Fine dining in Limpopo

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

What's a Cape Town boy doing in Limpopo?

I studied at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch and graduated in the top three of my class in 2008. After a stint at Bouillabaisse in Franschhoek, I moved to Limpopo and joined Camp Jabulani. I was recently promoted to head chef, which I am very excited about.  Although I was born in the Free State, I moved to Durbanville early on and consider myself a Capetonian. I do go to Cape Town often for holidays, but I can’t see myself moving from Limpopo. You just can’t compare the bush to the city. They’re two entirely different and beautiful worlds, and I’m lucky enough to get the best of both.  

 

What do you love most about being a chef?

I get asked this a lot! To be honest, I love everything about it, especially the feeling after a well-executed dinner service. I also enjoy the excitement of planning the following day’s menu. I constantly want to surprise the guests and make sure that we offer a new menu every day. 

 

Did you always want to be a chef?

Yes, ever since I was little. My grandmother was a matron at a hostel and she was always in the kitchen. I would tug on her skirt, ask to look in the pots and watch everything she was doing. 

 

How would you describe your style of cooking?

I’m still fairly young and for me it’s all about discovering. I concentrate on providing contemporary South African. Nothing pretentious. Good, honest food presented with fine dining flair.

 

What five ingredients are guaranteed to always be in your kitchen?

Onions, vanilla pods, lemons, thyme and honey.

 

What is your fail-safe dish to cook at home?

Butternut and feta quiche or macaroni and cheese, made from my gran’s secret recipe! 

 

Guests are arriving for lunch service in one hour. You find that you only have tomatoes, eggs, basil, sweet potatoes, prosciutto, parmesan and double cream, along with a few other pantry items. What would you prepare?

I would make sweet potato gnocchi, with a basil pesto cream sauce and topped with fresh tomato, prosciutto and parmesan shavings. 

 

What are some of your favourite local places to get fresh ingredients?

Although it’s difficult to source fresh fish in Limpopo, I do get fresh trout and salmon from Lunsklip. I also get my vegetables from Lehanie or Matumi, and fresh herbs from The Fountain.

 

Valentine's Day is around the corner – which ingredients do you think symbolise love and romance best?

Chocolate, of course, as well as fresh berries, rose water and pomegranate rubies. I love pomegranate rubies, they’re so versatile and beautiful. 

 

Will there be any Valentine's Day specials on the Camp Jabulani menu?

There definitely will be but it’s still a little bit early to say what exactly. We’re busy brainstorming dishes using salmon and trout in the main meal and chocolate and berries in the dessert. But it’s a case of trial and error before we decide on the final menu. 

 

How will you be celebrating the 14th?

I know it sounds like something out of a fairytale, but I am lucky enough to stay on a little hill, with a beautiful wild fig tree in my yard, overlooking the entire valley. It’s the most gorgeous place, so we’ll be enjoying a picnic, with lots of good bubbly, next to the fig tree. 

 

What are your favourite eateries in the Limpopo province?

Fine dining and even just smart-casual eateries are unfortunately sorely lacking in this province. That said, I do enjoy Summerfields in Hazyview and Safari Club. You cant compare Limpopo to the dining scenes in Cape Town, Joburg or Durban. There a few good places and I do need to do some exploring still, but I feel it’s lacking. 

 

Why should people add Camp Jabulani to their list of places that they must eat at?

We cook with passion and I’d like to think our dishes are unique. We’re in the middle of nowhere and we offer a fine dining experience without the stiff atmosphere. It’s about a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. I also believe that your immediate surroundings greatly influence your dining experience. At Camp Jabulani, you sit outside under the huge Jackalberry trees alongside the river. Our dining room overlooks the dam and you can watch wild animals visiting the watering hole during dinner. At Camp Jabulani, it’s all about the uniqueness of the entire experience.