I don’t envy Scot Kirton one bit. As the new executive chef of La Colombe, he’s faced with the seemingly impossible task of filling the void left behind by Luke Dale-Roberts. It’s the culinary equivalent of replacing Michael Jordan, or trying to play The Joker after Heath Ledger. Comparisons are inevitable. And unfair. I recently got the chance to sit down with Scot at his new HQ, and have a chat about his plans. One thing is as clear as the wine glasses being carefully polished around us: he’s up for it.

AF: Right, boring stuff first. How and why did you get into cooking?

SK: I’ve always liked cooking. From when I was as young as three years old I can remember experimenting in my mom’s kitchen. I wasn’t shy and can remember making different flavoured cup cakes and even having a go at Sunday roasts. Most of my free time was spent in the kitchen. After school there was nothing else I wanted to do. It was straight into the kitchen to see what was in the fridge to make for dinner.

AF: You clearly knew from early on that cooking was a possible career choice. Where have you worked before La Colombe and when did it get serious?

SK: I started off at Haute Cabriere in Franschhoek after school, where I remained for five years, working my way up through the ranks to sous chef. Then I was off to London where I worked for Marcus Wareing at the Savoy Grill. That’s when it changed for me. I learned many new cooking techniques and was impressed by the constant need for perfection. I decided in that kitchen that I wanted to be one of the best chefs in South Africa.

When I got home, I went in search of the best restaurant in South Africa. I met Luke, tasted his food and knew that this was the next step for me. I was hired as a sous chef and together we took the restaurant from strength to strength. After two years I moved to the River Café in my first position as head chef. After a year there, Luke decided he wanted to do his own thing and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented itself to me.

AF: I’m assuming Luke has been a major influence on your career. Have there been any others?

SK: Working at the Savoy in London was a big influence on me. It taught me discipline, perfection and how to respect the food you are preparing. As you say, Luke has been a huge influence and inspiration to me. His hunger to be the best has rubbed off on me. We have both always been incredibly competitive and had fun driving each other to the next level.

Other inspirations can come from new suppliers that are doing cool things with new products. And lastly, simply reading books to see what other chefs around the world are doing. As a chef you can never know it all – there is always something new to learn.

AF: How have you found life at La Colombe, post-Luke? You must be sick of that question, but I’m interested to know if it’s difficult to stamp your own style on the menu. Are customers already expecting established dishes, or are you happy to introduce your own? Is it a compromise?

SK: It’s a good question and a fair one I guess. I’ve found it to be a big challenge after having him as my mentor for the last three years. I was forced to realise that it’s up to me to drive the team to new heights, but it is an opportunity I’m loving. I am slowly putting my own stamp on the menu. It was hard to take off some of Luke’s signatures, but it had to be done in order for me to create some of my own.

AF: Tell me about some of those “Scot” dishes.

SK: There are a few: scallops and confit pork belly, pork crackling, Black Forest ham veloute, lemon and pea dressing. Veal loin “sous vide”, morel and sweetbread ballotine, steamed langoustine, buttered pomme purée, sugarsnap salad, mustard beurre blanc.

AF: It sounds awesome. No wonder people are still pouring in here. What kind of people visit La Colombe generally? Are they mostly locals or tourists?

SK: La Colombe has great local support, but also a huge tourist influx over the high season. We offer the locals a great winter menu at an affordable price to reward them for their loyal support.

AF: Explain your worst diner or service nightmare.

SK: I am blessed to have an incredible team behind me at La Colombe so most services run like a dream. My worst nightmare is uneducated diners. I don’t enjoy the requests for an overcooked piece of fish or a very well done steak. The other thing I dislike are “no shows”.

AF: You guided La Colombe to a top 100 spot on the San Pellegrino List. How important are accolades or awards?

SK: They’re very important to me and the team that is behind me. To be acknowledged for all the hard work you and you team put in definitely makes all those 16-hour days seem worthwhile. It is also extremely important for business, as awards bring you diners

AF: Being situated on a wine estate helps, but how important is the role of wine on your menu?

SK: We often try to incorporate the grapes into the menu. So we’ve made jellies from the grapes for a dessert, sauces for the mains, sorbets, etc. We also recommend wines to go with all our dishes. This is a group effort where all the managers, chefs and waiters gather in the bar before service to taste a new dish and attempt to find the perfect wine pairing. My opinion is that neither the wine nor the food should be stronger than the other. The food and wine need to complement each other; a light dish should have a light wine, while a dish with great depth of flavour can be served with heavier, more robust wine.

AF: Are there any exciting food trends that you are keen on at the moment?

SK: We sous vide loads of things at the moment, from fennel and asparagus to pork rump and lamb loins. Even an anglaise can be cooked this way. We are also smoking lots of things at the moment to try give the food a bit of an edge. Butter, potatoes, oils, vegetable purées, rabbit … the list goes on.

There you have it. The menu is still delicious. The wine is still expertly paired. The setting is still beautiful. And the chef is still driven by perfection. The only difference is, it’s a different chef.

By Andy Fenner