The first seeds of Veld and Sea were steeped in a cup of wild fynbos tea. Nestled at the base of the Klaasjagersberg mountains in Cape Point, where the salt-laden air meets the fynbos-strewn landscape, founder Roushanna Gray felt an irresistible pull to understand the seasons and cycles of Cape Town’s flavours. Inspired by the aromatics carried on the breeze and whispers of edible treasures in the gardens, veld, oceans, and forests, she was compelled to ask: What does this place taste like, and what ecological stories are woven into its flavours?

Born and raised in Cape Town, Roushanna discovered this wildly delicious world organically after moving to the elemental Cape Point in 2004. She initially started a small tea garden at the Good Hope Gardens Nursery, founded and run by her mother-in-law, horticulturist Gael Gray. She began to notice a disconnect between the flavours she used in her menu and the aromatics she was experiencing in the natural environment around her. This realisation sparked a lifelong adventure into the never-ending learning journey of wild flavour.

What began as curiosity blossomed into an intersection of her passions for nature, education, food, and ecology. Her earliest offerings were forage-and-harvest holiday classes for children, inspired by the joy her own children experienced as they gathered, prepared, and tasted their discoveries. These playful, educational experiences highlighted an important truth about this immersive teaching approach: sharing food sourced from nature deepens our connection to the land.

Over time, the seedling of Veld and Sea flourished, and the methodology expanded into adult workshops, public events, and seasonal classes. Rooted in the cycles of the Western Cape’s wild ingredients, these experiences are sensory and immersive, using nature itself as the classroom—whether in the mountains, forests or along the shoreline. From these beginnings, a thriving ecosystem of knowledge, creativity, and community has emerged.

Today, Veld and Sea is a hub for wild food exploration and nature-inspired learning. It offers curated workshops and events that track the seasonal flavours of Cape Town, with teachings now extending along South Africa’s coastline.

The physical space has grown organically, transforming slowly and sustainably over the years into a tapestry of rustic beauty: a glasshouse dining area, flourishing organic gardens, a Nature Stage, and an outdoor garden classroom called the Hoop House. At its heart is a dedicated and nurturing team of chefs, facilitators, and creatives, each contributing their passion for food, nature and ecology.

Foraging is more than an act of gathering; it is the most ancient and fundamental connection we have to the natural world. This practice has transformed how we view the environment, cultivating a reciprocal relationship with the living world. Each walk, taste, and shared meal deepens our respect for nature’s gifts.

What began with a single cup of tea has grown into something wildly delicious—a journey of flavours, stories, connections and community, fuelled by a desire to protect and understand the world around us.