Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Food Jam and a MasterChef Jam? 

A Food Jam is a 4 course menu cooked by guests in teams. Each team receives a recipe & the ingredients and is invited to follow it, or freestyle. A Food Jam is a fun & social event with plenty of time & space to cook, drink & be merry. At the end of the cooking, guests share in the menu they have created, seated at the long table. A MasterChef Jam is a 4 course menu cooked by guests in teams, and includes a recipe per team with the ingredients. It also includes a mystery box per team, a MasterChef clock and is a competition. The format is based on Jade’s experience on MasterChef SA Season 1, on which she was a Top 10 contestant. At the end of the cooking, guests share in the menu they have created, seated at the long table. The judges taste each of the teams’ creations and a winner is announced and prizes are allocated. Your hosts are your judges & they take the MasterChef judging very seriously ;).

 

How long is a Food Jam? 

A Food Jam is a 3.5 hour event from start to finish, although we have customized Food Jams for clients to a 2.5 and 3 hour session, as well as extended the hours to extra hours to accommodate presentations, speeches, present openings or just a good party. 

 

Can we choose our starting time?

We have 3 recommended time slots: 10:00 - 13:30, or 12:00 - 15:30, 18:00 - 21:30, however if you have another starting time in mind we will do our best to accommodate your preferred time. Also, we’re in no hurry to leave, and neither should you! Guests are welcome to stay a further 30 min with no extra charge, from there onwards, we charge R1000 per hour payable via cash, card or snapscan to cover our staff & operational costs. 

 

How do the teams work? 

Each station caters for 3 to 6 guests cooking together as a team, and the recipes are written according to the group size so that everyone gets equally involved in the fun that is Food Jamming. The Food Jams team will divide the guests into teams in a fun way, with a clue for each station. It has an awesome way of working out. Alternatively, you are welcome to devise the teams based on teams of 3, 4, 5 or 6 guests per team beforehand - just let us know what you have in mind and we will happily assist!

 

Can we bring our own drinks?

Absolutely! You are so welcome to bring your own wine or bubbly.

Our corkage rate is R80 per bottle. ( only wine/ bubbly allowed) We will supply the ice, nice garnishes, cooling facilities, and glasses. The rate includes the service fee and excludes hard liquor which is purchasable at our bar. 

 

Can I arrange a drop off of our drinks prior to our Food Jam?

Definitely! In order for us to chill your beverages, contact us to drop off a few days prior to your event.  We are available Monday - Saturday 09:00-11:00 or 16:00 - 17:00 for drop offs. We will label & store until your event, and pack to return any beverages left over from the party. 

 

Can we make use of the Food Jams bar as well?

We have a fully stocked bar with an awesome bar person who keeps everybody hydrated whilst cooking. Your company or guests can run a tab - with or without a limit, or we can set up the bar for each guest’s own account. Our bar is open from 11:00 - 0:00 and has all the necessary glasses &  cooling facilities. The bar accepts cash, Mastercard or Visa and Snapscan.

 

We are planning a theme for our event. Can we set up decor and dress up according to our theme?

Awesome! We LOVE themes. You are welcome to dress up for your event.

You are welcome to bring decor - let us know what you are thinking and how we can help.You are welcome to arrive 30 minutes prior to your event starting time to set up decor. 

 

Do you have a dress code? 

No dress code, trust us, we’ve seen it and we love it all: naked chefs & bare butt butlers, stilettos & sandals, pumpkins & princesses, suits & slacks. 

 

Do you decorate the table?

Our long table setup includes a branded white side plate, a large white airlaid paper serviette, gold cutlery, flat water glass, thin jugs with ice cold filtered water, flowers or leaves in single stem vases and lots of large candles in the evening. You are so welcome to bring any decorations/ balloons/flowers/props you would like - just drop us a mail to let us know.
 

Do you cater Halaal? 

Our kitchen is strictly pork free, we do not allow the use of alcohol in cooking and although we are not certified with the MJC, our trusted suppliers are. We source our meat from halal suppliers. We are very proud of the quality meat that they provide us with. 

 

Do you cater to Kosher?

We are very happy to cater for guests who require a Pareve meal. Our Jewish guests cook together with their fellow chefs during the Food Jam & are welcome to choose what they would like to cook on the day. Upon sitting down to share in the meal, we provide & guests’ open themselves - four courses of the same menu, prepared & sealed by our trusted supplier, Chef at David at The Press Bar & Grill, at no extra cost.

 

We have a few vegetarians and vegans in our team. Will you be able to accommodate them?

Definitely! We take great care to write menus that include all dietary requirements. For each animal protein, we provide an exciting plant-based alternative. 

 

Can we bring kids and what do they eat?

We happily accommodate kids of all ages! For kids below the age of 6, there is no charge. 

The kids’ menu includes anything they would like to eat from the adult’s harvest table, as well as a hands-on homemade pizza experience. Non-alcoholic drinks are excluded & purchasable at the FJ bar.

 

I want to change my date or cancel, can I get a refund? 

You are most welcome to move your date up to 4 weeks prior to your event. Regrettably, your deposit is not transferable nor is it refundable. The dates & slots are in high demand and many guests book 3 months to a year in advance. We are a small team who work with small scale suppliers who work extremely hard & who take pride in bringing you an unforgettable experience. Acceptance of the T&C’s is confirmed through payment of the deposit invoice and we appreciate that you understand & agree to our T&C’s.

 

A guest has canceled, can I allocate the guest’s payment to the bar tab?

Should a guest cancel more than 7 days before your event, you will receive a 50% refund. Should a guest cancel less than 7 days before your event, we cannot allocate the guest’s payment to the bar or refund you. 
 

A guest would like to join the Food Jam but doesn’t want to cook. 

The guest is absolutely most welcome to join. We often host parties with grandmama who would prefer to relax on a comfortable chair whilst the others cook up a storm, or the birthday person who doesn’t want to cook but socialize (it’s your party after all!) but will join in the eating & drinking. The rate for a person who isn’t cooking is 50% of the rate per person and limited to 3 people per party.

 

A guest has confirmed last minute, can the guest still come?

Absolutely! Let us know immediately via email or whatsapp that you would like to bring another guest/s - we can accommodate up to 4 guests with a minimum of 2 hours notification. The guests’ tickets can be paid for beforehand via EFT and POP sent via email or at the event via cash, card or snapscan.

 

A guest can only stay for drinks, can the guest still come?

Absolutely! Guests are welcome to pop in for the first 30 minutes and have drinks only. We only charge per beverage consumed if the option is a cash bar/bar tab.

 

The event is a surprise party for the bride/groom/birthday person, can guests come earlier and hide to surprise the person whose party it is? 

Absolutely! We recommend that guests arrive at the scheduled time, drop their bags and have a drink, and hide in the venue. One of our team members will play along with the script to welcome the person, and help the big reveal!

 

We would like to do a presentation for our guests before we start, when would be the best to do so? 

We have recommended just before we start with the teams, aprons & hand wash. Our host will notify you when all or the majority of guests have arrived, within 30 minutes of starting time. There is a great sound/speakers and you can connect via bluetooth. We do not have a microphone with sound setup but it can be arranged at an extra cost. You are welcome to set up your presentation 30 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time. 

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What is the itinerary on the day?

0 - 30 minutes | Upon arrival, guests are welcomed by the Food Jams team with a welcome drink. Guests are invited to explore, put their bags down on the couch or use the lockers provided. The Food Jams tteam has prepared a snack for guests to snack on before and during cooking. Smoking is available on the balconies and the bar is open for a second drink. 

30 - 45 minutes | The Food Jams team starts the hand wash ritual, each guest receives an apron to wear on the day (or if you have purchased an apron, to take home) and a spoon with a clue. The hosts welcome the guests & explain the rules of Food Jams. 

45 min - 1.5 hours | Each clue is connected to a recipe & a station. Each station cooks a different dish together with their team members, to share together at the harvest table sit-down lunch or dinner. One to one-and-a-half hours of chopping, cooking, conspiring, fun, laughter, dancing, singing and finally the plating time begins...

1.5 - 2 hours | Final touches, plating & ole! We are ready to eat! All the dishes that need to be kept warm are done so with great care by the Food Jams team, until we are ready to eat. The FJ team prepares a harvest table with the dishes cooked per team, to be shared by everyone. The hosts will gladly assist guests with dietary requirements to answer any questions when dishing up. 

2 - 2.5 hours | Guests dish & sit down at the long table, starters & main course are set out and eaten together as a harvest table. 

2.5 - 3 hours | Now is a great time for speeches or presents before dessert is served, individually plated per guest. 

3 - 3.5 hours | dessert plates are cleared, delicious coffee & tea is offered & served, the bar is still open for drinks & guests can relax at the table, on the balcony or on the pink couch.

3.5 hours | Guests are welcome to depart as the event has come to an end for today, thank you for jamming with us!

 

We would like to do a few speeches and open a few presents, when would be the best time to do so? 

We recommended that speeches & presents are the most successfully timed once the main course plates have been cleared, and before the dessert and coffee is served. Let the host know what you are planning, and we will happily fall in with the script.

 

Do you play music and can we bring our own playlist?

We LOVE music & we have a variety of playlist on Itunes. See our latest playlist here. You are welcome to connect your own music playlist, we love listening to new music. The speakers connect via bluetooth.

Do you have Wifi? 

We do have Wifi available to guests. The password is available at the venue. 

We would like to give our guest/guests a gift, what do you have on offer?

We have a choice of absolutely awesome customizable aprons. Order to be placed 20 working days in advance 

 

We’ve been to your Salt River venue and we love it. Can we book the venue for an event or do you have to book a Food Jam?

Soute is a space for hire for workshops, cooking classes, weddings, private & corporate functions, food jams, parties, launches, luncheons, film & photographic shoots. The venue offers a total venue space of 210 square meters with a fully functional bar & kitchen.

 

Can we bring our own catering or do you offer catering options?

You are most welcome to bring your own catering at no extra charge. For catering options, click here to view more options, or email us for ideas.