Pap Goes Gourmet: White Star Teams Up with John Dory’s for a Delicious Twist on Tradition

Who says pap can’t be fancy?

White Star & John Dory’s just flipped the script on South African staples with a first-of-its-kind experience that brought local flavour to the sushi table—literally.

In a bold (and delicious) move, John Dory’s & White Star partnered with culinary creatives to reimagine pap in a way no one saw coming.

  • Think cultural comfort food meets modern gastronomy. It wasn’t just a food event—it was a full-on flavour celebration. Whether you grew up with pap on your plate or you’re new to it, this event proved that this versatile maize meal has range. Yes, even sushi-level range.

And speaking of sushi…

  • John Dory’s restaurants across the country are offering Sushi Masterclasses. These hands-on classes are open to everyone—from curious foodies and date-night duos to serious sushi nerds. Want to learn how to roll like a pro? You’re covered. Just remember to book ahead—these spots fill faster than soy sauce in a dipping bowl.

For those who want to turn their next birthday, team-building session, or any excuse-for-a-party into something more flavourful, private group sessions are also occasionally available. Because nothing says “corporate synergy” like rolling sushi with your coworkers.

And if you’re wondering how pap fits into all this—just wait until you try the fusion magic for yourself. To get you started, here’s a recipe shared by the chef and his team from the event. It’s easy enough for beginners, but impressive enough to post.

Cue the wasabi drumroll…

California Roll 4pc

Ingredients:

  • Steak strips 20g

  • Chakalaka 10g

  • Pap 60g

Method:

  • Make a California roll with chakalaka and steak strips inside.

  • Springle some sesame seeds on top, shape and cut into 4 pieces.

  • Serve on sushi plate upside down with ginger and wasabi on the side.

Bean Curd 2pc

Ingredients:

  • Bean curd pockets x 2

  • Pap 40g

  • Coleslaw 10g

  • Fried chicken strips 20g

Method:

  • Make bean curd with pap inside.

  • Topped with a mix of coleslaw and chopped chicken strips

  • Server on a sushi plate with ginger and wasabi on the side

Mini Poke Bowl

Ingredients:

  • Pap balls fried x3

  • Chakalaka mix 10g

  • Avo10g

  • Boerewors cubes 20g

  • Sesame seeds mix 2g

  • Tempura flour 10g

  • Tempura batter 60ml

  • Tempura crumbs 5g

  • Oil 5m

Method:

  • Make pap into balls

  • Dust in tempura flour, batter, crumbs and fried at 160 degrees until golden brown

  • Place fried balls at the bottom of the bowl

  • Add boerewors cubes on top of the pap

  • Add chakalaka on top of the boerewors

  • And finished with avo cubes and sesame seeds.

Written by Marvin

Founder of many things but FoodBlogJHB FoodBlogCT, FoodBlogDBN being my biggest project to date. UCT marketing graduate, Star Wars geek and Arsenal & Dortmund supporter. That's me!

[g1_socials_user user="1" icon_size="28" icon_color="text"]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Don’t Miss the Last Gourmet Evening of 2025 at 1000 Hills Chef School

Magic Mushrooms? Not Quite — But These Fungi Might Help Fight Breast Cancer!