Isibindi Africa Lodges is a collection of luxury eco-lodges situated in some of southern Africa’s most remote and majestic areas. The eco-lodges are owned and run by former game ranger Brett Gehren and environmental economist Paige Gehren. The property offers an extraordinary immersion into nature’s untamed beauty, underpinned by a model that bridges conservation, community and tourism.
Food Safari with Isibindi is a new cookbook capturing the soul of Isibindi Africa Lodges. It launched at the end of October 2026, inviting readers to journey – plate by plate – through some of southern Africa’s most remote and majestic wild spaces.
The book brings together more than 80 recipes sourced from across the Isibindi Lodges portfolio, with words by journalist Greg Arde, styling by Brita du Plessis and images by award-winning photographer Toby Murphy. Together, they have created more than a cookbook – it is a portrait of a way of life built on hospitality, land, people and the food that binds them all together.
Isibindi, means “courage” in isiZulu. Three of the lodges are in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with a fourth just across the border in Zimbabwe, 40km upstream from Victoria Falls. Each offers an extraordinary immersion into nature’s untamed beauty.
But as Food Safari with Isibindi reveals, it isn’t only the locations that make Isibindi Africa Lodges unique. It’s the delicious food, the warmth of the people who work there, the partnerships with neighbouring communities, and the way the lodges bridge the gap between conservation and tourism – a model that has given both Isibindi and these wild places the sustainability they need to thrive.
The Isibindi Foundation
“Working on Food Safari with Isibindi has been a labour of love. Seeing our lodges through Toby and Brita’s eyes, and then through their extraordinary images, renewed my sense of awe for these special places, the people behind them and the work of the Isibindi Foundation,” says Marketing Manager Lucy Cooke. “It has been an enormous undertaking, all-consuming and at times exhausting, but deeply rewarding. I am incredibly proud of what we have created together and cannot wait to share it with everyone, although I suspect Carl is looking forward to hearing a little less from me now that the book is finished!”
Readers journeying through the cookbook’s pages will encounter the full rhythm of a day in an Isibindi lodge, from Early Morning coffee and Hot Breakfasts in the bush, through Lunch and Sundowners looking out to sea, to Dinner, Soups, Starters, Main Courses and Desserts under the stars and forest canopy; each section paired with the stories of the lodges, their staff, and the conservation projects that help secure a future for these remarkable places.
Simple, unforgettable food
At the helm of Isibindi’s kitchens is Executive Head Chef Carl Moller, whose approach reflects the essence of the Isibindi team: warm, professional and refreshingly unpretentious. Carl’s dishes brim with vibrant contrast and comforting depth – proof that simple food, made with care, can be truly unforgettable. As Executive Head Chef, Carl oversees kitchens across all four lodges, mentoring chefs drawn from neighbouring communities. His steady presence ensures that kitchen standards are not merely upheld, but continually elevated.
“Some of the most memorable dishes don’t need complex ideas, just balance and honest flavour,” Carl explains.
About the creators
Carl Moller
Isibindi’s Executive Head Chef – Composed and quietly magnetic, more at home in the kitchen’s rhythm than under its spotlight. His cooking is anchored in simplicity: wholesome, hearty fare that never sacrifices flavour, brimming with vibrant contrast and comforting depth. Trained at Durban’s Chantecler Hotel and seasoned at the acclaimed Café 1999, Carl joined Isibindi as Head Chef at Thonga Beach Lodge. A decade later, he stepped into the role of Executive Head Chef, now overseeing kitchens across all four lodges – spending a week each month at each South African property, and travelling quarterly to Tsowa Safari Island to mentor chefs drawn from neighbouring communities.
For Carl, good food begins with shared understanding. “Everyone tastes. Always,” he says, encouraging his chefs to trust their palates and work toward balance and honest flavour. Consistency is the golden thread. “A dish must be delicious, but also something the kitchen staff can confidently reproduce,” says Carl.
Greg Arde/Author – Greg Ardé is a journalist, author and biographer captivated by lives, legacies and the stories that connect them. A former Bureau Chief for the Sunday Times, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Tribune and Business Editor of The Mercury, he has spent much of his 33-year career exploring business and politics.
His work has appeared in respected local and international newspapers, and he has researched for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. His enduring pull towards the natural world and those who protect it has taken him repeatedly across Africa.
Toby Murphy /Photographer – Originally from the UK, I’ve been fortunate to call South Africa home for the past 20 years. I’ve grown to love its people, landscapes and, of course, its food. As a photographer, I feel lucky that my work allows me to capture all three, and the stories that connect them.
From my first visit to Isibindi Lodges, I was struck by the beauty of these places and the warmth of the people who bring them to life. There’s something special about the way people, landscape and food come together here, creating a real sense of connection and belonging. It has been a privilege to photograph this cookbook and to help share a little of what makes Isibindi so special.
Brita du Plessis /Stylist – After earning her National Diploma in Graphic Design, Brita spent seven years in advertising and design, exploring and experimenting until she found what she truly wanted to do. She flirted with packaging design, but it was food styling that really captured her imagination.
“Food Safari has been one of the most rewarding projects of my career,” Brita says. “Bringing together my loves of food, design and travel, has allowed me to explore food as a window into culture, place, people and tradition.”
