Arno Janse van Rensburg, currently the chef at Top 10 restaurant The Kitchen at Maison, is set to leave his post at the Franschhoek establishment after six years at the helm. Next on the menu: a brand new restaurant and location.

Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg is to open Janse & Co. on Kloof Street this December. Photo supplied.

At the end of this month, Arno will make the move to the Cape Town city bowl to start working on his own new restaurant concept, Janse & Co., which is set to open at 75 Kloof Street in December.

Taking over the space that briefly housed YUZU Kitchen & Bar, Janse & Co. will offer a menu inspired by wild and foraged ingredients, with produce sourced from the Western Cape’s farmlands, oceans and mountains. Arno will head up this new venture with partner and pastry chef, Liezl Odendaal, who has had previous experience with the likes of Franck Dangereux, Luke Dale-Roberts, Mike Bassett, and Richard Carstens.

The duo describes the new restaurant’s approach as relaxed and healthy fine dining. Seasonality will play a big role, with a fresh offering inspired and driven by the ever-changing Cape climate. While the menu and its specifics are still in the works, diners can anticipate classical dishes made with creative new techniques and local ingredients. The lunch and dinner offering will be in the form of choose-your-own tasting menus with two- to seven-course options.

A dish by chef Arno Janse van Rensburg. Photo supplied.

Sunday brunches will also be on the cards for the new space.

As for the drinks, the bar will focus mainly on locally produced wines, spirits and beers, with a few signature cocktails making use of the same local and seasonal approach.

Janse & Co. is set to start construction at the end of October with the opening date in December, if all goes according to plan.

Stay tuned to Eat Out for further developments.