Food becomes Art
VOLUME 11
After five years and 10 volumes, JAN the Journal has entered a new era in its publishing history. Filled from cover to cover with more fascinating stories and recipes than ever before, Volume 11 bursts with both fresh culinary discoveries and kitchen wisdoms from the past – absolutely loaded with Jan Hendrik’s personal tips and advice on everything from cooking to travel and lifestyle.
Tapping into a considerable network of fellow chefs, foodies, journalists and travellers from across South Africa and the globe, the Journal’s editorial team curated and created a staggering variety of themed stories. New and familiar voices abound, with contributions by friends like Jackie Burger, Karen Dudley and Kobus Botha, Jordanian art advisor Hamzeh Alfarahneh, Californian chef Gabe Kennedy, and lifestyle journalist Tamara Rothbart. Also featured in this volume is the beautiful and thought-provoking work by South African photographers Johannes Dreyer, Steve Marais (now based in Berlin), longtime Journal collaborator Marguerite Oelofse, as well as New York based Evan Sung, and acclaimed Venetian food photographer Zaira Zarotti, lending a truly world class touch to our homegrown food publication.
The book opens with a chapter that centres on the art of kintsugi. Though this Japanese craft began centuries ago as a means of mending broken pottery with gold – and so, making its imperfections more beautiful – it has become a lifestyle philosophy that can be applied to all aspects of life, including psychology, art, design, fashion and food, all of which is investigated in Volume 11.
The second chapter begins with a beautiful tribute to the late creative virtuoso Juanita Kotzé (The Rare Librarian). From there, the food takes on a bohemian twist, followed by a nostalgic journey into South African heritage cuisine, with a feast of hearty, traditional dishes. And in the book’s travel section, Jan Hendrik shares his memories of a trip to England and mastering the art of dinner with friends, a story followed by articles, insights, travel tips and suggestions from Paris, New York, Canada, Berlin, Cape Town, Joburg and Bali.
Volume 11 concludes with an extensive chapter jam packed with practical information aimed at making you a better cook, from tips on jazzing up your favourite puddings and what to do with those leftover ingredients in your fridge (with a bit of help from AI), to understanding nutritional labels, and mouth-puckering pickling suggestions.
Throughout every chapter of the Journal, Jan Hendrik and his team gathered, developed and tested recipes discovered with every story, all of which is archived in an easy-to-find recipe section at the back of the book.
Volume 11 also comes with a special travel supplement that shares eight extraordinary mini-break destinations you can book on a whim. The destinations range from West Coast beach houses and Winelands breakaways to game reserves, a Mozambican paradise, and even a whimsical castle in Italy.
For the first time since JAN the Journal’s launch in 2018 – not including Journal 7’s dust jacket – Jan Hendrik has stepped away from his usual cover portrait, making way for one of his most iconic signature desserts, sago meringue laced with sour fig, a uniquely South African ingredient with a fascinating story. The choice to replace his image with a dish is a bold one, and a step towards positioning JAN the Journal as a culinary publication first and foremost, with an emphasis on quality, innovation, and authenticity.
“Food is my art,” says Jan Hendrik in the foreword to Volume 11, “but so is so much else. Every one of us is allowed to live out our infinite passions in whatever way we want. Our only limits are the ones we set ourselves.”
