Get ready for a sizzling fusion of food and art as Pick n Pay, an innovator in the culinary world, proudly announces a collaboration with renowned artists Michael Chandler and Lucie de Moyencourt. Together, they are igniting a culinary art revolution, turning beloved summer braai recipes into limited edition masterpieces.

Chandler and de Moyencourt crafted exquisite digital art recipe prints to complement Pick n Pay’s innovative, new Let’s Cook Braai range, which elevates favourite flavours with a range of succulent meats, marinades, and fresh produce. 

Nicki Russell, Head: Product & Quality at Pick n Pay, says, “At Pick n Pay, we believe that a braai is more than just a meal; it’s a cultural experience that unites families and friends. We challenged Michael and Lucie to share their artistry and creative kitchen flair with treasured recipes to pair with our Let’s Cook Braai range. The results are beautiful and something we see our customers adding to their repertoires and recipe collections to hand down for generations to come.”

Chandler and de Moyencourt are both avid entertainers who have mastered the art of combining simplicity with style. Invitations to braais at their houses are seriously sought after. Here, the artists share the inspiration behind their recipes, and their tips for hosting the perfect get together.

Michael Chandler: Ceramics and Sunshine

Chandler – artist, ceramicist, and founder of Chandler House – shared a recipe for his Sunshine Salad, which is all about letting Pick n Pay’s fresh seasonal salad ingredients shine.

He says, “This recipe is special to me because it is one of the first recipes I created using pure intuition, which indicates that I am finally beginning to understand how flavours work. I love serving this to guests as it’s really easy to make, it can be made ahead of time, and it looks spectacular in one of my blue and white bowls.”

He adds that he loves to cook with Pick n Pay’s seasonal spring produce, “I like to use ingredients that are fresh, colourful, and full of flavour. If you want to add a little bit of a spring in your step, add a tiny bit of finely chopped bird’s eye chilli to the recipe. It’ll blow away the winter blues!”

Chandler’s tip for elevating occasions is to focus on the food – beautifully served on his hand-crafted ceramics, “I am very lucky to be a ceramic artist who can serve food on pieces that I’ve handmade in my studio. And so I like to keep things simple with a focus on the food and the pieces I make. Flowers and candles are a must for evening get-togethers.”

Lucie de Moyencourt: A braai with French flair

As a Franco-South African artist, Lucie has special memories of her mom or dad whipping up aioli for family get-togethers, so, naturally, it was her chosen recipe. She says, “It’s especially special when paired with fish off the braai.”

She adds that it’s the ideal ac accompaniment to Pick n Pay’s seasonal spring ingredients, “Once you try this recipe, you’ll never want to eat bottled mayonnaise again! It’s perfect for summer as it’s made and consumed fresh.”

De Moyencourt’s tip for making a summer braai extra memorable is to add some vintage sparkle, “I love laying a beautiful table with cut flowers and greenery from the garden. I love combining plastic 1950s picnic-ware collected from Milnerton market with large decadent platters of food from the braai. For us it’s always eat or be eaten, so I love it when people tuck in and don’t stand on ceremony.”

Chandler used Japanese pens and watercolours for his creation, while de Moyencourt used black ink and watercolour pencil crayons to give hers a whimsical child-like comic-book feel. Both recipes will feature on Pick n Pay’s social channels to inspire innovative artistry this summer.

Russell concludes, “It’s been such a joy collaborating with two wonderful artists to celebrate our innovative new range and let our flavours sing. As you can see, both recipes offer versatility and can be paired seamlessly with a wide range of options from our new Let’s Cook Braai range. Whether it’s one of our diverse espetadas – such as Mexican chili chicken or rosemary maple – paired with biltong and feta rosties or jalapeno and cheese ciabatta rolls, your guests are in for an unforgettable culinary experience.

This season, we’ve totally revamped our range to combine dynamic new products with heritage produce. The results speak for themselves, and we’re excited for our shoppers to fire up their grids and get cooking! We hope this collaboration with Lucie and Michael will inspire people to try new recipes, get creative, and elevate their occasions with that special touch of art and whimsy.”