The Test Kitchen Fledgelings at Cause Effect: A Food and Mixology Pairing with Purpose

The Test Kitchen Fledgelings will join forces with Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen for a collaboration that puts mentorship, learning and flavour in the spotlight. This 1-night food and drink pop-up on Friday, 29 August, ties together food crafted by the next generation of chefs, theatrical cocktails, and live DJ sets for an easy-going evening. Here’s what you need to know.

The Test Kitchen Fledgelings at Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen in Cape Town | What's on in Cape Town

What’s on the food menu

A specially designed menu of small plates crafted by the Fledgelings kitchen team will be served on the evening. Designed for sharing, the dishes capture the confidence and playful approach of the team, paired with contemporary flavour profiles and a touch of South African heritage.

Menu highlights include vetkoek with smoked snoek pâté, oysters with pickled carrots, daikon and Nam Jim dressing, and tuna tartare with miso, black garlic mayo, pap tuile and yuzu. Guests can also expect Korean fried chicken with a ponzu emulsion and Asian slaw, fish tacos with Cape Malay pickle, fried hake, crispy onion, and basil mojo, loaded fries with Mornay sauce, pickled jalapeños, and parmesan. The TTK beef slider is served on a Japanese milk bun with truffle-mayoed onion, pickled cucumber and cheddar.

The inventive cocktails of Cause Effect

Voted South Africa’s best cocktail bar, CAUSE | EFFECT Cocktail Kitchen is famous for its next-level mixology and theatrical cocktails. Award-winning bartender and founder Kurt Schlechter is renowned for his deep knowledge of South African ingredients and for building the city’s top bar talent. Schlechter will be working with the Fledgelings in the lead-up to the event, teaching cocktail-making techniques alongside the CAUSE | EFFECT Cocktail Kitchen team.

The bar has also been recognised internationally as one of the Top Ten in the World’s 50 Best Discovery Bars, ranked #99 in the Top 500 International Bars, and named the 53rd Best Cocktail Bar globally by the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2022.

More about The Test Kitchen Fledgelings

The Test Kitchen Fledgelings is a mentorship-driven restaurant founded by Luke Dale Roberts in the wake of the pandemic, transforming his iconic Test Kitchen space into a platform for training and upliftment. Here, young individuals with no formal experience are given a chance to learn every aspect of the restaurant trade, from kitchen prep to guest service, under the guidance of Dale Roberts, head chef Nathan Clarke, and a deeply committed team.

Need to know before you go

Cost: A la carte menu; table reservations are essential. A R100 deposit will be required to confirm your reservation and applied to your final bill on the night. Book via Dineplan