Why I use Crispa Crispa Gold is the brand of choice for Chef Benny Masekwameng, Crispa Gold is renowned for its excellent frying properties and is the hallmark ingredient in any quality kitchen.
Chef Benny describes why he only uses Crispa Gold in his kitchen.
I use Crispa Gold because: it is Reliable
When so many other ingredients are unreliable and inconsistent, it gives me peace of mind to know that every barrel of Crispa Gold contains the same high standard of oil that I’ve come to require in my kitchen.
it is Consistent
Consistency is key. It doesn’t matter where I’m cooking because Crispa ensures that all of my dishes are consistently excellent, every time.
of its High Quality
Triple-refined to remove impurities, Crispa Gold is a quality product that’s also free of trans-fatty acids and cholesterol.
it is Cost-Saving
The oil stays cleaner for longer and has a long frying life, saving me money because I don’t have to replace the oil in our deep-fryer often.
of its Colour
Just as the oil is a vibrant gold, Crispa gives fried foods a tempting golden brown colour.
of the Texture it gives food
It creates the perfect texture on everything it fries - crunchy, crispy and moreish!
Customer Careline 0860 465 312 www.hudsonandknight.co.za
Contents Foreword
Human Resources
3 A letter of welcome from SA Chefs President Stephen Billingham
30 Stephen Hickmore gives his interview advice to chefs
Upcoming Events Happenings 4 Items of interest and SA Chefs News
32 Host-ED seminars at Hostex 34 All the action at the SA Chefs Village at Hostex
Behind the Scenes
Interest
11 Ten Behind the Scenes moments from Kurland Hotel
36 Nestlé Professional’s global trends and perspectives 38 Gill Hyslop discovers some of the exotic ingredients that are set to wow chefs around the world
Hot Topic 12 How is the industry dealing with load shedding?
Industry Personality Flavours 14 15 16 17 18
Trend watch: Ramen Jackie Cameron chooses her top 5 SA ingredients Restaurants: our pick of interesting eateries Babylonstoren’s delicious wines are our wines of the month Adele Stiehler-van der Westhuizen discusses Karoo Lamb and how it’s part of our culinary heritage
42 Mark Keefer chats to us about the cheese industry and how he got started
Masterclass 46 Chef Adriaan Maree shows us how to create Halibut and smoked beurre blanc
Food Feature Chef Profile
52 Michael Broughton’s exquisite cookbook Terroir
22 Ugashnie Moodley from Hilton College 24 Stefano Strafella from Mount Grace Country House & Spa
Good Spirits 60 A refreshing summer cocktail using brandy
Young Chefs Corner 26 Adrian Vigus-Brown gives his advice to students who have entered chef training 27 Rebecca Bourhill shares Prue Leith’s advice to young chefs
Wine Estate 62 The beautiful Groote Post wine estate on the West Coast
Last Word SA National Culinary Team 28 Henrico Grobbelaar’s exquisite culinary masterpiece
64 Brian McCune shares his invaluable advice on which restaurants to avoid
Our cover features Michael Broughton's dish of Home-cured and cold-smoked salmon with basil, aubergine purée, crème fraîche and truffle vinaigrette, from his cookbook Terroir which has been published by Struik Lifestyle. Turn to page 52 for more on this wonderful cookbook.
Dear Friends, Members and Sponsors
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he 2015 school year is already well underway, and I would like to officially welcome the first year intake of students to the wonderfully diverse and vibrant world of the hospitality industry. This industry is one which rewards hard work and dedication, and I hope that you use every opportunity that you are presented with in the coming years of your schooling, as well as apply the knowledge that you gain as you enter the workplace. For those that graduated last year, I hope that your first year of cooking has been treating you well, and I look forward to seeing your progression through the industry. I am pleased to announce that we have appointed a new General Manager for the South African Chefs Association: Thomas Overbeck. Many of you will know Thomas from the sterling work he did managing the Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger in 2013, and then his work with the National Youth Chefs Training Programme. Well respected in the hospitality industry, and with fantastic managerial experience in a variety of senior positions, SA Chefs is thrilled to have Overbeck at the helm of the Association’s head office in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. With a background
in hotel management, Overbeck has had impressive training in Johannesburg, New York and Zurich. He has held the position of General Manager at wellknown hotels in the country, such as the Umhlanga Sands Hotel, Don Suite Hotels and the Indaba Hotel to name just a few. Overbeck is taking over this position from Graham Donet who was General Manager of the Association from 2007 to 2014. I am looking forward to this year’s Hostex, which is to be held in Johannesburg. I know that the team at Specialised Exhibitions has put together a fantastic assortment of exhibitors, representing some of the biggest hospitality companies in South Africa, and we are proud to once again be showcasing South Africa’s culinary talent as they demonstrate at our stand. I hope to see all of you at Hostex, and please stop by our stand and say hello! Lastly, I would like to thank all of the volunteers of the Regional Committees, the Academy of Chefs and the Young Chefs Club. These members put a huge amount of effort into the organisation, and I would like to wish them good luck for the year ahead.
Published by Shout Factory Publisher Jason Whitehouse - Tel: 021 556 7493 Fax: 086 617 4740 Advertising Sales Jason Whitehouse jason@shoutfactory.co.za General Manager Chantelle Balsdon chantelle@shoutfactory.co.za Editor Sarah Marjoribanks sarah@shoutfactory.co.za Design & Layout Shout Creative - Peter Batistich - peter@shoutfactory.co.za; Jeanlé Casarin - jeanle@shoutfactory.co.za Contributors Lauren van Zyl, Brian McCune, Stephen Hickmore, Adele Stiehler-van der Westhhuizen, Gill Hyslop Printing Creda Chef! Co-published bi-monthly by Shout Factory
SACA Patrons
Culinary Regards, Stephen Billingham
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” – James D Miles
The South African Chefs Association University of Johannesburg, School of Tourism & Hospitality Tel: 011 482 7250 - Fax: 011 482 7260 info@saca.co.za - www.saca.co.za President Stephen Billingham General Manager Thomas Overbeck Finance Manager Connie Butler Events Manager Martin Greyling Membership Manager Nicola Kortenhoeven communications manager Lauren van Zyl Disclaimer Shout Factory makes no representations about the accuracy of the information, data, advertisements, graphics or other content contained in any Shout Factory owned online platform, e-mail newsletter or print publication, including but not limited to the Shout Factory print and online magazine, blogs and other email newsletters, and any other media channel owned or produced by Shout Factory. Content produced by Shout Factory may from time to time include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Statements on product or service quality, price or other features are only opinions and should not be relied on as guarantees nor as offers for sale. For the full disclaimer notice, please visit http://shoutfactory.co.za/print-media/
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CHEF! Issue 43 |
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Happenings Galbani arrives in SA
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taly’s favourite cheese brand Galbani has been launched in South Africa by Parmalat SA. Galbani Mozzarella, made fresh in the fior de latte style, and Mascarpone are made locally by Parmalat SA’s own cheese-makers, who were trained at the Galbani factory in Italy. “Galbani’s passionate approach to cheese-making and excellence made it Italy’s favourite cheese brand,” says Andrea Agostini, general manager: Parmalat SA. “From small beginnings in 1882 when Egidio Galbani and his father Davide opened their cheese making shop, their dedication to quality and innovation grew into a company that now sells over 400 products in over 120 countries.” According to the Cape Town-based Italian chef Giorgio Nava, Galbani has been a part of his life since childhood. “My mother had a dairy farm and supplied milk to Galbani. It brings back memories of long ago,” he recalls. Nava, an ambassador for the brand and the convivial Italian way of eating, praises the versatility of the Galbani Mozzarella and Mascarpone as ingredients, inspiring home cooks to bring the Italian spirit to their cooking
Chalmar Beef launches loyalty programme
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halmar Beef has launched a Loyalty Rewards Programme, which rewards customers with Beef Bucks when they shop online. Chalmar Beef launched its revamped website in September, which includes an option for online purchasing of their beef products. The process is simple – log onto www.chalmarbeef. co.za, register your account and you’ll receive 500 Beef Bucks. For ever R1 you spend, you will earn one Beef Buck which goes towards your next purchase. 4
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Stellenzicht unveils new tasting room
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tellenzicht Vineyards has unveiled its brand new tasting room, allowing visitors to come and taste their delicious wines in chic surroundings. The vineyard lies between Somerset West and Stellenbosch, at the base of the Helderberg Mountain. The new design boasts a ceiling-to-floor aerial photograph of the farm, large interior windows which provide a view into the cellar, a balcony extended into the gardens, as well as an artwork by assistant winemaker Nataleé Botha, who used wine as the painting medium.
Food Styling Course Celebrity food stylist, Denise Vivaldo, confirmed for SA Chefs’ Food Styling Course
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merican celebrity food stylist, Denise Vivaldo, will be the international guest lecturer at the much-anticipated Food Styling Course that is taking place from 14 to 18 April 2015 at the South African Chefs Association’s Centre for Culinary Excellence (CCE) in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. The first of its kind in South Africa, this Food Styling Course is endorsed by the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs), the authority on all things culinary in the country, and is brought to you by Zahra Media Group, publishers of Easy Food Magazine, an international recipe magazine that has been the best-selling food publication in Ireland for over a decade. This five-day, hands-on course is designed to assist budding food stylists, chefs, food bloggers, photographers, writers or food producers that want to capture food at its best. Behind every mouthwatering food image is an accomplished food stylist, and now you can learn about styling and photographing gorgeous, professional-looking food for inclusion in magazines, cookbooks, advertisements and film from international and local food stylists, photographers and industry leaders. Our celebrity industry leader, Denise Vivaldo, will be bringing invaluable knowledge to the course attendees. A seasoned food professional with over 28 years of experience, Vivaldo began her culinary training at the Ritz Escoffier and La Varenne in Paris, and then graduated Chef de Cuisine from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She has catered more than 10,000 parties and has cooked for such guests as George H.W. Bush, Prince Charles, Bette Midler, Cher, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. “I have taught food styling all over the world, but I know this Food Styling Course with the South African Chefs Association will be a career highlight! All of us have information to share and to learn from each other,” says Denise Vivaldo. A master food stylist and recipe developer, her clients include The Ellen Degeneres Show, Nigella Lawson, Curtis Stone, The Two Hot Tamales, Rachel Ray, and Michael Chairallo, The Good Cook, Fresh & Easy, Bristol Farms, the California Avocado Board, Disney Celebration Center, The Food Network, Access Hollywood and Good Day LA, to name but a few. On the local front, we are pleased to have one of Johannesburg’s top food stylists, Leila Saffarian, on the line-up. As the Food Editor of Joburg Style Magazine and freelance food stylist for clients such
as Food & Home Entertaining Magazine, La Marina Foods and many others, Saffarian will teach us how to create exquisite food imagery, and give us insight into the career of a food stylist in South Africa. Popular recipe blogger and cookbook author Alida Ryder, will also be sharing her skills and knowledge with attendees. The culinary creative behind her delectable website Simply Delicious and with a beautiful cookbook under her belt, Ryder will provide information on how to succeed as a creative food professional. In this hands-on workshop, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of preparing a variety of food for the camera, prop selection and backgrounds, camera techniques, the use of light and lighting along with processing your images, from a selection of the best food stylists and photographers from around the world. The lecturers will take students step-by-step through the basics of working with clients in these various food media industries to give you the most comprehensive insight into the world and possibilities of food styling. Whether you are a seasoned professional stylist looking to expand your skill set, or a beginner with nothing more than a passion for food, this course will provide you with the strategies and techniques needed to stand out in the world of food styling and photography and help you transform a hobby into a career. The course is priced at R15 000 per person. There is limited space available, please email cceadmin@saca.co.za for more information or to book your place. Visit www.saca.co.za to see the full Food Styling Course outline. CHEF! Issue 43 |
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Happenings
Movers & Shakers
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dmore Ruzoza has joined the team at The Red Table at Nederburg as the new chef. Trained as a chef in his native Harare, he loves being in Paarl, where his new position allows him to grow the freshest ingredients for the table. His favourite style of cooking is Mediterranean and he is inspired by many regions of French cuisine but he admits that he has also lost his heart to quite a few Cape Malay dishes like bobotie, sosaties and samoosas, since making the move to South Africa in 2007. In Zimbabwe he cooked for dignitaries and travellers. In South Africa, Edmore has worked in Jozi, PE and along the Eastern Cape coastline but he enjoys living in the heart of the country. “Being close to what you grow makes a big difference!”
S
andren Govender has been appointed as head chef of Tsogo Sun’s Suncoast Towers. He’ll be responsible for overseeing the hotel’s dining venue, room service, catering and culinary events. “I’m thrilled and privileged to lead such a talented team. The hotel has great ambitions for the restaurant and together I believe we are creating something really special. I firmly believe that if you love food it will love you back and I’ve built my career on loving what I do,” said Govender. Govender has over 21 years of experience in the industry, having served in various food and beverage positions around the globe. He specialises in Indian cuisine and has been part of the Tsogo Sun group for over four years.
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Tsogo Sun invests in Training
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sogo Sun embarked on a series of training programmes for chefs and F&B Managers through its Tsogo Sun Academy last year, in order to ensure that they uphold and improve on the group’s standards in delivering excellence in its F&B offerings. Kevin Page, Group Development & Food & Beverage (F&B) Director for Tsogo Sun, says the group’s vision is to bring food & beverage to the forefront of its gaming, hotel and entertainment delivery. “Our food and beverage must be memorable, which means that it needs to conform with all the aspects of food that we expect today, from being delicious and wholesome, to the quality of the ingredients and how ethically we source them, and through to honest, good delivery.” The course, called ‘Innovating F&B’ was run in Cape Town for Tsogo Sun employees. “The idea is for executive chefs and their F&B managers to develop new thinking to meet the demands and challenges they each face, gain insight into how they can work together effectively, build stronger relationships, and be innovative together,” explains Karen Borain, Training and Development Manager for the Tsogo Sun Academy. The programme lasts five days and includes lectures by experts in different fields, experiential training, field visits to restaurants, demonstrations, and more. Between 10 and 15 teams consisting of executive chefs and F&B managers undertook the training in five-day blocks. Plans are in place to roll out further programmes this year.
Janine van Zyl is named this year’s Huletts Sweet Young Chef “From decadent cakes piled high with brightly coloured macarons, to exciting sweet and sour savoury dishes, expert fine dining desserts and mini puddings on tasting platters, it was very exciting to see how the contestants had used their imagination to come up with recipes that utilised Huletts products,” said Elsu Gericke, SA Chefs’ Certification Manager. With such strong entries, it was tough to choose a winner, but for the Huletts representatives, what made Van Zyl’s entry stand out was her use of the different flavoured Huletts syrups, as well as the sugars, in a dish that was very appealing to the eye, skilful in technique and unique in its flavour profiles. A young chef with plenty of ambition, at just 24 years of age, van Zyl is the owner of her own artisan ice cream business – Cold Gold Artisan Ice-Cream and Sorbet – which is based in Stellenbosch. With a passion for sweet things, Van Zyl utilised the Huletts products with excellence to create an exceptional chocolate dessert.
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competition that challenged young chefs to utilise the wide range of Huletts products in innovative and exciting ways, the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs) is pleased to announce that Janine van Zyl with her ‘Chocolate Carnival’ dish is the winner of the inaugural Sweet Young Chef Competition. A brand new competition on the South African culinary calendar, SA Chefs and Huletts launched the Huletts Sweet Young Chef Competition in 2014 as a celebration of the endless possibilities of cooking and baking with sugar. This competition encouraged young chefs, under the age of 25, to submit one original recipe and photograph of the dish to SA Chefs. The dish could be sweet or savoury, and could be a starter, main course, dessert or teatime treat. The key was to present a dish that was out of the ordinary and that would showcase the Huletts range in imaginative ways. SA Chefs received over 20 entries into the competition, and the judges were thrilled to obtain such strong, creative, stylish and skilful submissions. A real testament to the culinary talent in the country, most of the dishes were very well thought out and demonstrated the incredibly diverse uses of sugar and sugarrelated products in the Huletts range.
Her decadent dessert was made up of a flourless dark chocolate cake, white chocolate sorbet, dehydrated chocolate mousse barrels filled with different fillings (raspberry and chocolate, coconut and chocolate, and salted caramel), fresh pomegranates, pomegranate gel, chocolate soil, chocolate tuile, vanilla glass, spiced tuile, lime ‘popping’ candy and vanilla salt. “Chocolate and the Huletts products were my main inspiration for creating this dish. I wanted to highlight the different elements of the flavour profiles of couveture chocolates. If you think of the underlying flavour profiles of chocolate (lime, raspberry, pomegranate, vanilla etc.) you start thinking of different colours - a carnival of colours and flavours,” says Janine van Zyl, the winner of the Huletts Sweet Young Chef Competition about her ‘Chocolate Carnival’ dessert. “The range of Huletts products enabled me to highlight flavour profiles of the chocolate elements and all other components of the dish. With the variety and types of sugars used in various forms, I was able to achieve different flavours without making the dish overly sweet. The products are also convenient and save preparation time as the syrups are already made and the sugars already caramelised or flavoured. I use Huletts products often as the quality of products is consistently good,” Van Zyl continues. As the winner of the Huletts Sweet Young Chef competition, Van Zyl wins R4000. CHEF! Issue 43 |
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Happenings
Chocolate Carnival By Janine van Zyl, winner of the Huletts Sweet Young Chef Competition 2014
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lourless dark chocolate cake, white chocolate sorbet, dehydrated chocolate mousse barrels filled with different fillings (raspberry and chocolate, coconut and chocolate, and salted caramel), fresh pomegranates, pomegranate gel, chocolate soil, chocolate tuile, vanilla glass, spiced tuile, lime ‘popping’ candy, vanilla salt.
Dark chocolate cake
White chocolate sorbet
Serves 10 Ingredients: 180g Chocolate, Dark, 85% cocoa 200g Butter 6 ea Eggs 180ml Huletts Caramel Syrup
Makes: 1 Litre Ingredients: 900 g Chocolate, White, Valrhona 1ea Vanilla, Pod, seeds only 600 ml Water 600ml Huletts Caramel Syrup
Method: • Preheat the oven to 150°C. • Lightly grease a 28cm spring form cake tin with butter, then line with baking paper. • Melt the cacao and butter in bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water. Remove from the heat, stir to mix well, then set aside to cool slightly. • Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk until ribbon stage. • Fold the syrup into the beaten eggs until just combined, then fold the egg mixture into the melted chocolate and butter mixture (with a metal spoon a third at a time). • Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and place in a baking tray filled with boiling water that comes up to halfway up the sides of the cake tin. • Bake for 25 minutes or until just set. • Leave to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Method: • Bring the water, syrup and vanilla to a boil • Pour over the white chocolate, whisk until completely melted and strain. • Immediately pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. • Put in the freezer until ready to serve.
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Dehydrated chocolate mousse barrels Ingredients: 300g 5 ea 400g 100g
Chocolate, Dark, 85% cocoa Eggs, yolks Eggs, whites Huletts Castor Sugar
Method: • Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. • Whisk the egg yolks then temper the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture. • Make a meringue with the egg whites and castor sugar then gently fold into the meringue mixture. • Spread onto a large tray lined with cellophane and leave in a dehydrator/ultrasham until firm • When firm, leave at room temperature for 1 hour then cut into three 10cm x 4cm rectangles per portion. • Also cut circles with a diameter of 1.7cm (5 per portion).
Raspberry and chocolate filling Ingredients: 500g Raspberries 200g Huletts Strawberry Syrup 500g Chocolate, Dark, 85% cocoa, chopped 230g Cream 250g Cream, whipped Method: • Puree the raspberries and syrup in a blender/food processor and reduce until thickened in a pan over low heat. Set aside. • Bring the 230g cream to a boil then pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. • Fold the cream into the melted chocolate mixture. • Swirl the raspberry puree into the chocolate cream in a steady stream then leave in the freezer or a Blast chiller to set. • When set cut out with a cutter with a 1.5cm diameter and fold a rectangle around it. • Cover the bottom and top ends with a chocolate circle and leave in the fridge till service.
Salted caramel filling Ingredients: 126g Chocolate, White, Valrhona, chopped 35g Huletts Castor Sugar 14g Water 90g Cream 7g Huletts Golden Syrup 5g Salt, Maldon 21g Butter, cut into blocks Method: • Put the cream and glucose in a pot and bring to scalding point. • Put the water and castor sugar in another pot and bring to a stage where the sugar is smoking and melted but not burnt. • Pour the cream into the caramel and whisk to combine (of the heat) • Pour the caramel over the white chocolate and stir until melted. • Stir in the salt and butter until completely incorporated and melted then put into a piping bag. • Leave in the fridge to firm up. • When firm enough to handle form a barrel shape with the dehydrated mousse rectangle and ‘glue’ the bottom with a little caramel. • Fill the barrel with the caramel and ‘seal’ the top with a circle. • Leave in the fridge until service. Only a few elements of the full ‘Chocolate Carnival’ recipe are presented here. To view the full recipe, please visit www.saca.co.za CHEF! Issue 43 |
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Happenings
City Lodge Hotel Group named Accommodation Sponsor of the SA National Culinary Team
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he South African National Culinary Team, our Springboks of the food world, represent the chefs of our country on the global gastronomic stage. We are thrilled to announce that the City Lodge Hotel Group is now the team’s official Accommodation Sponsor, and will support the team from now until the IKA Culinary Olympics 2016. A team of some of South Africa’s most talented and dedicated chefs, the SA National Culinary Team is made up of members that are based in both Gauteng and the Western Cape. Under the leadership of renowned chef Heinz Brunner, the team practices every two months at different venues across the country. Travel is necessary to ensure that the team can practice together effectively, and accommodation costs can become very costly. The Association is therefore both humbled and proud to have the support of the City Lodge Hotel Group, who has generously agreed to supply hotel accommodation for the outof-town team members for practices and important events. “We are training hard, developing an exceptional menu and working as a team to produce world-class food that represents
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South Africa’s culinary scene with excellence. We couldn’t do this without the support of our fantastic sponsors and partners. A huge thank you goes to the City Lodge Hotel Group for their support as our Accommodation Sponsor. This will assist the team and I tremendously in our quest for gold,” says Chef Heinz Brunner, the manager of the South African National Culinary Team. The SA National Culinary Team is working hard to represent our country with excellence at the IKA Culinary Olympics, which is taking place in Erfurt, Germany from 22 to 26 October 2016. The world’s ultimate culinary challenge, the competition will see National Culinary Teams from across the globe compete in categories such as the Hot Kitchen, Cold Table and Sugar Sculpture. The Association and the SA National Culinary Team are sincerely grateful to the City Lodge Hotel Group for its support, and look forward to a fruitful, exciting partnership. Imperial Logistics, through one of its operating companies LSC, are the Headline Sponsors of the South African National Culinary Team.
at Kurland Hotel Leon Coetzee, the Executive Chef of the beautiful Kurland Hotel in Plettenberg Bay, gives us his top ten tales from the kitchen.
1
There’s nothing worse than a polo horse wandering into the organic herb and vegetable garden when you’re in the middle of a busy service and you need to get some herbs.
2
We like to inspire our chefs by playing funky disco music during prep.
3
We do many high profile weddings on the Estate and one near disaster was when a wheel fell of the cake trolley as we were making our grand entrance towards the wedding couple.
4
A VVIP guest was determined to show off his culinary skills in the kitchen and help cook his family meal. He literally set the frying pan on fire and we had to evacuate the kitchen.
5
Event planners are great but on one occasion, mistakenly, they had the wrong menu printed and instead of a 40th birthday menu presented on the table it was for a 60th, aging the quest instantly.
6
At a recent polo match, during a busy service, all the vehicles got stuck in the mud on the fields due to a sudden downpour, and mine was the only vehicle available to help tow the spectators out. Talk about juggling.
7
A couple of years ago we lowered the lights in the polo pavilion so the birthday girl could blow out her candles. All went according to plan until the lights fused and wouldn’t come back on. So the rest of the evening was, let’s say, romantically dark with candles. Nobody even noticed.
8
We once lost the keys to the padlock for the walk-in fridge during service and had to call maintenance to unscrew the hinges so we could get in.
9
A burst geyser can really put a damper on things, especially when it bursts and you have to cook in Wellington boots while standing on crates so that you can work.
10
When I was in Dubai, I slipped in the kitchen and didn’t realise that I had ripped all the tendons and muscles in my left shoulder until I went to my doctor two days later. Yeah it hurt at the time but the adrenaline rush of working in a fast paced kitchen masked the pain. CHEF! Issue 43 |
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behind the scenes
10 Behind the Scenes Moments
hot topic
How are you dealing with:
Load Shedding? Everyone’s talking about it, so we asked the industry how it's coping with load shedding and if they’ve made any adjustments to deal with the issue better.
Chef Genghis San of Protea Hotel Fire & Ice Menlyn says hotels are usually well-equipped with reliable generators. “However, if a generator were to fail, I would do what has been always been done by chefs: go back to the basics. There is nothing you can’t cook on fire and I would fall back on all our gas facilities. You can do anything on a gas stove – including making toast in a pan.” Genghis San, Protea Hotel Fire & Ice Menlyn
“Fortunately this doesn’t really affect us at Shamwari Game Reserve as we have generators and gas stoves at all our lodges. Although, as we are situated an hour from the city we always have to be prepared for anything. From the maintenance, food & beverage to hospitality departments we always have a backup plan to ensure guests receive the best service and attention. We have been lucky with our suppliers who have kept us up to date on what is and isn’t available but we do also grow a lot of herbs and vegetables on the reserve so that really helps. I think that during this time of load shedding, communication is vital for Chefs and suppliers.”Sharelda van Niekerk, Shamwari Game Reserve
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“Tsogo Sun Invested heavily in generators for nearly all our larger hotel properties during the power outages in 2008 and are therefore well equipped to deal with load shedding, although there is some impact in the smaller budget properties. All casino floors have generators and many of the Entertainment complexes have full coverage of generating power. As an example, at Montecasino the entire complex can be independently operated via a large scale generator farm that we have installed. This means the casino as well as all restaurants, movies and other facilities are operational during load shedding. From a company point of view however, it is significantly more expensive to run on generator than on main line electricity supply, and you run the risk of mechanical failure of the equipment. The load shedding also impacts traffic flows, which can have a negative impact on people’s ability to visit our facilities." Marcel von Aulock, CEO of Tsogo Sun
“We at Ellerman House are fortunate to have a generator, but we still have to look at adjusting our menus slightly as we can’t have all our equipment running as per normal. Finding innovative cold dishes to serve has been fun and has stretched our imaginations. Thank goodness it has been warm weather and we have been able to serve fresh salads, chilled soups and terrines. The summer fruits and vegetables available at the moment are so lovely. Planning is important but we have an awesome maintenance team who are always around to help because for us closing the kitchen isn’t an option.” Veronica Canha-Hibbert, Ellerman House
“Fortunately for us here at Kurland Hotel we have a generator and it also helps that we have a substantial herb and vegetable garden so we pick what we need, when we need it.” Leon Coetzee, Kurland Hotel
INTRODUCING VULCAN SAPIENS
VULCAN CATERING EQUIPMENT
For those looking for a high quality and high performance oven but are afraid that too much technology and interactivity will suppress their own personality and creativity. For those who aren’t looking for advanced electronics but who wish to cook and program with simple and manual commands but without giving up the precision of electronic controls. For those looking for an oven that is responsive to their commands yet sturdy, suited to everything yet advanced, traditional in approach yet full of content, reassuring and efficient Vulcan has just the thing. It is called Sapiens.
ECOSPEED With the Ecospeed function, by recognizing the quantity and type of product being cooked, Sapiens optimizes and controls the delivery of energy and maintains the correct cooking temperature, preventing any fluctuations. Result: You use only the amount of energy needed and maximise energy efficiency. -10% energy / -30% water / -5% weight loss
GREEN FINE TUNING The new GFT (Green Fine Tuning) burner modulation system and the patented high efficiency exchanger prevent power waste and reduce harmful emissions. -10% energy / -10% CO2 (Gas Units)
DRY, CRISPY COOKING The patented Fast Dry® system (active cooking chamber dehumidification system) ensures perfect crispiness and browning of fried foods, grilled foods, desserts and bread, even at full loads. It uses 100% of the load capacity.
ECOVAPOR Sapiens recognizes the level of steam and only uses the amount of energy required. With the EcoVapor system, there is a definite reduction in water and energy consumption thanks to automatic control of the steam saturation in the cooking chamber. -10% energy / -30% water / -10% steam
TENDER, JUICY COOKING The Autoclima® system automatically controls the perfect climate in the cooking chamber. The temperature and humidity are automatically controlled at the ideal levels according to the food to be cooked. Juiciness and tenderness are also ensured when warming pre-cooked foods.
REGIONAL SALES OFFICES
CAPE TOWN
EAST LONDON
BLOEMFONTEIN
JOHANNESBURG - Head Office
TEL: (021) 510 5010 e-mail: ctsales@vulcan.co.za
TEL: (043) 722 2883/5 e-mail: elsales@vulcan.co.za
email: pierres@vulcan.co.za
DURBAN
PORT ELIZABETH
NELSPRUIT
TEL: (031) 569-7800 e-mail: dbnsales@vulcan.co.za
TEL: (041) 360 0807 e-mail: pesales@vulcan.co.za
TEL: (013) 753 3282 email: jacquesv@vulcan.co.za
TEL: (011) 249 8500 e-mail: jhbsales@vulcan.co.za www.vulcan.co.za
TEL: (051) 430 6167
Flavours Trend Watch: Ramen What? Ramen is a noodle-in-broth dish, typically associated
Must-know Ramen Terms:
with student-type food in America because it’s cheap and quick to prepare. But no more! Globally, chefs are jazzing up the dish with broths in a variety of different flavours, fresh ingredients, authentically created noodles and interesting flavour profiles. The dish is thought to have originated in China before spreading to Japan, and most credit restaurateur David Chang for introducing the high-end noodle bar concept to America.
Tonkotsu: Ramen with broth made from pork bones. Shoyu: Made with lots of soy sauce for an umami hit. Shio: Made with salt and a combination of chicken, vegetables, fish or seaweed. Miso: Uses miso paste to create a thicker, slightly sweet soup.
Why? Because it’s delicious, comforting and an easy palette for chefs to add their own creative flair.
It’s all about that Broth Get creative: Ramen basics dictate that it should have noodles, a broth, and it should be packed full of flavour. Change the flavour of the broth to complement the protein you use, and add different vegetables and condiments. Build-your-own Ramen bars take this dish a step further – the restaurant creates a base broth and patrons add their own noodles, veggies, proteins and condiments. The dish can also be adapted to a brunch dish with thick-cut bacon and a soft boiled egg.
Where can I try it? Downtown Ramen in Cape Town – simply presenting just two options (tofu and pork belly), the noodles sit in a flavour-packed broth together with the protein, egg, chilli, sesame seeds and spring onions.
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A new trend hit the streets of New York this winter - instead of grabbing a hot cup of coffee or tea, hip New Yorkers are lining up to get a cup of broth. The broth is low in sodium and high in collagen, with many health benefits being touted such as shinier hair and stronger nails. The broth is made from boiling down grass-fed animal bones and meat to create nutrient-rich stocks, and patrons can customise their beverage with add-ins such as chilli oil, mushroom tea or bone marrow. It’s warming and healthy, tapping into the trend of going back to basics and using artisanal methods and sustainable ingredients.
Jackie's high five: indigenous ingredients Jackie Cameron chooses proudly South African ingredients we should see more of on menus.
amadumbi
amazi
The humble amadumbi is an unpretentious, underutilised indigenous tuber vegetable. How many times have you been asked if you want your meal with mash, rice or a baked potato? Amadumbis are readily available in KwaZulu-Natal and I’m surprised that I have never seen them on a menu. International guests are enthusiastic about trying something uniquely South African - especially when we call it our African potato. We should follow their enquiring and inquisitive interest by placing local ingredients on our tables more often. Come on, be adventurous!
You need to have been raised on amazi to truly appreciate its flavour and texture. I like to pour it into an oil filter which I place in a sieve and leave overnight to drain into a large bowl. To the curd or izaqheqhe I add herbs and use as a spread - almost like ricotta. The whey or umlaza I use to ferment cabbage and then serve as a side dish. The options are endless.
biltong
Makowe mushrooms
It’s a mystery why we dig deep into our pockets for expensive Italian charcuterie when we produce one of the world’s best cured meats – biltong. It doesn’t have to be dried out as some connoisseurs prefer it; finely-sliced, wet biltong can be used for as many - and even more purposes - as its international cousin, the Italian salami.
Makowe mushrooms are well known on the KwaZuluNatal coast. They grow wild; and seemingly pop up overnight in the sugar cane fields after lightning storms. So, should you find me foraging in the sugar cane, you’ll know what I’m doing.
naartjie The unassuming naartjie has many names mandarin, Christmas orange, tangerine - but our word naartjie has been used in South Africa since 1790, so in my book that qualifies it to be indigenous. The next time you decide to include a citrus tart on your menu use naartjies and see your guests’ expressions - I’m sure they’ll appreciate the sweet acidity. Jackie Cameron is the owner of the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal which is opening in January 2015. Jackie has often featured on the Eat Out Top 10 restaurant list and is a judge in the annual Eat Out Produce Awards which recognises small South African producers. Visit www.jackiecameron.co.za
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Flavours
Restaurants Our pick of interesting eateries from around the country.
Cosecha
restaurant at the Noble Hill wine estate in Paarl offers fresh, Latin-inspired dishes on its concise menu. It’s a lighter, zestier take on Mexican food than we’re used to in South Africa, with breakfast available all day, and tapas-style dishes as well as mains on offer.
Eat the fabulous fish tacos, the guacamole prepared table-side, the Carnitas tacos (pulled pork tacos) or the Huevos rancheros (eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce). Enjoy your meal al fresco on the terrace, surrounded by succulents and with views over the lawn and down to the dam. Food is made from scratch and to order, so it’s a great spot for a long, lazy lunch. Drink the delicious Noble Hill Sauvignon Blanc at cellar door price, or try some of the Japanese beers that the wine estate exclusively distributes. www.cosecharestaurant.com. By Sarah Majoribanks
Teta Mari
restaurant and deli, situated in the small Illovo Square shopping centre in Johannesburg, is a relaxed, family-run eatery that serves cuisine inspired by the Middle East and America. Serving made-fromscratch food with plenty of soulful flavour, Teta Mari is open daily for breakfast and lunch.
Eat the amazing falafel, which can be enjoyed as a burger, in a shawarma or salad, or on a wooden board accompanied by hummus, tahini, punchy pesto, moreish aubergine crisps and lightly toasted pitas. Be sure to leave space for a slice of their dense, moist apple cake. Enjoy a quick weekday lunch between meetings or a leisurely breakfast or lunch over the weekend. The homely, comforting atmosphere at Teta Mari will make you want to stay a while. Drink their freshly squeezed apple juice with fresh mint and cucumber, or tuck into their good selection of local wines that will suit every pocket. www.facebook. com/tetamarirestaurant. By Lauren van Zyl
Bramon Wine Estate
in Plettenberg Bay was the first winery in the area, and produces exceptional still white wines and sparkling Methode Cap Classique. Nestled in the Bramon vines is a wonderful restaurant where you can while away an afternoon drinking bubbly and tucking into tapas.
Eat tapas! The restaurant serves divine, locally sourced cheeses, charcuterie, oysters, pates and dips and their soft, knotted bread, baked daily on site, is amazing. Enjoy an afternoon of delicious food and wine in the vineyards of this familyrun estate, overlooking the Tsitsikamma Mountains and The Elephant Sanctuary. Drink the Bramon 2008 MCC, which has a fine bubble with melon aromas and hints of green pepper. The Bramon Blanc de Blanc is also a delicious wine, created using the chardonnay grape. For a still white wine, The Crags, is a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc with hints of tropical granadilla and passion fruit on the nose. www.bramonwines.co.za. By Lauren van Zyl 16
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sip & swirl these wines of the month
Viognier
Nebukadnesar is the newest addition to the Babylonstoren wine family and this is the 2012 vintage. It celebrates the diversity of the farm’s gardens and brings together five Bordeaux cultivars, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot leading the pack. Each wine was made separately and matured in French oak for two years. It’s a lovely young wine, so buy now and keep for later. Cellar door price is R270.
Together with the Nebukadnesar, the 2012 Babylonstoren Chardonnay is part of the flagship range. This second vintage of the wine is closer to a Burgundian style, displaying butterscotch and vanilla tones which are balanced by fresh citrus flavours. It’s pale gold with a textured creaminess and tangy mineral tones. Cellar door price is R185.
Chardonnay
Nebukadnesar
While Babylonstoren in the Drakenstein Valley is perhaps best known for its luscious gardens, it’s been producing a fine range of wines since the completion of its winery four years ago. “My wine making tries to capture the essence of Babylonstoren in a bottle,” says Babylonstore winemaker Charl Coetzee. “We love honesty, simplicity, diversity and timelessness.” If you visit the farm, you’ll be able to take an hour-long walking tour which will give insight into the farm’s history, as well as it’s wine growing heritage. While you’re there, try out these three wines:
The 2014 Babylonstoren Viognier is rich and balanced, showcasing dried peach and apricots, and spicy notes on the nose. Its creaminess comes from a small percentage of the wine being matured in oak barrels for 8 months. Cellar door price is R108.
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Flavours
Recognising quality and protecting culinary heritage Whether it is Champagne in France or Parmigiano Reggiano in Italy, Europe has for years realised the potential and need to protect their locally produced food products that are inseparable from its terroir. There is only one place in the world where the forces come together so magically and produce a product with such specific characteristics and superior quality that it is worth protecting. This magic is not exclusive to Europe. We also have it. It has taken South Africa a long time to develop the same pride in our homegrown products and the highlight has undoubtedly been our first origin certified food product: Karoo Lamb.
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or years we have called any lamb on our menus Karoo Lamb, as long as the butcher said so. There was little guarantee and even less traceability. This is no longer the case. Through a lengthy and complex process the Karoo Development Foundation have registered a set of rules with the Department of Trade and Industry that specifies what constitutes Karoo Lamb. Today regulation 47 of R146 which was issued under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act No 54 of 1972 prohibits the use of the term Karoo Lamb, unless the product is
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indeed linked to the protocol registered with the Department of Agriculture, or regulations in terms of the Agricultural Products Standards Acts No 119 of 1990 or the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act No 5 of 2008. But what exactly is Karoo Lamb? Professor Johann Kirsten, member of the Karoo Development Foundation and head of the Department Agricultural Economics at the University Pretoria, explains that the greatest challenge in the certification process was not to determine what Karoo Lamb is, but rather “where is the Karoo.”
Studies have shown that the unique flavour attributes of Karoo Lamb is derived from the indigenous veld vegetation in the region, specifically the “Silverkaroo”, “Skaapbossie”, “Kapokbossie”, “Rivierganna”, “Ankerkaroo” and “Perdebos”. In order for farmers to be classified as a Karoo Lamb farmer, they have to proof that the six abovementioned Karoo bushes are present on more than 60% of their grazing fields. The fact that this vegetation does not keep to municipal or provincial boundaries caused some debate as farmers who
fall outside of the “traditional” Karoo boundaries can now, according to this definition based on vegetation, also be regarded as Karoo farmers. A further specification is that the animals have to be reared through a free range grazing system and supplementary feed may not exceed 30% of the animal’s daily intake. Sheep (regardless of breed) have to be born in the region or spend at least six months in the Karoo before slaughter. Good animal welfare ranging from medical treatment to sheering and transportation methods are also monitored through this process. Karoo Lamb must travel no further than 250km to the abattoir who has to be registered with the Red Meat Abattoir Association of South Africa and have a HAS (Hygiene Assessment System) rating of at least 75%. Carcasses are tagged with a serial number and barcode after grading, classification and weighing. The carcass tag also includes the abattoir name,
contact details and it is affixed to the Achilles tendon. Certified Karoo Meat of Origin abattoirs will also ink the distinctive windmill stamp on the leg of the carcass. As the meat move to packing and processing plants, retailers or butchers follow the traceability system, and when meat is packed a Karoo Meat of Origin Label is affixed including the packer’s certification number as well as a label with a barcode and information regarding the cut, weight and price of the packaged meat. According to Professor Kirsten the certification mark guarantees: 1. That the sheep meat originates from the Karoo region 2. The sheep was reared as free range 3. There are no added routine antibiotics or hormones This guarantee is not only a victory for consumers who can now confidently pay a bit more for the quality they are promised,
but for the first time the economic benefits derived from this quality product will go to the Karoo - where it belongs. The name “Karoo Lamb” has been misappropriated for long enough. Kirsten also received news at the end of last year that the European Union will accept our certification of Karoo Lamb and also protect it according to its PGO and PGI certification system in Europe. It is not only about technical correctness and giving the farmers the credit that is due, but also about taking ownership and protecting our culinary heritage. Biltong, rooibos, bunny chow, boerewors, umngqusho - it is all part of our DNA as South Africans and all worth protecting. And with recent statistics showing that biltong is contributing R2 billion to the economy a year, it could also be good for business to protect our culinary heritage. Where can I find Karoo Lamb for my menu? Visit www.karoomeatoforigin. com for certified Karoo Lamb suppliers nationwide.
Adele Stiehler-van der Westhuizen is the Executive Chef of Prue Leith Chef’s Academy and is fascinated by the intricacies and history that is brought to the table by each ingredient.
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Create your Combination
www.ufs.com
Veggies deserve so much more than just salt and pepper. It’s time to try our unique all-in-one seasoning.
Spruce up your Sides Don’t let your vegetable side dishes get stuck in a rut! By using a combination of fresh vegetables and Robertsons Veggie Seasoning, you can create a variety of tasty and unforgettable dishes.
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e all love creamed spinach and butternut, but often these are the only option customers have if they want veggies on the side. Think outside the box and keep your food costs down by looking at what’s seasonal when you’re planning your menu. Cook vegetables simply to retain their unique taste, and just add Robertsons Veggie Seasoning to lift flavour and enhance visual appeal. Robertsons Veggie Seasoning is a unique combination of herbs, spices, garlic, chilli and vegetables. The Seasoning can be used in a number of different ways, but here are a few ideas of how you can use Robertsons Veggie Seasoning to complement your side dishes:
In fact, there are so many ways you can use the Seasoning blend, the opportunities are endless! Drizzle olive oil and Robertsons Veggie Seasoning on slices of aubergine or butternut before roasting quickly on a high heat.You can also mix Robertsons Veggie Seasoning with orange juice and baste carrots and sweet potatoes as they roast. With so many ways to use this unique spice blend, Robertsons Veggie Seasoning allows chefs to get creative with their vegetable side dishes, knowing that each dish will be perfectly flavourful and wellbalanced.
One of the simplest ways to use the Seasoning is to mix it through vegetables that have been steamed or blanched, keeping the calories down but adding a savoury hit of flavour to what can often be bland dishes. Mix Robertsons Veggie Seasoning with melted butter and stir through grilled or roasted vegetables such as onions, sweet potatoes and broccoli. Braised cabbage is given a boost of flavour with Robertsons Veggie Seasoning and a splash of olive oil, and you can even sprinkle the Seasoning on salads before serving.
View m combina ore tions at www.ufs.c om
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chef profile
Ugashnie Moodley Becoming a chef may not have been Chef Ugashnie Moodley’s original plan, but clearly it was meant to be! Today the RoyalMnandi chef holds the position of Executive Chef at South Africa’s illustrious Hilton College in KwaZulu-Natal’s Midlands. The chef chats to us about how she got started as a chef, what catering at Hilton College involves, and what some of the highlights are.
Why did you decide to become a chef and when did you start working at RoyalMnandi? Becoming a chef happened by absolute chance! After having an incredible dinner at Christina Martin School of Food and Wine one evening I thought I would humour my folks in suggesting a career as a professional chef. My folks were completely surprised as I had already decided to pursue a career in food technology, but the rest as they say is history. I started working for RoyalMnandi in February 2012. Where have you worked before? Working at the Unilever Head Office in Durban was my first stint with RoyalMnandi. Then, two years ago I was offered the honour of being the Executive Chef of Hilton College. It was a nobrainer for me, and it’s been an amazing couple of years. What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a chef working at Hilton College? Like any other chef my patience and sense of humour does tend to run out once in a while, but I am blessed to have extremely hard working and dedicated kitchen staff. I also have so much fun trying to sneak in as many veggies as possible into the boys’ meals every day! 22
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And the highlights? Highlights at Hilton include teas for 3 000 people at the annual Hilton vs Michaelhouse Day, as well as catering for various prestigious events held at the school. Also, the prospective parents’ weekend is a highlight. This is a lavish weekend where prospective parents are wined and dined, which ends with a beautiful spread at the river. What kind of catering do you provide for Hilton College? We have full boarding at the college for all the boys and meals include breakfast, morning tea , lunch and dinner. We keep our menus seasonal, introducing new flavours, seasonings and a variety of different styles of cooking. Our boys enjoy a good braai – we are privileged to have an amazing butcher onsite who skilfully makes the most delicious cured meats, sausages, wors and biltong, just to name a few items. Hilton is situated in the KZN midlands and we are spoilt with locally sourced fresh produce. What kind of facilities do you operate in? A commercial kitchen which includes a butchery and bakery. We produce freshly baked breads and pastries daily. How do you ensure consistency when catering such large amounts? We have implemented standardised recipes and staff are trained continuously. We also buy the freshest ingredients where possible and choose the best suppliers, which helps us produce the finest quality food for the boys. CHEF! Issue 43 |
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chef profile
Stefano Strafella We caught up with the Executive Chef of the African Pride Mount Grace Country House and Spa in Magaliesburg to find out why he decided to become a chef, his style of cooking and how he feels South African chefs compare internationally.
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Why did you decide to become a chef? It was by accident. I wanted to be an architect, but had to do my military service in the 80s, and landed up being a chef in the army. I quite enjoyed it, and just continued working in this field. How did you train? My training was purely apprenticeship. In fact, I’m still training. Who would you consider as your mentors? I have many. I guess the ones that stand out are Billy Gallagher, Heinz Brunner, Manfred Reinhard and Garth Stroebel, since at some point in my career I have either worked with them, or had some dealings through the South African Chefs Association. How would you describe your style of cooking? I’m strong on my Italian heritage, so I love the Mediterranean style of eating and cuisine. And how would you describe the cuisine at Mount Grace? It’s a difficult one, because chefs are not required to enforce their styles, but rather are led by demand, which is so varied. I guess it’s just about satisfying demand. What have some of the highlights of working at Mount Grace been? And challenges? The first time around, it was just about being good at every aspect of service and hospitality, which was achieved largely due to the niche market it aimed itself at. Today it’s just about survival, because there are so many good places out there. The challenges are diverse guests, and keeping them happy, any which way. How do you source your ingredients? We try our best to use local food from around the Magaliesburg area. The only thing we import is Scottish Salmon.
What do you think of South African chefs and how do we compare internationally? We are a great bunch of chefs, working tirelessly to change and improve working conditions, and to constantly keep South Africa in the limelight as far as cuisine is concerned. We certainly have challenges – things that have been learnt and experienced worldwide but that we need to go through ourselves in order to improve. What are some of the flavours and ingredients that you’ve been concentrating on recently? Coffee, honey, tea, organic salts, herbs How do you manage stress in the kitchen? I think of my family, happy thoughts, smile and wave. Used to be different, but those things don’t work anymore.
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Young Chefs corner
Welcome to our crazy, exciting, competitive industry! Young chefs, as you embark on your path as a student at culinary school, you are beginning a lifelong adventure and learning path that will see you come face to face with many, many unsung heroes and extremely talented individuals.
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hen you see these people I am sure you will think to yourself, how did they get there and what does it take for me to get there? Well, my advice to you is the advice I received from all of the senior chefs that have had an impact on my career‌ Think beyond the CV It is not so much about how long or where you have worked; what is most valuable is that you have been in a place where you have learnt a lot and that has taught you how to execute a task properly. Even if you have been working in a small cafÊ, now moving to a large kitchen, if you can show that you were amazing in that position you will more likely have a great reference under your belt and will be able to catch the attention of the chef in charge. Salary is NOT everything Money will come later. Rather look for chefs and establishments that will enhance your skills, teach you more and offer you more growth potential; these places, in the long run, turn out better than some of the establishments that pay a lot more. There is always someone better out there Believe me, the day you think you are the best, is the day you stop learning and the day you stop learning you have failed yourself as a chef. It’s as simple as that. 26
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Find your own sense of style and food You will receive ample amounts of advice, lessons, technique critique and combinations of all of the above, but at the end of the day, the food you cook needs to represent YOU. Use all the advice, experience and teachings to your advantage to produce food that is a unique expression of your personal style as a chef. With the above said, I think the best advice that I can give you is to get involved, take part and ask questions. These three things will do more for you than you will ever know. The South African Chefs Association Young Chefs Club and the South African Chefs Association are both here for you, but you have to want it, you have to come and get it. Once you have reached out to your support structures you will not regret it, you will reap the benefits and you will come into contact with the most generous, knowledgeable and skilful chefs in the country. We are here for you. There is no better time, nor place, to be a young chef then now, so take advantage and grow to become the next Master Chef! I hope to see you very soon, and don’t be shy, come up to me… I’d love to get to know you. Follow us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sacsastudents Adrian Vigus-Brown is the Chairman of the SA Chefs Young Chefs Club and is the WorldChefs Young Chefs Ambassador for Africa and the Middle East.
Inspiration for young chefs Matric student Rebecca Bourhill was lucky enough to chat with the legendary Prue Leith about a career as a chef, and she shares this advice with you here.
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orn and raised here in South Africa, Prue Leith moved to London and started a catering business before later opening Leith’s – a Michelin starred Restaurant. Six years after opening her restaurant she opened Leith’s School of Food and Wine. After running all three businesses successfully she sold them off to pursue her love for writing. She has now written four novels and many cookery books, and is a judge on The Great British Menu. Prue has the ability to make everything she says inspiring and it all just made perfect sense to me. Here are some of the highlights of our conversation: • What stood out in our chat was how passionately she spoke – not just about the kitchen and restaurant side of things, but also about the other avenues which she has been able to explore through her success in the food industry. • She recounted a story of a young man who left school at age 12, went off the rails and then turned to cooking as a way out of trouble. After being in prison, he started as an apprentice in a restaurant where he spent time learning everything about food. He is now the head chef in a restaurant, doing well and training others. This feel-good story makes you realise that food has the ability to heal – it’s more than just something you eat to fill your tummy. • Food can take you to places you never thought possible - it is a creative industry and very rewarding. However, it does not come easy. Cheffing is hard work and tiring. Prue gave me some great advice that I am going to pass on to you: “Never stay in a restaurant if they keep you in one place. Move around... get experience in all sides of a kitchen.” • Cheffing is forever changing – it is fashionable in England to become a chef. I’ve noticed that this trend is moving to South Africa, as more people want to get into the industry. I have been told many times that the first thing employers want to know before employing a chef, or even looking at your CV, is the chef school that you went to, and how long the course is. • The final words Prue left me with were: “Keep knocking on doors, and you will go far.” I intend to follow that advice all the way to the top. CHEF! Issue 43 |
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SA National Culinary Team
A Culinary masterpiece by Chef Henrico Grobbelaar
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hef Henrico Grobbelaar, the Executive Chef of Equus Cavalli Estate in Stellenbosch, is a valued member of the South African National Culinary Team. Constantly pushing his creativity and skill level, his cuisine is innovative and exciting, elevating classic dishes to inspiring heights. In this issue of Chef! Magazine, we present Chef Henrico’s Salmon Skewer with ponzu, watermelon and avocado.
Salmon Skewer, Ponzu, Watermelon, Avocado Light Cured Norwegian Salmon
Watermelon
Ingredients 500g Salmon, Norwegian 125g Salt, Medium 125g Sugar, Castor 1ea Lemon, Zest Only
Ingredients 1ea Water Melon 10ml Mirin
Method: • Remove the skin, bloodline and the pin bones from the salmon. • Combine the salt and sugar in a large bowl. • Zest the lemon over the bowl to catch all the essential oils and mist. • Roll the salmon in the curing mixture and leave to cure for 1.5 in the cure. • Keep in refrigerator. • Rinse off the curing medium, pat dry with kitchen towel. • Cut to desired shape and marinate in ponzu for 5 minutes before cooking
Ponzu Ingredients 35ml Mirin 120ml Sauce, Soy 30ml Tamari 30ml Vinegar, Rice 20ml Juice, Yuzu 3cm Seaweed, Kombu Dried Method: • Heat mirin in a small pot over medium heat for 1 minute to remove alcohol. • Mix all ingredients together and simmer for 0.5 hours, strain to reduce by half. • Use as needed with salmon. 28
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Method: Cut Into desired shapes and coat with mirin
Avocado Pulp Ingredients 2ea Gelatine, Leaves 35ml Limes, juice 375ml Avocado, Pureed 6ml Salt 2.5ml Tabasco Method: • Bloom the gelatine by submerging in cold water for 5 minutes. • Remove and squeeze out excess liquid. • Place lime juice and gelatine in a small pot and warm over low heat until gelatine has dissolved. • Peel and pit the avocados, blend until smooth. • Add the gelatine mixture, salt and tabasco while blending • Refrigerate for 1 hours or until set.
The South African National Culinary Team is proudly sponsored by Imperial Logistics through one of its operating companies LSC.
“The SA National Culinary Team is a place for chefs to go above and beyond cheffing. In our jobs, we do long hours and are under pressure all the time, and when you are on the team, even your down time becomes more kitchen time, allowing you to hone you skill and creativity. It takes a lot of commitment, discipline, focus and dedication to be on the team. This all culminates in two days of competition at the IKA Culinary Olympics, with 2000+ chefs in their whites battling it out for gold...this is the highest level of gastronomy and I am excited to compete,� says Chef Henrico.
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Human Resources
Interviewing 101 I am often asked for tips on how best to present your talents at an interview, one of the most stressful situations you can encounter. Often, just the mere thought of an interview can make your stomach turn like a pocket of Pommes château and your brow sweat like you've just eaten a vindaloo.
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here is a lot of pressure on chefs to present in a professional manner, especially as you are expected to interact with guests, build teams, control expenses as well as cook. I have five top tips for chefs on interviews:
Research Put simply, you need to do your homework. Find out about the company you will be seeing, the exec chef, the culinary style. Check out the menus. Try and eat in the restaurant if you have enough time in the days before the interview. What ingredients do the chefs use? Google is a great tool for research. Make sure you go into the meeting with as much knowledge as you can. It will help with the inevitable nerves. Make sure you know the venue for the interview and plan to leave with plenty of time in hand. Being late for an interview and stuck in traffic will put your blood pressure through the roof. Brush up on your basics because you may be asked how to make a blonde roux, a demiglace or a crème pâtissière. Get that wrong and you may see the door early.
Presentation I like to see a chef dress as a chef, so black pants, clean whites and shiny shoes. If you look like a chef you have an advantage already. But, be careful about having too many logos - you are not a Formula One driver. Tie back your hair, hide the tattoo depicting your ex-girlfriend and the Chinese writing that really says “sweet and sour pork and rice”. Be careful with piercings and big earrings. Don’t wear jeans and make sure there’s none of last night’s béarnaise sauce under your nails. Get the picture?
Portfolio I love to see great photos of a chef’s work, like you see in Food and Home and Chef! Magazine, professionally taken and well-styled. A good tip would be to put together an online portfolio of work and a brochure type hand-out of your best work. Pick 8 – 10 photos and present them to the interviewer with a proud flourish. Do not 30
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steal anyone else’s work from the interwebs – a quick google image search will expose you as a plagiarist and a fraud.
Demeanour Walk in with a purpose - no slouching, make eye contact and squeeze out a smile. Please don’t present your hand as the fish of the day, but a firm handshake please. Be professional, alert and answer questions in full; don’t give one word answers or “shaggy dog stories”- expand but do not overshare. Keep your ego in check but don’t forget to be confident about your talents. Oh, and no cussin’. You are not Gordon Ramsay
Cook off Be prepared for a cook off. This is an opportunity to show your skills. Most of our clients ask for a cook-off or a trial shift before making a final decision. This is a real chance to show the interviewers what you can do. Remember, they will watch your knife skills whilst you prep, your techniques, presentation and taste. A good idea would be to enter competitions with SA Chefs, which gives you plenty of opportunity to practise under pressure in front of critics. Even the top exec chefs are asked to do a practical test these days regardless of reputation and background Just one last thing, give some thought to who you would like to emulate or aspire to as a chef. Who are your role models? Most people would think themselves as Ramsay, Oliver, White, Roux or Nigella. But do not forget Dale-Roberts, Shnier, Higgs, Pearton, Dartnall, Cameron or Liebenberg. Stephen Hickmore not only runs Hickmore Recruitment but he is also an associate of the Hospitality Solutions Company (HSC), a prominent supplier of staff to 5 star hotels and hospitality industry in Johannesburg. Stephen can be reached on www.hospitality.co.za or hickmore@iafrica.com.
Upcoming Events
Be inspired at Hostex
with Host-ED Hostex has put together a fantastic lineup of speakers for its Host-ED programme, a series of free seminars that have carefully been selected to offer visitors insights into the dynamic hospitality industry. Attendees can learn from captains of industry who will offer insight, showcase innovation and highlight trends.
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fter months of planning a seminar programme that will deliver hardhitting, informative and educational content to a broad cross-section of the hospitality and foodservice industry, Hostex has announced the agenda for its three-day Host-ED Theatre. The Who’s Who of the industry have been secured to present talks on topics that get to the heart of the burning issues facing the industry today. Kicking off on the second day of Hostex, Monday 16 March, Host-ED presents an opening and keynote address by the Department of Trade & Industry on the DTI’s efforts to support the industry, what the DTI has in store for 2015 and how these operations will benefit the South African food & hospitality industry. Other presentations on the Monday include ‘South African purchasing trends: factors influencing SA consumer demand’; ‘The rise and success
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of trendy pop-up markets’; ‘2015 trends in food & drink’ by Chef Arnold Tanzer; ‘Sustainable tourism for SMMEs’ by Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) and the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP); and ‘Technology for the Future’ by Samsung. The lineup on Tuesday 17 March is similarly topical, starting with ‘The magic of food on the move: a fabulous pop-up street food experience’ taking a look at the phenomenon of food trucks. This is followed by ‘The SA foodie revolution: purity at its best’; Thereafter, the line-up includes presentations on ‘Social media with a smile’; ‘Funding for food and hospitality SMEs: accessing working capital that is flexible and convenient’ by Saska Nel of Retail Capital; and ‘Distinguishing SA’s top 10 restaurants’. On Wednesday 18 March, the final day of the expo, the programme begins with a presentation on ‘The South African
hospitality industry outlook for 2014 to 2018’; followed by presentations on ‘The Real Meal Revolution: the Banting phenomenon’; ‘Raising the bar menu – mixology trends’; ‘Catering for kids: the Holiday Inn case study’; ‘Local is lekker: stimulating domestic travel’; and a SASSI update on ‘Trends surrounding consumer awareness and sustainability’. Seats are available in the Host-ED theatre on a first-come-first-served basis so go to www.hostex.co.za for the full programme and make sure to get there early to secure your spot. Hostex takes place at Sandton Convention Centre from Sunday 15 to Wednesday 18 March, with the Host-ED programme available from Monday to Wednesday. Hostex is a trade expo and no under 18s, babies, toddlers or prams are permitted. For easy access and no entrance fee, pre-register on www.hostex.co.za.
Upcoming Events
SA Chefs Village a draw card at Hostex Johannesburg 2015 The South African Chefs Association is once again hosting the dynamic SA Chefs Village at Hostex Johannesburg 2015, which is taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 15 to 18 March 2015.
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ringing together top chef demonstrations, exciting competitions and the premier SA Chefs VIP Lounge, we are thrilled to have the support of naming right’s sponsor Excella Cooking Oils and main sponsors Nestle Professional and Bio Organics. Once again, we have top chefs demonstrating at this year’s SA Chefs Village at Hostex. Chef Edward Clegg will be impressing guests with his molecular gastronomy skills and Micky Lui, the executive chef of Sai Thai will be demonstrating how to get the perfect balance of Thai flavours just right. On the drinks side, Dominic Walsh from The March Hare will be whipping up fabulous cocktails that will be sure to impress your guests and Alicia Butler will be showing us how to be a master barista in our own establishments. The South African Chefs Association proudly supports local, free range produce, and as such is excited to once again have Caroline McCann, the owner of Braeside Meat Market, at the SA Chefs Village to talk about the benefits of knowing your supplier and cooking with grass-fed beef. Chef Kabelo Segone, a SA Chefs Director, is the 2015 Lucky Star ambassador chef. In this capacity he will be taking to the SA Chefs Village stage to demonstrate the convenience, health and taste benefits of cooking and catering with the Lucky Star products that South Africans know and love. Chef Adrian Vigus-Brown, the Chairman of the SACA Young Chefs Club in Gauteng and World Association of Chefs Societies 34
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The South African Chefs Association thanks the following sponsors and partners for making the SA Chefs Village at Hostex Johannesburg possible…
Sponsors Naming Right’s Sponsor: will be representing the young chefs of South Africa at Hostex and will be utilising Excella Cooking Oils and McCain’s freshly frozen foods to whip up a storm for guests. Adding to the Demonstration Arena, the SA Chefs Village at Hostex is also home to the Competitions Arena, where student chefs will be showcasing their technical abilities during the City & Guilds Skilled Student Challenge and both young and experienced chefs will be battling it out at the Lucky Star Innovations Competition. New to this year’s event is the SA Chefs VIP lounge. An exclusive space for SACA members, sponsors and special invited guests to network and mingle, in this area you can enjoy Avanti coffee, delicious Sir Juice, pastries by Rich’s and cheese boards by KEE Ingredients. On the last day of the conference, the VIP lounge will host our awards ceremony, and guests can tuck into delicious wine and cheese, as we toast to another successful event. “Hostex is one of the South African Chefs Association’s annual event highlights. It is a fantastic, well-run exhibition that brings together the best of South Africa’s hospitality industry under one roof. As South Africa’s premier hospitality show, we are proud and privileged to have been a part of Hostex for over 27 years. Hostex is a celebration of hospitality professionalism and culinary excellence and we look forward to this year’s event for more information sharing, business networking and camaraderie,” says South African Chefs Association Events Manager, Martin Greyling.
Main Sponsors: TM
Equipment Sponsors:
Competition Sponsors: Eat better. Live better.
VIP lounge Naming Right’s Sponsors:
Product Sponsors:
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NestlE Professional’s
global trends and local perspectives Deputy Executive Vice President of Nestlé Professional, Martial Rolland, was in Johannesburg recently to meet up with his South African-based team and to visit some of Nestlé Professional’s key operations in the area. Chef! Magazine interviewed him to find out more about global trends and the focus for Nestlé Professional in South Africa. What are some of the top global trends that you are seeing, that are also becoming prominent in South Africa? Worldwide, there is more of a focus towards natural, local and organic food. Where the product comes from is very important, and there is a value attached to it. While Nestlé Professional is multinational company, we are proud to have many products created in South Africa. We are also very aware of transparency, which is something that is very important to us. We ensure that what is in each and every one of our products is clear, and that our food and beverage items are nutritionally balanced. We have reduced the occurrence of salt and sugar where we can, while still retaining the flavour. The prevalence of lifestyle-based health problems like diabetes and obesity has increasingly become more of an issue, and we feel that it is important to provide healthy convenience options for the culinary industry.
What are some of the ways that you have tailored your food products for chefs to use in their establishments? Our products are convenient, time-saving, good quality and tasty, however we always make sure that our products do not take the creativity away from the chef. A chef will always have his or her creativity and signature dishes that make each chef unique. In our basket of food products, we aim to assist the chef in creating amazing dishes in the kitchen. Our products can be used on their own, or in different, innovative ways within a recipe – that’s the beauty of our products. For example with our Maggi Mash – this is a fantastic substitute for potato mash, but can also be used as a crust on meat, to bind croquettes or even as a thickener in soups and sauces. And in our beverage selection, you can create a cappuccino using our products, but then do your own latte art to make it your own.
How do you feel that the South African market differs to other global markets that Nestle Professional operates in? I think the thing that stands out the most for me is South Africa’s complexity and diversity – it truly is a rainbow
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nation. With 52 million people here, there are so many different communities that have different needs. It is exciting to see that Nestlé Professional has food and beverage solutions that are suitable for the whole spectrum. From luxury hotels and lodges, to catering companies, fast food outlets and taxi ranks, our convenient products are assisting hospitality professionals to do amazing things in any environment.
Research is a key component of Nestle Professional’s strategy for product development. Could you tell us more about this? We spend about 1.7 billion Swiss Francs per year on research, as we feel that knowledge is constantly evolving and it is vital for us to keep on top of what our clients want from our products. We continue to create solutions that are better and better. We want to get to know each and every market that we are present in, so that we can provide unique solutions. For example, in the USA we created a range of empanadas, which are baked, not fried, and available in a number of different fillings. This answered a need to innovative snack food, and food from Argentina, such
as empanadas, have been very on-trend recently, so this worked very well in this region. We listen to our customers and we listen to our research, and we change and improve our products accordingly. It is also through partners, like the South African Chefs Association, that we can share our research findings, with our clients, the chefs and hospitality professionals.
Could you tell me about some of the community projects that Nestle Professional is involved in in South Africa? We are proud to have initiated the Nestlé Community Nutrition Programme, which is an initiative that aims to inculcate a culture of food production as a means to reduce hunger and malnutrition at household level - and in the long term, help reduce poverty. The project encourages self-reliance through food gardens by positioning food gardening amongst women and schools as a means to feed themselves and their communities and also earn an income while emphasising the importance of proper nutrition and healthy eating habits. We also initiated the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme. Launched in 2012, this initiative is collaboration between Nestlé ZAR and the Department of Basic Education (DBoE) and is aligned to our market ambition to be recognised as the leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company and the Department’s vision to create healthy school communities. Therefore, the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme is aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles for learners aged six – 12 years by creating awareness about the importance of good nutrition and physical activity. The programme is also targeted at teachers, parents and food handlers in schools as the majority of learners in the targeted school have their lunch prepared at school. In the areas of water and environmental conservation, we are one of the main supporters of EcoLink, which is a non-governmental organisation which Nestlé helped establish in 1985, that aims to harvest limited water resources and improve water and waste management. The Earthcare Programme, a part of EcoLink, educates villagers on how to grow vegetables using the trench garden method. Nestlé has also provided funding to implement the Eco-Schools Programme in communities within the Eastern Cape of South Africa, with the aim to create environmental awareness with particular emphasis on sustainable water use. With a focus on rural development, we are pleased to have initiated the AgriBEE Harrrismith and Mossel Bay Initiatives. For more than eighty years Nestle South Africa has been sourcing milk in the Western Cape and Free State provinces, otherwise known as “milk districts”. This has enabled the company to sustainably grow our business but also create shared value for the farmers and their communities where we operate. This has immediately changed the way emerging dairy farmers operate – and contributed to an increase in their milk production and supply - and an enhanced quality of life their families. Having noted the challenge of education, Nestlé ZAR conceptualised the Nestlé Adopt-a-School model. The model is premised on the fact that no single entity can single-handedly manage this challenge and as such there is a need for a multifaceted and multi-stakeholder approach to deal with this issue. The company also believes that it is through education that people, especially in rural areas, can have meaningful livelihoods and the cycle of poverty can be broken.
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Global Exoticism Trends are essentially the quest for happiness – looking for that “it” product that will satisfy today’s consumer who have adopted a policy of rebalancing, what philosopher Gilles Lipeovetsky describes as hybridisation, reconciliation and no longer systematically breaking with the past. The world thrives on innovation, especially in the field of fine cuisine. Product developers are kept on the hop to create options that allow chefs to wow and intrigue their diner’s palates. During a visit to SIAL 2014 in Paris, Gill Hyslop found some of the more exotic products that will soon be wowing chefs around the world.
Sea-ing the benefits
Winner of the Grand Prix SIAL Innovation is Spaghetti d’algues et eau de mer, a seaweed spaghetti sold in a bucket of seawater. Appealing to a variety of senses, algae adds pop to stocks, soups, fish, shellfish, salads, white meats or chopped in pasta. Marketed by Globe Export, based in southern France, the seaweed from Brittany is known for its remarkable flavour and nutritional value, while the packaging is convenient and easy to use: in one quick rinse, it’s ready to use.
Don’t pass the salt!
Developed more than 1 000 years ago as a medicinal remedy in Korea, bamboo salt is now making its entrance onto the food scene for its unique taste. Sea salt is packed into bamboo trunks that are sealed with yellow clay; then roasted in a pinewood furnace for many days to eliminate impurities and increase the fusion of minerals from the bamboo and clay into the sea salt. Permeated with more than 70 minerals, this unique salt adds a new taste dimension when used in cooking or as a table salt.
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24 carrot life
Carotao is a sugar-free chocolate cream, ready for application for cakes, bakes and desserts. The sweet chocolate confectionery has a high natural vitamin content, as sugar has been replaced with a carrot concentrate and nut paste. Created by Italian concern Aureli in collaboration with its maitre chocolatier, it’s produced using sophisticated technology to preserve organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the fresh carrots.
The power of powder
Using very sophisticated technology, an authentic Italian pesto sauce (made from Genoa basil, 24 month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, Fiore Sardo cheese, pine nuts and garlic) has been reduced to a powder for convenience and a splash of sophistication on the plate. Created by Tartuflangh, the pesto powder keeps the ubiquitous freshness and aroma of the fresh paste and can be reconstituted by adding extra virgin olive oil. Selected as one of the most innovative products in the world by the Commission of the SIAL Paris 2014, ring the changes and use it as a flourish of spice on a Caprese salad or gourmet pizza.
Back to roots
Perhaps more suitable for home use than in a high pax restaurant, two products that wowed the judges present fun and ecological ways to grow oyster mushrooms. Both companies - Eco Gumelo from Portugal and Paris-based Prêt à Pousser – supply a complete kit to grow the organically certified mushrooms in recycled sawdust or spent coffee grounds. After 10 days, a harvest will yield around 300g of mushrooms. Prêt à Pousser has gone one step further to supply three natural varieties: grey – with a slight sweet scent and velvety texture (good in salads); yellow – with hints of hazel and chestnut (excellent in velouté); and pink – fleshy and with a distinctive woody scent (delicious in risottos).
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Salting the meat
French Cooker has also produced a range of oiled cooking salts that are excellent for cooking a variety of meats. Thanks to a film of oil, these salts add seasoning without extracting the juices and keep their crunch throughout the cooking process, allowing for a refined presentation. Only salt sourced from Guerande in France is used in these products, which come infused with other ingredients including five dried berries; Provence herbs; Espelette red pepper; garlic; and red capsicum. A great idea is to use them with cruditĂŠ. The oil allows the salt to stick on the vegetables, adding a flash of flavour.
Pop of taste
A flake of vinegar (not a splash of liquid) is the latest way to add an unforgettable taste sensation to food, along with a soft crunch. Developed by French Cooker, the product comes in a variety of flavours, including wine vinegar with shallots; tomato vinegar; and three made with white Balsamic vinegar of Modena (infused with honey, black truffle, and raspberry). Use the tomato julienne vinegar sprinkled on goat’s cheese spread on a grilled country bread; the shallot vinegar with oysters; or the black truffle vinegar julienne on a sea bass Carpaccio, drizzled with olive oil.
Dare to sweeten
Grape syrup has long been used in vinification, and now has been developed for use in gastronomy and by catering professions. Containing fructose and glucose, one litre of EXOse liquid grape sugar has the sweetening power of 1kg of caster sugar. It can replace all sugars, as well as honey and maple syrup, and has been successfully tested in seasonings, sorbets, toppings and cocktails. According to its creator, distiller Xavier Latreuille, chefs like to use it to reduce excess acidity and add a note of natural flavour. 40
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Drinking in the beauty
Innovation extends to beverages, too – and what could be better than drinking yourself beautiful? Voda Naturalna is a producer of the first Polish premium spring water, Voda Naturalna, and now, Voda Collagen, with a hint of superfruit pomegranate. The secret of this product lies in its precious collagen molecules, often called “the elixir of youth”. Collagen supplementation helps to slow down the processes of ageing. Additionally, Voda Collagen has been additionally enriched with vitamin C for the extra boost needed to stay vibrant and fit. The hydrolysed bovine collagen used doesn’t cause allergies; and is often used in liquid form as it’s easily absorbed. So, offer Voda Collagen and tell your patrons that the more they visit, the younger they’ll become!
Confit the new
Tsukudani was inspired by the Japanese tradition of slowly simmering Kombu seaweed in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. What makes this product stand out is that Royal Kombu, a seaweed harvested in Brittany in France, is used. Its Latin name - Saccharina latissima – is derived from the fact that sugars naturally crystallise on its surface when it dries. When the confit is made, the kelp’s strong seafood flavours bring it deep notes and a scent of liquorice. Especially moorish when used to accompany grilled red meats, shellfish, soft cheeses (goat, faisselle and ricotta); with a poached egg; or for an added depth with foie gras. Gill Hyslop has been involved in the magazine publishing business since the dark days of ‘cut and paste’ and ‘trannies’ on numerous titles, including health, jewellery, IT, mining and so forth. Besides freelancing, she’s the editor of Food Review and Food Manufacturing Africa, B2B trade journals for the South African and African food and beverage manufacturing industries. She’s also cut her teeth in the kitchens of two restaurants in the beautiful Natal Midlands.
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Industry personality
who moved your cheese? We caught up with Mark Keefer, the well-known co-founder of KEE Ingredient, who recently launched the new premises of their business and is bringing cheese and dairy products to chefs far and wide. How did you first get into the cheese business? I attended boarding school at an
Tell us about the new premises at KEE ingredient. Firstly, it is a brand new building. When we
agricultural high school and in my senior years I was tasked with running the dairy with the farm manager. That’s when I realized just how versatile milk really is, not only as a major source of protein but also as the main ingredient in many other products. It was our responsibility to ensure that the boarders had fresh milk daily and with the leftover milk we made small amounts cheese, butter and yogurt. In early 1993, I travelled the UK backpacking and working my way from town to town. For the last three months of my trip, I worked on a dairy farm in Cornwall, which gave me even further insight into the more scientific side of cheese making. I had then found something that I not only had some history in, but also a lot of interest in. The rest is history!
started KEE Ingredient, like so many start-up businesses, we needed premises with cheap rent. That ended up being my home double garage: 75m² with three small walk-in fridges and one refrigerated vehicle. Staff included one tele-sales lady and a driver. That was on 2nd September 2013 and we have since moved twice. KEE Ingredient now employ upwards of 70 staff and on the 1st September 2014, we took occupation of our new 7700m² facility with roughly half of it under refrigeration. We have 1500m² for production on Halaal and non-Halaal, as well as Halaal and non-Halaal bulk storage fridges, dispatch fridges and picking fridges. Further to that, we have enough space to build a large dry store for our new dry goods listing which has just been released. It is also strategically positioned very close to the airline caterers we supply and Sandton CBD, which is big for us.
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How much product do you move in and out of the factory every week? We do all things dairy except for fresh milk and fresh cream. If you include yoghurt, butter and cheese, we move on average 25 tons a week out of the warehouse. A lot of this would be airline portions and products prepared by our super-efficient cut, slice and dice operation. To KEE Ingredient it is more about the quality and service than the volumes. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can sell cheese but not everyone does it properly.
What are some of the complexities involved in selling, storing and using cheese? If you know what you are doing, storing and using cheese presents very little challenge. Milk supply and education are our main challenges. Shortage of milk equates to shortage of
cheese, and this tends to happen around the late autumn and winter months. Cheese is a specialised product and should be handled by specialists. The chef knows what he wants and it is up to us to ensure that the chef gets the correct product, at the correct temperature and at a competitive price.
How do you think South African cheese fares versus international cheese? Most South African cheeses are fantastic. This country has taken a serious step in the right direction when it comes to cheese making, especially the artisan cheese makers. Every few months another one pops up somewhere. International cheese has its place, though. It is mainly the European cheeses that our local chefs know and understand, coupled with the local cheese. Local cheese, however, far outsells imported cheese by ten to one. We have such good
cheddars and hard cheeses in this country and there are now very good soft and fresh cheese producers too. The only issue with local artisan cheese is that if one of the chefs I deal with puts it on his menu, they struggle to keep up with demand. This is something that we at KEE Ingredient try to assist with all of the time.
What are some of your favourite cheeses? Soft cheese or mature hard cheese. I recently attended the Sial food show in Paris and was spoilt for choice. To me, there isn’t much better than a piece of French Grand Brie 60% cream or a sliver of Munster on a cracker. Locally, Portobello have a range of soft cheese worth driving the extra mile for. With meals or in applications, some aged Parmesan or a proper sheep’s milk Pecorino is the way to go. www.keeingredient.co.za
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Lucky Star’s new ambassador Chef Kabelo Segone from the HTA School of Culinary Art was recently appointed as an ambassador for Lucky Star, raising awareness about the Lucky Star brand and educating consumers and the industry about this proudly South African brand.
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ucky Star is incredibly versatile and conveniently complements a balanced diet,” says Kabelo. “Lucky Star produce quality tinned fish that include tinned Pilchards, Sardines as well as Mackerel which are available all year long and are also easily accessible; you’ll find them on supermarket shelves in every store. Lucky Star products are also high in Omega -3 fatty acids, further strengthening the need for their inclusion in our daily diet.” When discussing the benefits that the product provides chefs, Kabelo says, “When chefs incorporate Lucky star products into their kitchens they enjoy lower food cost, since buying Lucky Star is cheaper than buying fresh fish and also provides a versatile ingredient for salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes.” The products can be used in a variety of different ways: "Lucky Star products can be used for making patties, casseroles, dips and as accompaniments to other dishes. They can also be used in pot pies, and incorporated into a variety of salads, quick and healthy snacks, and sandwiches." Kabelo believes that the brand is steadily increasing in popularity: “The hospitality industry is concerned about seafood sustainability, specifically the issues of overfishing and damage to ocean ecology. Because of their various benefits, more and more caterers are choosing to include the Lucky Star tinned products fish into their daily operations or events as it is very economical and high in protein with a good selection of flavours to choose from. People are also becoming conscious and have become more brand-aware they would rather choose a well-known proudly South African brand like Lucky Star.” Proud HTA Lecturer
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Eat better. Live better.
Mac and Cheese 300g macaroni ½ tsp salt 1 tsp sunflower oil 400g Lucky Star Pilchard in Tomato Sauce 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, rinsed 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs ¼ cup grated Cheddar cheese White sauce 50g flour 50g butter 600ml milk 1 tsp mustard ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp nutmeg Lemon juice and black pepper to taste • Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add macaroni and salt. Cook until tender and drain well. Stir in oil. • Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in an equal amount of flour and cook the mixture for just under a minute. Stir in milk, a little at a time, making sure to stir well so that no lumps form. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly, so that the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Simmer for a couple of minute. • Heat gently and gradually stir in the rest of the milk until a smooth mixture forms. • Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and season with remaining ingredients • Preheat oven to 180°C. Mix white sauce with the pasta, fish and veggies. Spoon into an oven dish. • Sprinkle grated cheese and dried herbs and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and heated through. • Serve with a pea shoot salad and tomato chutney.
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masterclass
Halibut and Smoked Beurre Blanc
Chef Adriaan Maree of Roots restaurant at Forum Homini in the Cradle of Mankind shows us how to put together this tasty, classic-with-a-twist dish of Halibut and Smoked Beurre Blanc.
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• Cold smoke the butter using a smoke gun. • Sweat off the onion, without getting any colour on it. Once the onion is cooked, add the white wine and cook off any alcohol. • Add the white wine vinegar and the juice from the lemon, then reduce by half. • Once the vinegar mixture has reduced, strain the onions and bay leaf out and place the liquid in a small sauce pan. • Place the frying pan over low heat. Add the butter, one cube at a time, whisking constantly and adding another cube only when the previous cube has been completely incorporated. It’s important to chill the butter before adding it to the vinegar reduction. If the butter is warm it may melt too quickly, making it harder to incorporate properly into the liquid and causing the mixture to split.
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1 bay leaf 1 onion 25ml white wine vinegar 74ml white wine 1 lemon 125g butter Salt
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Halibut
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• Cover the flesh side of halibut in coarse salt for three minutes and wash thoroughly. Portion to size, approximately 80g. • Place each piece of fish on a cloth and leave uncovered in the fridge to dry for three hours.
Orange Purée 10 oranges
• Peel the oranges with as little pith as possible and place in a small saucepan. Squeeze the juice over and cover with butter paper. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook until the peels are soft. • Blend the peels and liquid until smooth, then let cool.
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Date Purée
Coffee Jelly
• Place the dates in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook until soft. Once the dates are soft, blend until smooth.
• Bring the espresso to the boil as fast as possible. When the espresso is rapidly boiling, add the Agar Agar and whisk until dissolved. Pour into a square container, roughly 5mm deep, and set in the fridge. • Once set, cube into blocks of 5mmx5mm.
200g dried dates 1L water
Hazelnut, Parmesan and Coffee 200g hazelnuts 125ml strong black coffee 35g Parmesan
• Toast the hazelnuts and remove the skins. Place in food processor and grate the parmesan over. Blend and add the coffee slowly till it forms a paste.
500ml espresso 7ml agar agar
Garnish
• Slice the cauliflower as thinly as possible. • Blend dried olives on the pulse function until crumb-like. • Toast hazelnuts, remove the skin and crush.
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Assembly
• Place the halibut on a grill with a small amount of cooking oil. • Whilst the halibut is cooking, add salmon roe to the beurre blanc. • Place the beurre blanc neatly on a plate. • Place all of the elements neatly around it and serve.
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Chef Adriaan Maree Keeping it simple, but full of flavour, Chef Adriaan Maree has been with Roots restaurant at Forum Homini in the Cradle of Mankind for the past two years. The Joburg-born chef has a wealth of experience, having worked at a number of top restaurants over the last 10 years, including stints at London’s Michelin-starred Hibiscus restaurant under Claude Bosi and Stellenbosch’s Rust en Vrede. As executive chef of Roots restaurant, Chef Adriaan presents a new menu every month. The multi-course menu focuses on seasonal, locally-grown and sourced produce where possible, highlighting flavours with the lightest of touches.
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Create your Combination
www.ufs.com
No kitchen should be without Robertsons Chicken Spice – the best way to enhance the flavour of any chicken dish.
CREATE YOUR SIGNATURE CHICKEN COMBINATION.
Try these delicious flavour combinations Juicy Roast Chicken Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Prepare a 1.4 kg whole chicken by gently separating the skin from the meat, tucking your fingers under the skin, starting at the neck. Cream 150 g Marvello Butter Flavoured (softened) with 1 Tsp Robertsons Chicken Spice, 1 Tsp Robertsons Veggie Seasoning, 1 Tsp Robertsons Paprika and 1 Tsp Knorr Chicken Stock Granules and gently place under the chicken skin and over the outside of the chicken. Roast for 50 minutes or until cooked through.
Sweet BBQ Grilled Chicken Add 100 g Knorr Barbecue Dry Marinade, 20 ml honey and 10 g Robertsons Thyme to 200 ml of water and whisk. Add in 500 g of chicken breasts and leave to marinate for 20 minutes. Place the chicken breasts on a flat top or grill and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once cooked, season with 20 g Robertsons Barbecue spice.
Spice Rubbed Roast Chicken Combine 20 ml olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (crushed), 1 Tbsp cumin, 2 Tsp Robertsons Paprika, 1 Tsp Robertsons Cinnamon, 1 Tsp Robertsons Turmeric and ½ Tsp chilli flakes in a bowl. Season with salt and Robertsons Black Pepper. Rub the oil mixture over a 2 kg whole chicken. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight to marinate. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken in a roasting dish. Roast, turning once, for 1 ¼ hours or until ore s m juices run clear when the w on Vie binati thickest part of the chicken is pierced with a skewer. Set com at .com aside for 10 minutes to rest. Cut .ufs w the chicken into pieces. Drizzle ww over the pan juices. Sprinkle with Robertsons Parsley.
PT00000HR
Chef Michael Broughton’s clever classic cooking earned him a place on the Eat Out Top 10 Awards this year, and his recently published cookbook is a behind-the-scenes look into his restaurant, Kleine Zalze’s Terroir. Here are just two of the beautiful recipes from the book, extracted from Terroir by Michael Broughton (Struik Lifestyle)
Beetroot terrine with avocado sorbet, labne, lacquered walnuts and horseradish cream Beetroot terrine
Part 1: 1 kg large beetroots (not small or medium) 1 litre water 185 g white granulated sugar 185 ml red wine vinegar Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, place a plate on top to keep the beetroots submerged, and simmer gently over a low heat for 2–3 hours. The beetroots are done when the tip of a knife can be inserted with little resistance. Pour into a colander and cool the beets. Strain the liquid through an oil filter back into the saucepan and reduce the liquid by half over a high heat. Rub the skin off the beetroots and slice them 2.5 mm thick. Trim the round edges slightly, not too much. (At the restaurant we use a slicer to get the slices even.) Part 2: 375 ml poaching liquid from beetroots (see above) 4 ml agar 2.5 ml salt 52
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6 leaves gelatin, sponged in cold water for 4 minutes Whisk the poaching liquid, agar and salt together and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, whisking continuously. Remove from the heat. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add to the hot liquid, whisking well. Line a 20 x 10 cm tray (with 4-cm-high sides) with plastic wrap, making sure of a generous overhang on all four sides. Using a clean pastry brush, liberally brush the bottom of the plastic with the gelatin mixture, and then place a flat layer of sliced beets on top. Fill in any gaps with some beetroot offcuts. Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to set. Now generously paint the layer of beetroot with the warm gelatin liquid and repeat with another layer of beetroot. Refrigerate again until set. Repeat layering until you have reached a height of 4 cm. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day, turn out gently onto a chopping board. Do this by gently pulling on the plastic overhang (this is normally a two person job as you do not want to break the terrine). Using a long, straight carving knife, cut the terrine into 10 x 3.4 cm portions and use an offset spatula to transfer them to a clean tray with high sides. Cover loosely.
© Michael Broughton
food feature
Terroir
Avocado sorbet 40 g white granulated sugar 100 ml water 30 ml white wine vinegar 40 g glucose syrup 8 ripe Haas avocados (about 880 g) Juice of 2 small lemons 110 ml full-cream milk 2.5 ml salt
Place the sugar, water, vinegar and glucose into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and cool over ice. Transfer the cooled liquid, avocados and lemon juice to a blender and blitz until smooth. Add the milk and salt, give it another 3-second blast and then strain through a chinois. Churn in an ice-cream maker until frozen, and then place in the freezer. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.
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© Michael Broughton
food feature
Apple brunoise 1 Granny Smith apple 5 ml sugar 2.5 ml salt Squeeze of lemon juice
Peel the apple and remove the core using an apple corer. Cut the apple in half. Place flat side down and cut it into 3-mm-thick slices. Turn the slices on their side and cut lengthways into long strips. Take 10 strips, lay them flat on a chopping board and cut into 3 mm cubes. Place them into a mixing bowl and, working quickly, add the sugar, salt and a small squeeze of lemon juice. Toss well to coat and use within 1 hour. Keep cool and covered in the refrigerator.
Truffle vinaigrette
15 ml sherry vinegar 15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 ml prepared English mustard Pinch each of salt and black pepper 30 ml corn oil 30 ml extra virgin olive oil 5 ml white truffle oil 10–15 fresh thyme leaves Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper together well. Slowly add the oils, whisking all the time. Stir in the thyme leaves. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Horseradish cream
65 g fresh horseradish, peeled and finely grated* 360 ml fresh cream 5 ml sugar 65 ml white wine vinegar 5 ml prepared hot English mustard 2.5 ml salt Very small pinch of white pepper 1 ml agar Juice of 1 lemon 54
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Place all the ingredients, except the lemon juice, in a small saucepan and whisk together well. Bring to a rolling boil, whisking all the time. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat and strain. Refrigerate until chilled, then stir in the lemon juice and blitz with a hand-held blender until smooth and creamy. Store in squeeze bottles in the refrigerator until needed.
Lacquered walnuts 18 large walnut halves 300 ml Sugar Stock 250 ml corn oil
Place the walnut halves on a baking tray and lightly roast at 180°C for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then peel off the skins using the tip of a paring knife. Place the walnuts in a saucepan and cover with the sugar stock. Bring to a boil and cook until the syrup reaches 110°C (thread stage). Transfer the nuts onto a Silpat® and cool for 20 minutes. Heat the oil to 180°C in a deep-fryer or small saucepan (test with a sugar thermometer) and fry the walnuts until they turn golden brown. Allow to cool on a lightly oiled piece of wax paper. Store in an airtight container until needed. Use three halves per portion.
Rye crumble
125 g butter, at room temperature 60 ml white granulated sugar 250 ml rye flour 250 ml brown bread flour 2.5 ml baking powder 30 ml caraway or fennel seeds, roasted and ground 15 ml salt Zest of 1 lemon – plane grater 15 ml full-cream milk Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and mix until smooth and creamy. With the mixer
on slow, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until everything is combined but crumbly. Break the mixture into pea-sized nuggets, place on a baking tray and bake at 160–170°C for 10–12 minutes until cooked. Store in an airtight container.
Labne
1 litre full-fat yoghurt 2.5 ml fine salt Olive oil to cover Whisk the salt and yoghurt together and wrap in a piece of muslin cloth. Hang for 12 hours in the refrigerator with a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Untie the muslin cloth and use a tablespoon to scrape the areas where the yoghurt has made contact with the fabric. Rehang and repeat the process four times so that the total hanging time is two days. Hang for another day if the cheese is too soft. Roll the labne into balls and store in a sterilised jar, covered with olive oil. If the cheese isn’t very hard, place it in a sterilised tub and cover with olive oil. It will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks under the oil.
Plating up:
Place a piece of cut beetroot terrine in the centre of the plate. Using a scooping motion and a hot tablespoon, place a ‘quenelle’ of labne next to the terrine. Place 5 ml apple brunoise, 2 mint leaves chiffonade and 5 ml truffle vinaigrette per serving in a bowl, and mix gently together. Place a small mound of this on the side of the terrine and place a scoop of avocado sorbet on top. Garnish with the walnuts and some saladini dressed with truffle vinaigrette. Squeeze three generous dots of horseradish cream randomly around the terrine and scatter the rye crumble to decorate the plate. Serve cold.
Passion fruit parfait with lime and mint sorbet, coconut pebbles and ginger jellies Passion fruit parfait
Sesame crumble
190 ml passion fruit juice (lightly blitz the pulp to loosen pips and then strain through a chinois) 50 g egg yolks (from 2 eggs) Pinch of salt 90 g white granulated sugar 100 ml water 2 leaves gelatin, softened in a bowl of tap water for 3 minutes and then squeezed to wring out the water 20 g butter
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth, pale and aerated. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low speed until combined but crumbly. Break into pea-sized nuggets and bake at 150 °C for 10–15 minutes until cooked. Store in an airtight container with six sachets of silica crystals.
This custard has no starch to hold it together, so once the yolks are added don’t boil or it will separate. Maximum temperature: 85 °C.
Mango gel
This makes more than you will need but these quantities give enough volume to turn in a high-speed blender. Any less and the gel will not be smooth and the texture will be lost. 500 g fresh mango, peeled and diced 240 ml Sugar Stock 7.5 ml agar 6 drops Douglas fir, lemon grass or pineapple essence (optional) Mix the mango, stock and agar in a Thermomix and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. (If you don’t have a Thermomix, first smooth out in a food processor and then boil in a saucepan on the stovetop.) Remove, cool for 10 minutes and then whisk in the essence. Set in the refrigerator to a firm jelly and then blitz until smooth and creamy. Store in a squeeze bottle and use within a day.
© Michael Broughton
Set aside round moulds measuring 8 cm in diameter and 2 cm high, which have been wrapped with plastic wrap to seal the one side. Place the passion fruit juice in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks, salt, sugar and water together. Temper the yolk mixture with some hot liquid and whisk well, then pour it all into the saucepan with the passion fruit juice and cook to 85 °C and when no ‘eggy’ taste remains. Remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin. Cool to 60 °C and whisk in the butter. Pour into the prepared moulds. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours on a flat surface until set.
65 g butter, at room temperature 60 ml castor sugar 120 g almond flour 30 ml maltodextrin or powdered glucose (optional) 160 g cake flour 25 ml tahini paste 1 ml salt
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300 ml Sugar Stock 60 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2.5 ml agar 1½ leaves gelatin, soaked in cold water 30 ml dark rum 1 ml sunflower oil Bring the sugar stock to a boil and pour it over the ginger. Set aside to cool. Once cool, strain the sugar stock and then add the agar to the liquid. Bring to a boil over a high heat, whisking for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cool slightly and add the squeezed dry gelatin. Whisk in the rum. Line a small tray with plastic wrap, put it on a flat shelf in the refrigerator, and then pour the mixture into the tray until 5 mm deep. Cover well and leave until set. Cut into 5 mm cubed jellies, place in a small bowl with the sunflower oil and toss to separate. Cover and keep refrigerated until needed.
Lime and mint sorbet
250 g lime purée (Boiron imported purées from France) or 220 ml lime juice 600 ml Stock Base Syrup (see page 176) 600 ml water 60 ml milk powder 3 g sorbet stabiliser (optional) All the zest from the limes you have squeezed or 25 g lime zest if you are using the purée 5 fresh mint leaves Place all the ingredients, except the mint, in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking all the time. Remove from heat, add the mint, cover and set aside to cool. Strain, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours. Blitz with a hand-held blender and then churn in an ice-cream maker. Keep frozen until needed.
Stock base syrup 350 g sugar 4 g stabiliser 500 ml water 100 g powdered glucose
Place all the ingredients together in a saucepan and whisk over a medium heat. Bring the mixture to 90 °C to activate the stabiliser. Remove from heat, cover and 56
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allow to cool to room temperatue, and then refrigerate until firm. This syrup will last for 3–4 days in the refrigerator, or freeze it.
Coconut pebbles
255 g castor sugar 130 g egg whites 45 ml small coconut flakes Divide the sugar in half and place in two bowls.Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and begin on a medium/low speed to aerate the eggs. Just before soft peak stage, add a quarter of the sugar from one bowl and continue to beat for 1 minute at medium speed. Turn to medium/high speed and repeat with the rest of the sugar from the first bowl in three goes. Then beat the meringue on a high speed for 3–4 minutes until very stiff. Using a large spoon, fold in the other bowl of sugar along with the coconut. Fold in using a few more strokes than usual to slightly reduce the volume. Place half the mixture into a piping bag and pipe a few long lines onto one half of a piece of baking paper. Spread the other half of the meringue onto the rest of the baking paper using a palette knife, making a rectangular shape about 1.5 cm thick. Bake at 60 °C for 3–4 hours or until completely dried. Break into pebble-sized pieces and store in an airtight container.
Plating up:
Carefully remove the plastic wrap from the bottom of the parfait mould (without it falling out) and place the ring just off-centre on a large flat plate. Briefly run a blowtorch around the edges of the ring to loosen the parfait and carefully remove the ring. If you don’t have a blowtorch, place a warm cloth or your warm hands around each ring for a few seconds. Scatter the meringue pebbles and ginger jellies in a loose straight line on the plate and over the parfait. Squeeze on a few generous dots of the mango gel onto the plate. Place a few sesame crumbles along the same line on the plate and add 2.5 ml on top and in the middle of the parfait to hold the sorbet in place. Put a quenelle of lime sorbet on top of the parfait and garnish with a few micro herb shoots. Serve immediately.
© Michael Broughton
food feature
Ginger jellies
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Meat free has never been so easy V
egetarianism is on the rise and often it’s difficult to think of menu items that will satisfy your vegan and vegetarian customers. Fry’s Family Foods offers a range of meat free products which are the perfect alternative to meat for chefs looking to replace the protein in any dish. Fry’s is also the hassle free alternative because cooking times are far quicker than meat! Developed by Wally and Debbie Fry, both committed vegetarians, Fry’s is a unique and proudly South African product that is distributed across the globe. High in fibre, high in protein and naturally cholesterol-free, Fry’s does not contain any meat, eggs or dairy, which makes it 100% vegan. Made from grain and legume-based proteins that contain all essential 8 amino acids, Fry’s products give your vegetarian customers all the goodness required for a balanced diet. The natural spices and seasonings that are used in the products make them truly delicious, and it’s no wonder that Fry’s are the number one vegetarian brand in South Africa.
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“It’s not just what we put into our food that makes it good… It’s what we leave out.” All products are pre-cooked and should be cooked from frozen, so they are quick and easy to prepare à la minute. They are also easy to store and should be kept frozen at -18°C for up to 18 months. The products are top quality and made from non GM products, with no added MSG. Food safety is a priority, and all products are made in world-class facilities that are HACCP and ISO9000 certified. Some of the products in the food service range, which has been packaged specifically for this sector, include:
• Chicken-Style Nuggets: serve with a dipping sauce, with salad or fries on the side.
• Golden Crumbed Schnitzels: top with a vegetarian sauce and serve with salad, vegetables or wedges on the side.
• Traditional Burgers: serve on a bun, topped with sautéed onions. • Banger-Style Traditional Sausages: serve as a breakfast sausage, or with mashed potatoes and a tomato relish for a main meal.
• Chicken-Style Burgers: serve as a burger on a bun, with chips on the side. • Polony Slicing Sausage: fry as a bacon substitute, add to stews or curries, or use on a sandwich.
• Original Hot Dogs: serve on a hot dog bun, served with salad or French fries. • Chicken-Style Strips: add to a salad, stir fry, pasta, stews, curries, or use as a pizza topping.
• Meat free Mince: use in lasagne, pastas, stews, chilli con carne, or as a pizza topping.
With the pressure on chefs to produce a variety of vegetarian options for customers, try Fry’s on your menu for a delicious, meat alternative that is tasty, healthy and hassle free. Fry's is distributed by Vector Logistics, Bidvest Food Services, Fridge Foods, Dinnermates, Lusitania, Compass and Fedics. For more information on Fry’s visit: www.frysfamily.com or call 031 700 30 22.
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Good Spirits
The Brandle 50ml KWV 10 year old brandy 25ml triple sec Half a shot of orange-infused sugar syrup* A drop of Angostura bitters • Combine all ingredients and serve over ice. • Garnish cocktail with an orange twist. Orange-infused Sugar Syrup: 500g sugar 500ml water Rind of one orange 2 chopped vanilla pods • Place all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to boil. • Let syrup cool down and strain, discarding the vanilla and orange rind.
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Demonstrating the versatility of brandy, Matthew Rohleder from the Cape Town Hotel School created this delicious summery cocktail as part of the annual One&Only Reaching for Young Stars competition.
“Everything we do is driven by fruit”
EUROBERRY
INTRODUCES PURÉE RANGE FOR CHEFS! Slightly sweetened and ready to use, Euroberry has come up with a brand new range of fruit purées. This range is perfect for anything from desserts to cocktails, bavarois to mousses, jams to sorbets, reductions to coulisses and for confectionery – in fact, they’re perfect for any application which requires a fine consistency of puréed fruit!
Euroberry purees are available in these delicious flavours: Apricot Blueberry Mango
Mixed Berries Passion fruit Pineapple
Raspberry Strawberry
Euroberry's range of purees:
• Are convenient and save time and space – no more cutting, peeling, processing or bulky storage • Contain NO artificial colourants • Contain NO artificial flavourants • Are ideal for perfect portion allocation – just defrost the required quantity • Are pure fruit at its best!
These real fruit purées have a rich fruit flavour with real fibres, ensuring the characteristic taste of the fruit is maintained. Available in a wide range of fruit flavours all year round, the purées are conveniently packaged in 1 kg tubs and frozen for easy and efficient storage. Contact: Euroberry (Pty) Ltd Head Office Tel: +27 21 851 3462 | JHB/DBN Tel: +27 11 824 0906 Email: info@euroberry.co.za | Web: www.euroberry.co.za
wine estate
Groote Post This historic property has only been a wine farm since the early 1990s, after extensive soil tests found that the terroir was perfect for winemaking. It was bought in 1972 as a cool-climate site for dairy operations, but originally the name harks back to the farm’s status as the largest guarding post in the area which was set up to prevent marauders from stealing cattle. Today Groote Post encompasses 4000 hectares, and a series of restored historic buildings on the site showcase the history of the farm, which dates back to 1706. Visitors can enjoy a number of different activities on the farm and for more information, visit www.grootepost.co.za.
Vineyards and wine cellar Concentrating on quality rather than quantity, Groote Post’s vineyards are planted over 107 hectares on the south-facing upper slopes of the Kapokberg, overlooking the chilly Atlantic Ocean. Vineyard altitudes vary from 200m to 450m above sea level, with the summer south-easterly winds keeping the vineyards cool. The wine cellar, which was built in 1999, is attuned to lowintervention winemaking. Only the best 450 tons are vinified, with the remaining grapes being sold off. 62
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Hilda’s Kitchen Restaurant Inspired by Hildagonda Duckitt, a grande dame of Cape cuisine who lived on the farm a century and a half ago, Hilda’s Kitchen restaurant is headed up by Chef Debbie McLaughlin. Offering seasonal menus which are inspired by the local produce, the daily menu includes a dish from Hildagonda’s cookbook which has been interpreted to suit modern tastes. Dishes are simple and tasty, with highlights including Smoked haddock and watercress tart, Pork belly with green papaya, Mexican-style salmon salad with avocado and black beans, and Three cheese and Darling gourmet muchroom lasagne.
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last word
Futterneid People are always asking Brian McCune where the best place in town to eat is. He has no idea who serves the best food but has a very simple philosophy when it comes to choosing a restaurant - always seek out a restaurant that has more diners than dishes.
T
hat’s probably the closest you’ll ever get me to recommending any restaurant but it is the best dining advice I can possibly give you. Never, ever expect a good meal where they offer you a choice of meals as long as your arm, three different menus to choose from, each one more confusing than the last and then a 10 minute litany from some bored waitizen about the specials of the day. In fact, whilst we’re on that subject, I always thought that “special “ meant “special”; how the hell can it be special if there are 20 of them scratched on that ever-so-70s blackboard? That blackboard that they march though the restaurant and insist on parking up against your table in such a way as to cover your jacket in chalk dust? But I digress… Speak to any bean counter and they’ll tell you that it’s all a numbers game. In a typical restaurant with too many choices there are two major danger areas which
anyone with a modicum of intelligence should quickly suss out - if there are 60 dishes and 30 guests, you’d better be able to accurately guess what the 30 guests last night didn’t eat otherwise you may end up eating it tonight. This scenario of course becomes more critical as the week progresses. There’s a pretty dangerous relationship as the number of available choices increases and the number of available diners declines, something has got to give and inevitably it is the quality of the food. But the unsuspecting punters throw themselves into the fray like a gambler who fails to notice that after every turn of the roulette wheel, the croupier scoops in vast amounts of chips. The other danger area is one which even the most seasoned of restaurant operators seem not to be able to suss out. They mistakenly believe that increased choice = happier customers,
but this theory is absolute bullshit. Increased choice = confused customers who get a panic attack when everyone at the table has already made their menu choice. They start to perspire and frantically ask everyone else what they ordered before the strain becomes too much under the imperious stare of the waitizen and they settle for the first thing that comes into their head. So the confusion leads to a poor menu choice which leads to a poor meal experience. “I should have had the fish,” they whine afterwards, expressing classic menu envy. The Germans even have a word for it: Futterneid. It describes the jealousy you experience when the dishes arrive at the table and you realise that you should have had what your friend ordered. The Germans have a word for most things - they also call people who eat in these types of restaurants Dummkopf. I wholeheartedly agree.
Brian owns the Food Biz, a Cape Town based food consultancy, and instead of working spends his time telling other people how to work. Contact him at www.thefood.biz 64
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A RRIVE IN S TYLE W I TH S I LV E R S E A
SILVERSEA’S ALL-INCLUSIVE LIFESTYLE
There is something uniquely satisfying about Silversea‘s luxurious, award-winning, small ship cruises. The intimacy. The close-knit camaraderie. The excitement of exploring secluded, rarely seen harbours where true adventure lies. That is why Silversea Cruises continues to sail against the trends with intimate ships that offer not only a richly abundant and highly personalised onboard experience, but also a meaningful and life-enriching travel experience for their guests.
• Our fleet — Luxurious travel on intimate ships for just 100 to 540 guests • Spacious ultra-luxury suites — Over 85% with private verandas • Butler Service — All ships, all suites
EIGHT SHIPS – SEVEN CONTINENTS – INFINITITE POSSIBILITIES
• Complimentary beverages including fine wines, champagnes and spirits throughout the ship
Silver Cloud – Guests: 296 • Crew: 222
Silver Spirit – Guests: 540 • Crew: 376
• In-suite minibar stocked with your preferred beverages
Silver Wind – Guests: 296 • Crew: 222
Silver Explorer – Guests: 132 • Crew: 117
• In-suite dining and 24-hour room service
Silver Shadow – Guests: 382 • Crew: 302
Silver Galapagos – Guests: 100 • Crew: 75
Silver Whisper – Guests: 382 • Crew: 302
Silver Discoverer – Guests: 120 • Crew: 96
Silversea Cruises officially represented in Southern Africa by Cruise Vacations.
• Broad variety of restaurants including the all new Slow Food in La Terrazza • Onboard gratuities are included • Complimentary enrichment programms to enhance your understanding of the lands you visit
FOR A COMPLIMENTARY FULL COLOUR BROCHURE & FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 011 5140564 For your convenience enquiries can be handled by your regular, trusted South African travel agency.
silversea.com