understanding seasonality, and what grows best according to the soil and climate of the area is also important,” James concludes. “I really want South Africans to be able to enjoy the best ingredients our country has to offer, at the right time.”

To download the seasonality calendar, click here.