Summer is on its way. Along with the sudden need for sunscreen, air conditioning and a basic understanding of the rules of that baffling game, cricket, the restaurant season is getting into full swing. What’s going to be hot this summer? Will jelly be the new pie? And what buzzwords will be bandied about? In haute couture, just like haute cuisine, what begins on the runway soon makes its way to the department store. So what are the top names in food preparing for this summer?

“Lots of peas, rhubarb, white asparagus and artichokes,” says John Shuttleworth, who recently took the reigns from David Higgs at Rust en Vrede. Dishes added to their menu from now on will tend to be light and springy. “We’ll also start using colder temperatures on starters and second courses,” says John.

Roland Gorgosilich, of Bosman’s, is focusing on finding a good, local supplier to provide beautiful fresh fruit and veg. “We try to buy in small amounts, and keep it as fresh as possible,” says Roland, who’s currently offering diners a refreshing strawberry trio. When summer arrives properly, he’ll make a dish with summer veg like artichokes, broad beans and lamb. “They make a beautiful marriage,” he explains.

And as for trends?
“I think there will be a return to normal cooking instead of fancy, crazy combinations,” Roland predicts. Chefs will start producing pepped up versions of classic home-cooked dishes like bobotie.

Dario D’Angeli of Cube also talks of redoing old favourites in a different format. His tomato, parmesan, and rocket salad consists of a tomato jelly, toasted parmesan, micro rocket, and olive oil powder instead of dressing.

Dario also puts his finger on some of the top buzzwords of the moment. “We’re focusing on sustainability, traceability and foraging,” he says. His spring menu, which runs until 18 October, is themed ‘Innovative Food Drivers’, and focuses precisely on the question of what’s driving modern food. One of the dishes on his menu is a foraging dish: a trough in which diners can forage for their edible roots amongst sand made from dukkah and compost made from dehydrated duck fibre.

“We’re also about to launch our own indigenous and sustainable garden with Parktown Girls,” Dario tells me, aiming to grow herbs, rocket, basil, thyme, edible flowers and spekboom.

Another proponent of foraging is Peter Templehoff of The Greenhouse. His summer menu is likely to be peppered with edible flowers like nasturtiums, edible roots and purslane, a meaty leaf which can be cooked or used in salads, and which tastes a little like waterblommetjies or asparagus. “Purslane is regarded as a weed in this country; in other places it’s a fantastic vegetable,” explains Peter.

The Greenhouse is also very dedicated to sustainability, and come summer plans to offer a tasting menu constructed entirely from sustainable seafood.

“Sustainability is the only real international trend at the moment,” says Luke Dale Roberts of the Test Kitchen.

Ever the innovator, Luke has plenty of ideas of his own. “I really want to do a course on Indian food in India,” he says. “Indian spices are like a chemistry set.” He’s also recently been exploring the fifth taste – umami – in dishes like a tomato dashi water with pickled tomatoes, green pea noodles and miso-cured cream cheese.

Taste buds tingling? If you’re still counting the pennies, fear not: many less pricey restaurants are also following suit. Sustainability is the buzzword at Mother City eatery Dear Me, and Woodlands Eatery will be offering a pizza and beer menu, jam-packed with artisan beer from across the country, this summer.

By Katharine Jacobs