South Africa’s most iconic hotel, The Palace of the Lost City, has teamed up with Michelin-starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen to re-imagine luxury with a fresh culinary twist.
- From Paris to the Pilanesberg, Michelin-starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen is re-imagining the Palace of the Lost City.
- The Palace’s legendary Crystal Court buffet has been transformed with “lost ingredients” like heirloom corn, amaranth, and cowpea.
- Every six months, the Palace menu will spotlight a different forgotten ingredient, keeping the experience fresh and educational.
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Earlier this year, something curious was happening in one of South Africa’s most legendary hotels. Guests stepping into the Crystal Court at The Palace of the Lost City found rustic installations standing alongside its famous Czech crystal chandeliers, with crisp new tablecloths and napkins dressing the tables. For a place celebrated for its grandeur and consistency, it was clear that change was in the air.
Fast forward a few months, and the reveal has been nothing short of spectacular: Michelin-starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen has officially partnered with The Palace of the Lost City to reimagine its legendary hospitality touchpoints through the creative lens of the JAN brand.
Chef Jan Hendrik, South Africa’s first Michelin-starred chef, is internationally recognised for crafting hyper-personalised experiences that weave together fine dining, travel, and immersive storytelling. Now, he is bringing that same vision to The Palace, blending heritage, sustainability, and culinary magic in an environment that has long been a beacon of South African luxury.
A Return To Childhood Dreams
For Chef Jan Hendrik, the collaboration with The Palace is deeply personal.
As a child, I used to go there quite often. I have so many fond memories of that typical Pilanesberg sunburn you get nowhere else in the world. To me, it felt like a massive dream world. The Palace was always out of reach, out of boundaries for me, so I could never go inside. When I finally visited for a culinary conference, I was blown away that this building, with all its magic, was still there. The team was ready for something new, and that’s when the conversations started.
// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
What began as a plan to “start small” with breakfast quickly grew into something far larger. At The Palace, breakfast means catering for around 600 people at a time – hardly a small feat. Yet it provided the perfect canvas for Chef Jan Hendrik’s vision: to bring storytelling back into the dining room through the revival of South Africa’s forgotten ingredients.
Rediscovering The Lost Ingredients
The concept was simple yet profound: if The Palace was the Lost City, then its food needed to tell the story of ingredients that had also been lost over time. Working with his team, Chef Jan Hendrik began uncovering South Africa’s culinary heritage through plants like amaranth, cleome, and cowpea. These are crops that flourish in the region, are water-wise, and have long sustained local communities. Yet in the march of modernity, they were largely left behind.
You can’t just redo a breakfast buffet by adding more eggs or crisping the bacon differently. It needed a story. We realised there are so many lost ingredients in South Africa, and we wanted to revive them by showing different cooking techniques, placing them back at the heart of the plate.
// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
The collaboration officially launched with a focus on heirloom corn and maize, staples that have shaped South African cuisine for generations. From humble pap to contemporary interpretations, the dishes showcase maize’s cultural significance, role in food security, and versatility in recipes. Elaborate installations in the Crystal Court highlight the theme, contrasting the modest origins of the ingredient with the Palace’s opulent setting – a celebration of contrasts that elevates corn to a regal pedestal.
Every six months, a new “Lost Ingredient” theme will be revealed, inviting guests to return and experience fresh seasonal stories, whether it be cowpeas, bambara groundnuts, or lesser-known heritage crops.
It keeps people educated and intrigued. Guests come back not just for breakfast, but to discover what’s next.
// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
Beyond The Plate
The project is not confined to food alone. As a self-confessed “disrupter,” Chef Jan Hendrik has influenced every detail of the Crystal Court experience.
I’m not a normal chef. From the flowers on the tables to the music in the room, the chairs that needed re-upholstering, even the re-silvering of the cutlery – we’ve been involved from the floors straight through to the tablecloths. It’s about how you feel in the space as much as what you taste on the plate.
// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
This attention to detail echoes his long-term ambition to one day open his own hotel.
I’m born a hotelier. Dinner is one thing, but I love the idea of carrying the story through the entire stay – taking care of guests after dinner, when they wake up, and when they eat breakfast. It’s a thread that ties everything together.
// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
The Palace Reinvented
For The Palace itself, this collaboration is part of a much larger rejuvenation. Since opening in 1992, the hotel has captivated visitors with its mythical African kingdom theme, lush gardens, and iconic architecture. Recent years have seen a R200-million refurbishment of all rooms, the addition of an award-winning spa, and further upgrades to the Villas and Plume restaurant. Now, the Crystal Court dining room has undergone a R30-million reimagination to bring it back to its original glory.
We aim to restore the Crystal Court dining area to its former glory while incorporating modern elements. This involves updating the architecture, enhancing the landscaping, and revitalising the interior design to create a harmonious blend of historical charm and contemporary style. By consulting one of the country’s most creative chefs, we finally achieve Sol Kerzner’s original dream – to offer a seven-star dining experience starting with breakfast fit for a king.
// General Manager of Sun City, Brett Hoppé
Over the next 18 months, Chef Jan Hendrik will expand his influence across all Palace dining experiences, from the Tusk Bar and Pool Deck to in-room dining. The goal is a complete redefinition of hospitality that surprises, delights, and wows guests at every turn.
We cater to visitors from around the country and the world. Their expectations are the same – a luxurious setting and a meal that astonishes them. With JAN on board, we’re confident that The Palace will go from ordinary to exceptionally extraordinary.
// General Manager of Sun City, Brett Hoppé
Storytelling At The Core
For Chef Jan Hendrik, storytelling is not just a buzzword; it’s the essence of his craft.
Storytelling has always been at the forefront of what we do. It inspires meaningful experiences that trigger emotional and memorable connections with our guests. The details behind uniqueness and the dedication to choice and quality have always been, and will continue to be, our number one priority.
// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
And in the Crystal Court, that philosophy is now palpable. A humble plate of maize, served under glittering chandeliers, tells a story of heritage and resilience. Each dish becomes a conversation between past and present, between forgotten traditions and bold new ideas. The Palace of the Lost City has always been a place of myths and wonder. Now, with Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen’s disruptive vision, it is once again at the forefront of storytelling – not just through its architecture and setting, but through every bite of food served.
For guests, the experience is no longer just about enjoying breakfast or dinner in one of Africa’s most iconic dining rooms. It’s about rediscovering the flavours of the land, reconnecting with heritage, and witnessing how a forgotten ingredient can become the centrepiece of a feast fit for royalty. With The Lost Ingredients project, The Palace of the Lost City is not simply reinventing its buffet – it is reclaiming its place as a stage for South Africa’s cultural and culinary magic.
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