“Let the Fun Begin” is how visitors are invited to this year’s East Coast Radio House & Garden Show in Durban. And with Spekko Rice centre stage, the fun lies in tasting some extraordinary dishes inspired by the Spekko Rice television commercial.
In the Spekko pop-up café, visitors can watch a screening of the 30 second commercial, then order and eat savoury dishes featured in the advert, such as Spicy Rice Fritters with Chorizo, Pecorino and Lemon Aioli, Corn & Cheese Waffles with Avocado, Spring Onion & Crème Fraiche, Rice ‘Bun’ Burgers - A Take on The Very Trendy ‘Ramen Burger’, Fusion Fried Rice with Sweet and Sour Chicken and also a Beautiful Buddha Bowl with a “Middle Eastern Zing”.
Spekko’s drive this year, is to take consumers on a journey of discovery. “With a humble cup of Spekko” – one can not only IMAGINE and MAGIC up extraordinary dishes, but also find inspiration to include rice dishes more in every day meals.
To further inspire visitors to the show, Spekko is a co-sponsor in the Hirsch’s Kitchen at the show, and enlisted an array of top Durban foodies and chefs to cook inventive dishes.
The cooking starts on Saturday 27 June, when Chef Lungile Nhlanhla will cook two dishes between 5 and 6 in the afternoon. Join in, and taste her Spekko Brown Rice Sushi-Inspired Bowl with Soy-Glazed Chicken, Avocado, a Citrus Medley and Pickled Vegetables and her Creamy Coconut Spekko Jasmine Rice Pudding with Chilli-Lime Pineapple and Toasted Macadamias.
Lungi is best remembered for her cooking in MasterChef SA. She is a lecturer in Hospitality and Tourism at the Durban University of Technology and is passionate about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Follow her on @ lungilehlanhlaza on TikTok and Instagram.
At 6.30 pm on Sunday 28 June, Uthika Naidu is cooking her Chilli Con Carne Rice. A pilots’ wife, dedicated mother and culinary wizard, Uthika’s social media reflect motherhood and Indian Heritage dishes. Follow her on IG and TikTok on @braisedbyuthika @uthika_naidu.
Durban mother, Nontobeko Nxumalo who blogs as naturally.nonks and is known for her inventive kiddies’ lunchbox packing, will cook a Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Skillet Rice on Monday at 5 pm.
Catch Rohann Chetty, alias @thisbrownmom on Tuesday at 5pm, cooking Desi’s Inspired Prawn Fried Rice.
Taste Priyanka Govender @inspiredbypriyanka’s Prawn Fried Rice on Wednesday 1 July at 6.30 pm.
Durban bodybuilder and foodie Keeran Nadas is building his One-pot Chicken Biryani on Thursday at 5 pm.
Model, showman and chef Josh Jacobs @joshua.jacobs.988 inspired Josh’s Hot-Pot is on show at 18h30 on Friday.
Chef Nono from @inthekitchenwithnono is not only a linguist, but a mother and respected chef who has one of the highest number of followers on social media in KZN. She is cooking a Jamaican Dirty Rice with Minced Beef on Saturday 4 July at 5 pm.
On Sunday – the last day of the show, Anathi Xana @cookonthebrightside, is making some delectable Cheesy Spekko Rice balls at 3.30 pm.
The show runs from 27 June – 5 July 2026 at the Durban Exhibition Centre, with daily opening hours from 10 am to 9 pm (Monday to Saturday) and from 10 am to 8 pm on Sundays. There are 22,000 exhibitors and some 65,000 visitors are expected.
Tickets: Available via Quicket, www.housegardenshow.co.za, or at the entrance on the day.
Recipes cooked by the Spekko Chefs at the East Coast Radio House and Garden Show, will be posted in the next few days on the Spekko website
IMAGINE, TASTE AND EXPLORE WITH SPEKKO RICE