Chef Reuben Riffel brings fire-cooked game to Franschhoek, aiming to double visitors
Flame and Game, backed by R1.5 million from the Western Cape's tourism fund, will add ten jobs and buy from local game farmers, growers and wine farms.
Franschhoek — The celebrated South African chef Reuben Riffel has launched Flame and Game in Franschhoek, a food experience built around game meat and traditional fire cooking, the government news agency SAnews reports.
The project
- It received R1.5 million from the Western Cape Government's Tourism Growth Fund, for building work, electrics, ventilation, a charcoal oven, refrigeration, furniture, kitchen equipment and solar panels.
- The business added R686,168 of its own.
- It expects to create ten jobs, including chef and hospitality posts, and to keep its existing 35 staff.
- It aims to raise visitor numbers from about 20,000 a year to 40,000.
It will buy from local game farmers, produce growers, wine farms and other suppliers, linking farming and tourism.
Why the province backed it
The provincial MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, attended the launch at Mr Riffel's restaurant. He said the project shows how partnerships between government and business can bring investment, jobs and work for local suppliers, and that it showcases South African food traditions in a town that already draws more than 300,000 tourists a year.
Source: SAnews, 15 October 2026.
