Chef Spotlight
A Welshman with a love for
waterblommetjies
Hailing from Cardiff, Wales executive chef Stephen Fraser has made South Africa his home for the past 15 years. He currently heads up the kitchen at Lanzerac Hotel & Spa where he brings an international flair using quintessentially South African ingredients. Full Service caught up with the busy Welshman to find out how his travels and international background have influenced his cooking.
Waterblommetjies are Chef Fraser’s favourite South African ingredient to cook with
OVER THE YEARS, Fraser has enjoyed a number of career highlights, but his most memorable one was turning his father from a detractor into his number one fan. ‘My father was against me becoming a chef and had been pushing me to go to university mainly due to the long, tiring working hours associated with the hospitality sector. While working at a hotel in London at the start of my culinary journey, I invited my parents to come stay and enjoy a meal. The executive chef let me take control of the kitchen that day and with it being open-plan, my father got to see me in action - leading the team, preparing and plating the meal that was served. He was blown away by what I had become, and from that day
on has been steadfast in supporting my dream of a career in food,’ he says. After making the move to South Africa, Stephen worked under one of the country’s most well-known chefs, David Higgs and has become an esteemed member of the South African Chefs Association. A self-professed adventurer, he draws inspiration for his cuisine from his travels locally and abroad and describes his culinary style as simple yet refined, letting local and seasonal ingredients stand out in his dishes. This is evident in his menus at Lanzerac, which he says are a balance between the establishment’s 326-year old heritage and contemporary influences, designed to complement the ambience and character of the Estate’s surrounds. A dish created by Chef Stephen Fraser
12
March 2019 | Full Serv ce
