A Welshman with a love for waterblommetjies

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.

A dish created by Chef Stephen Fraser

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.

Manor Kitchen at Lanzerac

Q and A with Chef Fraser

Q: Where does your cooking inspiration come from?

A: It comes from the culinary ideology behind the Estate’s food movement – ‘classics reimagined’. We take classical dishes people know and love and reintroduce them with a new, modern twist incorporating the heritage of the Lanzerac Estate with its British and South African influences.

Q: Who are your culinary heroes and why do they inspire you?

A: Karin Schmit, a pastry chef I trained under, showed me I could be creative and express myself in a breakfast buffet and not just do the same thing over and over again. From that day on, I was hooked. The next day, I created a buffet, and was delighted when Karin arrived on her day off, to see what I had created. Thomas Keller was such an influence to me as a young chef. His food back then was ahead of its time but still had this simplicity to it, and to this day his food inspires me. He has evolved with the times but stays true to his food philosophy. While starting out Marco Pierre White was the chef everyone wanted to be, he was the Robert Downey Jr. of the culinary world.

Q: How does your love for travel influence your cooking and where in the world did you eat your most memorable meal?

A: My most memorable dish was at a small Italian restaurant close to Lake Como, Italy. I had a risotto there that I will never forget. So simple. I have tried many times to perfect it, but I just can’t seem to get it right. My risotto is good, as I have learnt from some fantastic Italian chefs during my years in London and in St Moritz, but the dish I had at that little restaurant was a gorgonzola and radicchio risotto. Silky, buttery, velvety - the marriage of the bitter leaf with the rich gorgonzola was stunning. A hint of lemon zest, a slight pinch of white pepper and of course a generous shaving of fresh parmesan added at the end. I can also remember my first dining experience in a Michelin star restaurant like it was just the other day. In 2000, my mentor Michel Gehrig, took me along with Karin Schmit and another trainee, Joanne Harvey to The Bath Priory in Bath, England. It had just received a Michelin star at the time. The venue looked like a small castle with tranquil manicured gardens. The food was amazing and my first taste of this style of cuisine had me hooked. I was 16 years old and it was my first time tasting duck. It was a duet of Gressingham duck, soft tender breast with golden crisp skin, served with a slice of boudin blanc [a white sausage made with pork] and a truffled savoy sauce I could have drank from the petit boat they served it in.

Q: Coming from the UK, what unique characteristics do you bring to the South African establishment of Lanzerac?

A: I believe it’s my love for sauces. Pickles and my pork belly method are things I brought with me from the UK. The Brits love their pickles: pickled onions and eggs; piccalilli [a relish of chopped vegetables and spices]; pickled beetroot; and Branston [a jarred pickled chutney]. I always find ways to incorporate pickles into my menus. It’s a great way to bring vibrant colours and flavours to a dish, bring in a spice, zest or a promise of aromatic ingredient. Sometimes it also brings a new texture to the dish.

Q: What South African ingredients do you enjoy cooking with and why?

A: One thing comes to mind immediately – waterblommetjies. When I can get my hands on them it’s a must have, not the most attractive thing to look at but if done right, such a unique flavour.

Q: What’s the best professional advice you’ve ever received?

A: When I was training at the Cardiff Hilton, the executive chef taught me that food is all about presentation and feasting with your eyes. His sous-chef taught me more about enhancing and combining flavours. From both of them I learnt to balance the combination.

Waterblommetjies