Chef Johannes Richter, of Eat Out three-star restaurant The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate, is having a good year in the kitchen, and it’s only getting better. At the end of the month, the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Chef of the Year will be heading off to Dubai, where he’ll be cooking with Himanshu Saini at two-Michelin-starred Trèsind Studio. 

Chefs Himanshu Saini and Johannes Richter.

On both 31 May and 1 June, the two chefs will collaborate on an innovative four-hands dinner that will showcase the unique culinary landscapes of both India and South Africa. The partnership will celebrate culinary storytelling, cultural heritage and local flavours while blending India’s diverse gastronomy with the hyper-local flavours of KwaZulu-Natal. 

Over the two evenings, diners will be taken on an immersive journey, where they will enjoy an exceptional blend of the two chefs’ deeply personal culinary philosophies. The menu will feature a ten-course tasting experience that seamlessly weaves between Indian and South African flavours, techniques, and narratives. 

“It’s an absolute honour to cook alongside chef Himanshu; his showcasing of India on the global culinary stage is incredibly inspiring,” says Johannes, whose restaurant was also awarded the Eat Out Woolworths Green Star Award at the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards for its unwavering commitment to sustainability. “I’m looking forward to bringing a taste of what we do in KwaZulu-Natal to Trèsind Studio and sharing the stories of these two beautiful places.” 

The kitchen at Trèsind Studio.

Chef Himanshu, who has redefined perceptions of Indian cuisine by using contemporary techniques that are rooted in the traditions of Indian cooking, was crowned Best Chef Dubai at The Best Chef Awards in 2024, and Trèsind Studio was awarded two Michelin stars and 13th place on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.  

These two events form the first part of a two-part collaboration between the chefs. Later in the year, chef Himanshu will come to South Africa for the second installment.

For more information, visit tresindstudio.com.