Soute Studio, a Food Jams venue, is one of Cape Town’s most fun and flexible cooking-based events venues — an open-plan space for workshops, cooking classes, corporate events, parties, food jams, product launches, weddings, and photoshoots at Unit B10, 1st Floor, Salt Orchard Precinct, 45 Yew Street, Salt River, Cape Town, super close to the popular Biscuit Mill Saturday market. Operated by Food Jams — “the original cooking party hosted by a MasterChef SA Season 1 Finalist” — Soute Studio offers interactive cooking for up to 60 guests, seated ‘long table’ events for up to 80 guests, and cocktail parties for up to 120 guests, with a fully functioning bar on site. The name “Soute” was inspired by the venue’s location in Salt River, and the meaning of the word in Afrikaaps: “Watch out! Someone’s coming.”

The Story: 8 Years of Mobile Kitchens to a Permanent Home

Soute Studio has a genuinely grassroots origin story. For 8 years, the Food Jams team “jammed” in the wonderful Gardens and Woodstock venues, setting up mobile kitchens for their cooking-party events, before Soute Studio was realised as a home away from home in August 2018. The interiors are the result of the vision of Doreen — described as “Jade’s mama!” — whose touch gives the venue its homely, characterful aesthetic.

From its inception, Soute’s aim was to provide flexible and affordable rental options for private and corporate events and entrepreneurs — a mission that has held steady from the original mobile kitchen days through to the permanent Salt Orchard Precinct location.

Finding the Venue: Salt Orchard, Near the Biscuit Mill

Soute Studio is on the first floor of a large grey building in Salt River — “look out for three large windows and a circular window above all three. Look out for the complex called Salt Orchard.” The venue is super close to the Biscuit Mill, where Cape Town’s beloved Neighbourgoods Market is held on Saturdays — making Soute Studio a natural addition to a Salt River food and culture day out.

The venue is also positioned within walking distance of a concentration of Cape Town’s best-loved restaurants: The Pot Luck Club, TTK Fledgelings, Casa Woodstock Bar, Pahari African Restaurant, Reverie Social Table, Nolz Kitchen, Ivy’s Kitchen in Observatory, and Pakwathu Braai Restaurant.

Capacity: From Intimate Cooking to 120-Guest Cocktail Parties

Soute Studio’s open-plan layout supports three distinct event formats:

Interactive Cooking — up to 60 guests — the core Food Jams experience: groups cook together, MasterChef-style, in a kitchen environment described by participants as looking “like a MasterChef kitchen.”

Seated ‘Long Table’ Events — up to 80 guests — for sit-down dinners, communal celebrations, and long-table dining experiences.

Cocktail Parties — up to 120 guests — for standing receptions, launches, and larger social gatherings, with a fully functioning bar on site.

This range of formats, combined with the second, more intimate Studio Jade location in Woodstock (taking up to 13 people for smaller birthday bashes and bachelorette parties) and the original InAweStays venue in Gardens (up to 24 people, set in a guesthouse kitchen), gives Food Jams the flexibility to match almost any group size and occasion.

The Cooking Class Programme: Italian, Indian, and Beyond

Soute Studio runs a regular calendar of themed cooking classes:

Italian Feast — handmade pasta, including rolling your own tagliatelle, crunchy bruschetta with fresh tomato and basil, and crispy mini arancini balls, finishing with classic tiramisu.

Indian Spice Adventure — “Namaste! Are you ready to spice things up?” — a journey into India’s vibrant cuisine, exploring bold flavours and aromatic spices.

Cape Malay Cooking — learning to cook traditional Cape Malay dishes, reflecting Cape Town’s rich culinary heritage.

These public classes run alongside private and corporate bookings, giving solo travellers and small groups the chance to experience Food Jams even without organising a private event.

Corporate Team Building: “Too Much Fun!”

For corporate clients, Food Jams’ MasterChef Food Jam format has generated some of the most enthusiastic reviews of any Cape Town team-building activity. One reviewer described an 8-person company team-building session: “Too much fun! I could not rave more about Food Jams. We had a company team building with Food Jams for 8 people, at the smaller venue, and we did the ‘MasterChef’ version (my team won).”

The same reviewer specifically praised the staff by name: “Enoch, Sapho, Elaine, Jade, and the others — they were so well-humoured, helpful, enthusiastic, funny. Just epic.” The food was described as “deeeelicious,” and the MasterChef version was praised for “creating a fun competition without being at all too cut-throat.” The setup itself was described as “homely, cosy and comfortable but with all the ingredients and resources you could ask for and plenty of room to move about.”

Booking and Packages

Food Jams offers several package tiers:

• Signature Package
• Competitive Package
• The MasterChef Food Jam
• ProCook Package
• Monthly Social Package

Cost: From R4,000 for group bookings — full price list available on request.

Booking: Email in**@*********co.za

Location and Contact Details

Soute Studio is at Unit B10, 1st Floor, Salt Orchard Precinct, 45 Yew Street, Salt River, Cape Town, Western Cape, 7925 — on the corner of Camp & St Barnabas Streets, approximately 100 metres from the busy and popular Kloof Street, and super close to the Biscuit Mill.

Tel: 071 730 4543 | 063 292 0419
Email: in**@*********co.za
Instagram: @foodjams_capetown
Hours: Daily, 10:00–22:00

For cooking class bookings, team-building enquiries, and private event hire, visit Food Jams’ official website at www.foodjams.co.za.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the maximum capacity at Soute Studio?
A: Soute Studio can accommodate up to 120 guests for cocktail parties. The venue also supports interactive cooking events for up to 60 guests and seated long table events for up to 80 guests.

Q: Where is Soute Studio located in Cape Town?
A: Soute Studio is at Unit B10, 1st Floor, Salt Orchard Precinct, 45 Yew Street, Salt River, Cape Town. It is super close to the Biscuit Mill and the Neighbourgoods Market.

Q: What types of cooking classes are offered at Soute Studio?
A: Soute Studio runs themed cooking classes including Italian Feast (handmade pasta and tiramisu), Indian Spice Adventure, and Cape Malay Cooking. These classes run alongside private and corporate bookings.

Q: How much does it cost to book Soute Studio for a group event?
A: Group bookings at Soute Studio start from R4,000. A full price list is available on request by contacting in**@*********co.za.

Q: What are the operating hours at Soute Studio?
A: Soute Studio is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00. Bookings can be made by emailing in**@*********co.za or calling 071 730 4543.

Q: Is Soute Studio suitable for corporate team building?
A: Yes, Soute Studio is highly regarded for corporate team building. The MasterChef Food Jam format creates a fun competition that is enthusiastic and well-humoured without being too cut-throat, with reviewers praising the staff and the homely, well-resourced setup.

Q: Does Soute Studio have a bar on site?
A: Yes, Soute Studio has a fully functioning bar on site. This makes it suitable for cocktail parties and larger social gatherings of up to 120 guests.

Q: When did Soute Studio open?
A: Soute Studio opened in August 2018. It was realised after 8 years of Food Jams operating mobile kitchens in Gardens and Woodstock venues.

Explore more unique events venues in Salt River and Woodstock through our Cape Town event venues directory, or browse all Western Cape event venue listings for venues across the province.