Coming up in April, the Taste of Cape Town gives Capetownians a chance to meet the chefs and sample dishes from some of the top restaurants in the city; all in one place. Chef at Bistro Sixteen82, Brad Ball is the genius behind seared Chalmar beef tataki and sticky pork belly with salted palm sugar caramel, which visitors to last year’s event may remember. We hear he’s dreamt up all manner of new delicious treats for this year’s festival.

What is your cooking style?
Modern Bistro where local is lekker and keeping it simple; letting the produce speak for itself!

What do you believe the flavours of Cape Town are?
I think food is wide open on this one and difficult to pinpoint without being clichéd and saying something about Malay spices… My flavour of Cape Town is best expressed in Sauvignon Blanc. Cool, crisp and clean.

What is your favourite part of Cape Town and why?
The mountains and the forests on their slopes. I can exercise there, I can forage there for mushrooms, wild herbs and nuts and I can chill there when I want to get away from it all.

What is your favourite local ingredient?
It’s not so much an ingredient as it is a standalone dish for me, but South African cheese.
We are producing some wonderful cheese.

What/ who has influenced you in your career?
The biggest influence has come in the way of Rudi Minaar (ex Beluga, Pastis, etc fame). He inspired me to be a better chef and also a better restaurateur.

What is your key to a successful dish?
Successful producers! Without them chefs are nowhere. Get the best possible producer; build a relationship and all the rest will follow.

What are your most essential items in your kitchen?
Knives and staff that happily come to work smiling, day after day.

What dish/ dishes do you mostly cook at home?
A table full of tapas. Nothing fancy. Some breads, olives, simple fish, cured meats, pickled veggies from the garden. I don't want to spend hours cooking at home, but I do want to spend as much time around the table socialising.

What do you love about being a chef?
Getting it right. When you crack something and you are happy with it. Glory!

Where do you get your inspiration from?
My suppliers, my staff and my guests.

When you eat out at other restaurants what do you expect?
I expect them to make the effort. I want to enjoy my experience.

What will you be serving at Taste of Cape Town 2012?
Every year I try to give the punters a bit of everything from the bistro. From my tapas menu, I’ll be serving Albondigas – pork meatballs served in a tomato ragout. Beef fillet with truffled cauliflower puree, peas and veal jus as well as a strawberry consommé with a yoghurt panna cotta.

The Taste of Cape Town takes place from the 19 – 22 April, 2012 at the Green Point Cricket Club.