Frontier issue 2

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Meet the foreigners whose contributions are making a difference in the lives of South Africans

P9. | LIAM TOMLIN Creating a stir

ISSUE 02 WITH COMPLIMENTS

THE CULINARY ISSUE SUMMER 2013/14

P8. | THE TEST KITCHEN Reinvention of the gastronomic spectrum

P10. | ONE&ONLY CAPE TOWN Luvo Ntezo: Wine’s wunderkind

SCAN QR CODE WITH A MOBILE DEVICE TO VIEW THE ONLINE EDITION

P6. | TRUTH COFFEE No sugar required

P7. | AEROPRESS HOW-TO Brew the perfect cup

P11. | SOLMS-DELTA A vision beyond viticulture

www.edslaw.co.za

WWW.EDSLAW.CO.ZA 2

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PHOTOGRAPHER: GIOVANNI AGRESTI FIUMARA

FROM SHANGHAI TO CAPE TOWN

P R OD UCTI ON P UR E P UB L I SHI N G / P HOTOGR AP HY GR AE M E R OB I N S O N

Our services SOUTH AFRICAN IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP Eisenberg de Saude advises on, prepares and facilitates the ďŹ ling of temporary and permanent residence and citizenship applications locally or at South African diplomatic missions abroad.

We ensure that our clients submit compliant applications to the Department of Home Affairs and that their applications are treated with dignity and are lawfully processed and adjudicated.

OBTAINING LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIP Eisenberg de Saude assists the descendants of former Lithuanian citizens to obtain Lithuanian citizenship. Lithuanian citizens have complete freedom of movement within the European Union and enjoy visa-free travel to many countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia.

OUR KEY SERVICES INCLUDE: TEMPORARY RESIDENCE (Work, Corporate, Relative, Study, Retired, Medical) PERMANENT RESIDENCE CITIZENSHIP (Regularising Status, Naturalisation) LITIGATION (Deportation, Extradition, Inspectorate Investigations) OBTAINING LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIP

Gary Eisenberg and Stefanie de Saude of Eisenberg de Saude

WELCOME It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the second issue of FRONTIER. The comments we have received about the Art & Architecture Issue were encouraging and constructive. We are working towards making FRONTIER the centerpiece of discussion and hope that this issue will inspire, enrich and invigorate you.

My partner, Gary Eisenberg, and I are children of foreigners who immigrated to South Africa from

E I S E N B E RG D E S AU D E AT TO RN E YS AT L AW TEL: +27 21 421 7003 INFO@EDSL AW.CO.ZA WWW.EDSL AW.CO.ZA

Belarus and Portugal respectively. The gastronomic impact of Jewish Litvak and Catholic Iberian cuisine in our homes has sustained us. We believe that food is the soul of every family.

FRONTIER MAGAZINE

We dedicate the Culinary Issue to all our foreign clients and expatriates everywhere, for whom food defines their heritage and the meaning of life.

is designed and published by

PURE CREATIVE AGENCY for EISENBERG DE SAUDE .

www.purecreative.co.za - call (021) 424 6918 EDITORIAL & CREATIVE TEAM EDITOR-IN-C H IEF Gary Eisenberg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Stefanie de Saude

We welcome your thoughts on gastronomy and the role food plays for immigrants. Please submit this along with any general feedback by e-mailing us at info@edslaw.co.za

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Burke EDITOR Michelle Marais DEPUT Y ART DIRECTOR Dave Strauss DES IG NER Tess Green PRODUCTION MANAGER Marianne Burke MARKETING MANAGER Dan Brotman

Stefanie de Saude

FR ONTIER is distributed by Eisenberg de Saude quarterly and is available on request (email info@edslaw.co.za) or online at www.edslaw.co.za

STEFANIE DE SAUDE / PARTNER, EISENBERG DE SAUDE

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COFFEE

ORIGIN

WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

ORIGIN An unbroken chain of excellence After falling in love with the café culture in France and discovering the artisan coffee-roasting movement in Seattle, Joel Singer moved to the Mother City to start an artisan revolution. Seven years in the making, Origin now boasts a successful barista school and has become the cornerstone of Cape Town’s coffee culture.

Q&A WITH JOEL With coffee culture in Cape Town booming over the past decade, what sets Origin apart from other artisan roasters?

Our focus on quality and traceability.

We source only top quality, speciality grade coffees and Cup of Excellence coffees.

We are quite relentless in exploring the optimal roast for each coffee we sell.

Coffees are not all the same and it takes commitment to get the best out of the great coffee we roast. Origin has a very strong team. We consistently deliver high quality, freshly roasted coffee; we offer industryleading barista training to our clients as well as ongoing quality and technical support.

We do this for over 100 clients nationally and in Mauritius. We have a very wide range of coffees on offer – 10 at any time including our seasonal espresso blend, a seasonal chemicalfree decaf, and eight other single origins.

These rotate regularly, meaning the coffees are at their peak relative to the harvest.

The Origin headquarters has an impressive barista school.

What inspired you to establish the school and how has it impacted on Origin’s success?

One of the key missing components in SA coffee society was the lack of a professional barista culture. No matter how good the coffee, if the barista does not pour the coffee well, nothing the farmer nor the roaster does matters. We do intensive training and ongoing mentoring of the baristas at all of our wholesale clients.

We have trained over 1 000 baristas since we started, including four SA barista champions in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013, and have probably invested over R1 million in barista training. We also run regular coffee appreciation and home barista courses for

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the public to introduce them to the world of coffee and coffee making.

With farmers from India, Brazil, Rwanda and other countries supplying beans, how do you ensure that Origin adheres to an ethical and sustainable sourcing model?

We source exclusive speciality grade coffees. These high grade coffees by definition reward farmers with higher prices.

Most of the world’s coffee production is sold indexed to the world commodity price for coffee, which is extremely volatile, and has often dropped below the farmers’ cost of production. Origin does not roast any commodity-grade coffees. We have an SAexclusive partnership with Mercanta (UK).

It has long-term relationships with many of the growers from whom they purchase.

Stephen Hurst, the owner, was a pioneer in the relationship coffee model. These coffees are bought at a price that is fair to these farmers – consistently exceeding their costs of production, regardless of the fluctuating world commodity price. Mercanta’s focus is finding these exceptional coffees, building relationships with the growers, and connecting them with top roasters in over 35 countries.

Looking to the future, what does the next decade entail for Origin?

South African coffee culture will continue to grow and deepen. We will carry on pushing to deepen our expertise.

We are expanding our activities nationally with a roastery/café which will soon open in Maboneng in Johannesburg and our presence in Gauteng will increase dramatically over the next few years. I expect that our wholesale (supply to the hospitality trade) will increase substantially and our team along with it and that our current client base of 100+ clients will treble.

I think that SA consumers will consume more high-quality coffee at home, often using new brewing methods (Aeropress, Hario pour-over and Siphon). We hope to substantially increase direct sales to them from our roaster; and to found similar roasting businesses in our neighbouring countries and further afield.

NAME: JOEL SINGER COUNTRY OF BIRTH: MONTREAL, CANADA RELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: GARY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ORGANISING MY IMMIGRATION STATUS TO ENSURE THAT I COULD START ORIGIN AND LIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY THEN PARTNER AND MY TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN HERE.

ORIGIN / HAUSBRANDT

COFFEE

HAUSBRANDT A journey across continents After a decade as CEO of a leading hotel operator in Germany, Gert Tuppinger convinced the company to bring their business to the southern tip of Africa. Following the successful launch, he was convinced that he would call Cape Town his home for some time to come.

Hailing from Austria, what challenges did you face as the representative of an Italian brand, rich in family history?

The art of roasting Leaving war-torn Angola at the age of 18, head roaster Jorge Alberto has come a long way.

Now a Capetonian, the head roaster has become synonymous with Origin and is a respected member of the artisan coffee community.

Q&A WITH JORGE ALBERTO

of what goes on in the field is crucial to producing an excellent cup of coffee.

Unfortunately, few farmers get to experience the end product. Last month I had the opportunity to sit down with Hector Dos Santos, a farmer in Honduras, at Origin HQ. I roasted Los Cedros, a coffee from a region close to where he lives, and he was amazed. We offer growers this experience and we exchange information. This allows both parties to gain invaluable knowledge.

What skills do you need to possess in order to be a successful roaster?

Honestly, my personal opinion is that no amount of skills or product knowledge can make you a successful roaster. You need to have a passion for coffee and a lot of patience when it comes to your craft. I have it in my blood, from the soil of my mountain village.

Growing up in Angola, have you always had a passion for coffee and how would you say South African coffee culture differs from that in Angola?

Yes, I brought my passion with me but it has grown here. In South Africa they’ve adopted the coffee culture and embrace the learning process that accompanies it. The idea of coffee culture is fairly new in this country and it has allowed for job creation and various levels of entrepreneurship. In Angola it’s seen as an occupation, a way of life.

Angola greatly lacks infrastructure, but I hope that in rebuilding its coffee industry, it will re-emerge to the forefront.

When it comes to roasting, Origin’s famous for its experimentation. Could you explain the process of unlocking the full potential of the beans to us?

Well, Michael McDonald or “Professor” as I like to call him, and I do not have a specific method.

Traceability is very important to us – it is the understanding of all the natural elements contributing to the harvest.

It enables us to study and discuss each coffee. When we feel confident about the product, we design different profiles.

When I feel connected, I can spend days thinking about it. I will take the first wild shoot, we’ll discuss it and then Professor will experiment with various approaches and its profile. Sometimes it will take up to three roasts before we are satisfied.

Is it beneficial for roasters to have a good relationship with their growers and how does this relationship impact the product?

Yes, absolutely. The amount of information and understanding

What would you regard as your personal favourite roast/type of coffee?

Definitely a medium roast, with the exception of some light to medium roasts.

Austria and Italy have a long history together so the challenges were minimal and the process, seamless.

Available in more than 70 countries, including Rome, Moscow, Tel Aviv and New York, what inspired you to bring Hausbrandt to Cape Town, South Africa?

That is easy: the quality of the product and the aim to increase the passion for coffee. Hausbrandt is family owned and I was immediately impressed with the way in which Martino Zanetti, owner and director, presents and operates his company.

The rich history and close family bond is an inspiration and makes me proud to be a Hausbrandt partner.

With a variety of local artisan coffee shops/roasteries owned by immigrants, what impact has the contribution of foreigners had on Cape Town’s coffee culture?

Coffee culture is linked to Venice in Italy and Vienna in Austria – again, there is this link between the two countries. The Italian coffee roasters are known worldwide for their high quality coffee-blending and roasting expertise.

Very important is consistency in quality, which is Hausbrandt’s strength.

establishment impacted the brand and its customers?

It was very important to establish these training facilities; all our international partners have access to the offered courses and it contributes to the brand’s success.

We have showrooms and training facilities in both Cape Town and Johannesburg and take great pride in them.

Looking to the future, what does the next decade entail for Hausbrandt in South Africa?

Our philosophy remains quality before quantity. But, of course, we are constantly looking for new partners who are willing to implement Hausbrandt by respecting our high service quality requests.

We are always aiming to place our product in companies in order to enhance the quality of coffee for clients, but most importantly for employees. In 2013, we added Ronnefeldt Tea to our product portfolio.

Like Hausbrandt, it is family owned.

The addition of this high-end brand will allow us to offer our clients a full coffee and tea solution. In 2014, we will add the first of three Proseccos from Casa Bianche to our product portfolio; this is a wine estate situated on the hills of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG and owned by the Zanetti family.

In your personal capacity, how do you ensure the highest level of service is offered at Hausbrandt’s local outlet in order to uphold the brand’s excellent global reputation?

I fulfill, and often exceed, the brand standards when it comes to presentation and respecting the corporate identity. In addition, we use only high-end coffee machines and grinders; and we partner with individuals and corporates that fit the brand’s image to ensure consistency.

NAME: GERT TUPPINGER COUNTRY OF BIRTH: AUSTRIA, GERMANY RELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: IN 2007, WE OPENED A LITTLE COFFEE SHOP AND GELATERIA IN CAPE TOWN. EISENBERG DE SAUDE ASSISTED WITH OUR MANAGER’S SPECIAL SKILLS WORK PERMIT. TODAY, GARY HELPS US WITH ALL OUR IMMIGRATION AND

The mystery that accompanies the ritual of drinking coffee is what makes it so appealing. Inspired by the latter, Hausbrandt founded Accademia Veneziana del Caffè, a training facility. How has its

VISA ISSUES. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO CONVINCE HIM TO CHANGE HIS COFFEE AT THE OFFICE BUT I BELIEVE HE IS ADDICTED TO HAUSBRANDT COFFEE NOW. HE HAS BECOME A TRULY WONDERFUL BRAND AMBASSADOR.

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TRUTH COFFEE

WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

PH OTOGRA PH E R: SH A NNA JONE S

FEATU RE

NO SUGAR REQUIRED From chicken farmer to hotelier, David Donde’s road to roasting success at Truth has been an interesting one.

Central to the rise of coffee connoisseurship in Cape Town, he provided us with insight into the culture of coffee.

Q&A WITH DAVID The spectacular vintage Probat on which you roast has definitely set you apart from your competitors.When was this machine purchased/built and how did you go about assembling it?

The machine was built in the 1940s and has a cast iron drum, a habit that was ‘improved’ in the 60s.

We found ours completely run down and spent a year refurbishing it and adding modern computerisation and measurement devices.

Your website makes a bold statement: “We believe that if it is worth doing anything, it is worth being world-class, challenging the constant tide of mediocrity.”

What would you consider as mediocrity among roasters and how does Truth go about challenging it?

Accepting the status quo or roasting by the numbers is not for us.

We believe we are constantly learning how to best roast any coffee, and engage in a continuous process of roasting, tasting, making notes and experimenting, and then repeating the loop, making minor

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tweaks and improvements to our roast every day. Very few coffee roasters even talk about the taste of their coffee.

What impact has the technological revolution and the introduction of e-commerce had on the coffee business?

Artisanal coffee and the home barista owe their existence at least in part to the availability of information and learning, and the sharing platform that the internet provides. As for e-commerce; although we dispatch daily, it is microscopic in terms of the total coffee we ship. South Africans are only just learning that e-commerce works and is trustworthy.

South Africa cannot afford to remain isolated if it wants to make a mark in the global market.

Looking to the future, what does the next decade entail for Truth?

We cannot tell you yet… keep in touch. Seriously, we are most interested in quality, focused cafés, restaurants and hotels throughout subSaharan Africa and believe we add value to these venues.

NAME: DAVID DONDE COUNTRY OF BIRTH: SOUTH AFRICA RELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: GARY EISENBERG HAS BEEN A PASSIONATE SPECIALITY COFFEE DRINKER FROM AROUND THE SAME TIME I DISCOVERED THE POSSIBILITIES MYSELF. BESIDES HIS DEDICATION AS A DRINKER, HE HAS BEEN AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE VIRTUES OF EXQUISITE COFFEE BY HELPING

A variety of local artisan coffee shops/ roasteries are owned by foreigners, resulting in immigrants having a large impact on Cape Town’s coffee culture.What do you consider the significant differences between local and international roasters?

There are passionate people who care about great coffee from all walks of life. The pool of local coffee experts is microscopically small. We just haven’t had the skills and opportunities here for long enough. The speciality coffee industry began here around 2005 and was running in other countries for about two decades before. Sadly, in order to find a greater pool of talent to uplift local talent, we need to make use of foreign skills and training. We are in desperate need of more skilled experts in the industry. Local people need more exposure to global skills.

FACILITATE COFFEE EXPERTS IN THEIR VISA AND CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS.

A E R O P R E S S H O W-T O

COFFEE

A E R O P R E S S H O W-TO

COFFEE GUIDE

Open to endless experimentation, the Aeropress has become one of this year’s most popular coffee tools. Follow these steps to brew the perfect cup.

A quick reference for coffee lovers

1. Remove the plunger and cap from chamber.

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2. Wet filter paper, and insert the filter cap onto the tube.

3. Rest your Aeropress over a mug.

Plunger

Chamber

Seal Filter cap

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4. Add 18g/1 heaped spoon (provided) of filter ground coffee.

5. Pour in 250ml of water at 80°C.

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Scoop

6. Stir using a north-southeast-west motion.

Allow to brew for 90 seconds.

7. Insert plunger into chamber.

Gently plunge (30 seconds from top to bottom).

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Stirrer

COFFEE REFLECTIONS OF A STUDENT My second cup of espresso was at the coffee shop in the lobby of the Carlton Hotel in central Johannesburg a few days later.

Those are not memories. They are reflections, like affairs, of the heart.

Both experiences were imposed on me, the first by a mad Dutch woman living at the same residential hotel as I was, and the second by the Mozambican telephone operator in my hotel who claimed that Portuguese colonists had invented the espresso shot. My habit of smoking a Monte Cristo No 4 cigar, with its full bodied mocha notes, together with an espresso lungo has stayed with me ever since, every morning, every mid-morning and at every lunchtime like my daily prayers.

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RONTIER’S

dedication on this occasion to coffee and its culture is fortuitous.

Since being a student at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1983, and having my first espresso ever at the Southern Sun hotel on O’Reilly Road in Berea, I have celebrated my life and its milestones with coffee, imbibing it black and rough.

In America in the 1980s, all I drank was “filtered” coffee, the commercial variety served in diners and cafeterias – the Italianate style of coffee preparation had not penetrated the American palette until much later. Artisanal roasting seemed to linger in Seattle and San Francisco, slowly

“I HAVE CELEBRATED MY LIFE AND ITS MILESTONES WITH COFFEE, IMBIBING IT BLACK AND ROUGH” meandering eastward in the late 1980s.

Even the coffee in New Orleans, while I studied law and caffeine was supposed to invigorate my tired brains, was brewed, sometimes boiled with milk as café au lait, and served with fine sugar dusted beignets, at Café Du Monde in the steamy French Quarter or at the small creole bakeries in the Garden District.

My introduction to the coffee of the American south swept me off my feet and launched me into life, pushed me

WORDS: GARY EISENBERG

into becoming a lawyer and marrying the woman who had an unquenchable passion for hazelnut flavoured robusta served in paper cups at Tulane University at PJ’s Coffee.

As a college student in Galesburg, Illinois, when I sold silver chains and rings to students to supplement my daily spend, I bought my stock from a Palestinian trader in Chicago, where our deals were discussed and consummated over small cups of thick coffee spiced with cardamom.

I was sustained in Israel for my Honors dissertation in 1986 (during the first Intifada) by the “café botz” (“mud” coffee), that my host made in a small brass finjan over a gas burner every morning and after every lunch. And then, as an articled clerk in Cape Town dispatched to Madrid for an investment conference, I began to understand that coffee is the elixir of the King, drank as Café Solo sin leche. This is my empire of coffee reflections, which has sustained me throughout.

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FOOD

THE TEST KITCHEN

WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

rant of Restau at the theYear t DStv Eat Ou etwork Food Nurant Resta ds Awar

THE TEST KITCHEN PHOTOGRAPHER: M I C H A E L L E G R A N G E

The reinvention of the gastronomic spectrum Twice crowned Restaurant of the Year at the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards, it is clear that The Test Kitchen is pushing the culinary envelope.We spoke to the head chef and owner, Luke Dale-Roberts, about his innovative approach to gastronomy and Cape Town’s foodie scene.

Q&A WITH LUKE You opened The Test Kitchen at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, a suburb known for its recent boom in creative spaces; how does hustle and bustle of the neighbourhood influence your innovation and creativity?

The Test Kitchen originally consisted of a single space. Two years down the line, it became two. We didn’t have a bathroom, guests had to use the communal toilets in the courtyard. We had 24 seats in the restaurant, three chefs, three waiters and a barman. Now, we have more than 15 staff.

The idea was to create a space where the kitchen is the heart of the restaurant.

I wanted to break the mould of the traditional restaurant where the kitchen is separate from the dining. With regard to working in Woodstock, I believe creativity is infectious. If you surround yourself with people who are innovative and creative, it will rub off on you. Woodstock has many amazing resident artisans; when I look at the restaurant’s interior, the chairs, the fittings – most of it was sourced within this area.

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In 2011, you won the title of Chef of the Year at the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards and The Test Kitchen moved from number two in 2011 to win the Restaurant of the Year in 2012. And it took home the award again this year.What do you consider the most challenging aspect of opening a successful restaurant?

Before I opened The Test Kitchen people thought I was mad. Very few of them had faith in Woodstock and that made me nervous. Money, or the lack thereof, was another challenge. When I opened, I was still consulting at another restaurant.

The reason was that I still wanted to sustain my income; but the trade-off was that I was not allowed to bring any staff with me.

I had to start afresh. When you open a new business by yourself, you want to keep it as small as possible and not over-extend because you have no idea if it is going to be successful. In the end, word got out and things seem to be working out.

In line with this, your various awards and accolades are surely a sign of excellence. How do you go about pushing the culinary envelope and ensuring you prepare innovative dishes of the highest quality?

I am an ‘ideas’ guy. I constantly think of new ways to do things and it comes naturally. That is what keeps me and everyone else going. I also believe that it is what makes the restaurant so successful.

Having travelled a great deal in Switzerland, England and Asia, what would you consider one of the most significant ingredients or dishes native to South Africa?

South African game is fantastic.

There are also a lot of young, new producers growing interesting ingredients. I’ve seen a lot of different, cutting-edge produce in the last couple of years. It is an emerging market. The cheese is also incredible.

“I WANTED TO BREAK THE MOULD OF THE TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT”

You mention on your website: “My job now is about running a great restaurant, cooking great food; but, as much, it’s about creating opportunity for a new generation of chefs.”Where do you see the culinary scene headed in Cape Town?

It is absolutely booming at the moment. There are already a lot of good chefs but there is obviously a new generation coming up. I have fantastic guys working for me. If I am in the position to create opportunities for them now, and help them in whichever way I can, that is what I will do.

Looking to the future, where do you see yourself and The Test Kitchen in a decade?

I have no idea. At this stage, I am taking it one day at a time and enjoying the experience.

NAME: LUKE DALE-ROBERTS COUNTRY OF BIRTH: BRITAIN RELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: I MET GARY ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO WHEN I ARRIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY YOUNG FAMILY. AFTER AN INITIAL CHAT, GARY AND HIS TEAM WORKED QUICKLY AND PROFESSIONALLY IN ASSISTING US WITH ACQUIRING THE CORRECT PAPERWORK. SUBSEQUENTLY GARY HAS ASSISTED ME IN GETTING PERMITS AND VISAS FOR SOME OVERSEAS STAFF.

C H E F S WA R E H O U S E & C O O K E R Y S C H O O L

CREATING A STIR

“WE LOVE THE CHALLENGE

Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School

OF SOURCING SOMETHING OUT

Liam Tomlin is no stranger to the world of cuisine.

Beginning his career at the age of 14 in Dublin, he went on to work in Europe’s finest kitchens. Since then, this top chef has opened his own restaurant, published three books and raked in a number of awards.

Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School, his latest project, is a first for Cape Town and offers a combination of retail and culinary education to the public.

OF THE ORDINARY” springing up everywhere, which is great.

On the down side, I think a lot of young chefs are getting into the industry thinking they will become overnight celebrities.

The internet is a great source of knowledge and I use it every day for work, but it has allowed anyone to become a food writer or a restaurant reviewer and that can be extremely frustrating for industry professionals.

You are currently working on your fourth book. Any clues as to what we can expect?

My third book Lessons with Liam was published last year and is a step-bystep guide of the basics of cookery. I am currently working on my fourth, which will have more of an Asian influence to it.

Q&A WITH LIAM

PHOTOGR APHER : RUS SELL SM ITH

You have travelled extensively, working in various countries, including Asia, Australia and Europe. Do you think it’s essential for a chef to be well travelled in order to be excellent at what he does?

From my own experience, travel is the best way to accumulate knowledge, not only with regard to food, but also by being able to understand the culture.

I have been very fortunate and have worked or done promotions in over 20 countries and still enjoy travelling whenever the opportunity arises. I know it is not for every young chef but I do recommend travelling and working in a few different countries before settling down.

Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School is a natural extension of your enthusiasm towards fine cuisine. Do you think it is important for senior chefs to invest in the future of the culinary scene by training young chefs?

I get great pleasure in seeing one of my protégés doing well. Any good chef will tell you they are only as good as the team working with them, so it is essential to spend time with them, setting standards and teaching them as much as possible. It is then up to the individual to take that experience and, in time, put their own interpretation into what they have learnt. As a chef, you can never learn enough. I have always tried to surround myself with young chefs who have worked in kitchens that I haven’t, so that I also learn from them.

The Cookery School’s classes are often joined by celebrated local and international chefs: Laurent Deslandes from Bizerca in Cape Town, Neil Jewell from

FOOD

Bread & Wine in Franschhoek, and Margot Janse from The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek. How do you go about choosing these individuals and what do they contribute to the classes?

We enjoy having guest chefs and really appreciate when they take the time to give classes, as they are all very busy running their own kitchens and businesses. I know our customers really enjoy experiencing different chefs, their different styles and their philosophies towards food. It is also great for our young chefs to work alongside them and get a break from listening to me.

In order to maintain a standard of excellence, how do you go about sourcing stock for the warehouse?

We aim for quality in all the retail categories – knives and books to food products and spices. We are always on the lookout for new things for the store;

products that you would not necessarily find in our competitors’ stores or in the supermarket. It is a real team effort.

Customers also direct us as to what they would like to see. We love the challenge of sourcing something out of the ordinary.

With an e-commerce store, would you say the internet and the introduction of various cooking shows have changed the face of cuisine? Have these tools contributed to establishment of the foodie scene?

I think the internet and TV have their respective pros and cons. There is no question that there is a much bigger interest in cooking due to the likes of Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein, the various Masterchef shows from around the world and, of course, Gordon Ramsay. I think the public is a lot more aware when it comes to food. We are seeing great artisans and fresh food markets

Looking to the future, where do you see the Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School in a decade?

We are very excited to be relocating to Heritage Square in Bree Street in January 2014. We will also be expanding the business. During these first four years, a lot of our customers have encouraged us to offer food, so we are going to have a small delicatessen where guests can buy and take away, or sit and have a simple meal with a glass of wine. We are also planning on having a separate space next door where we will open an Asian street food take away.

We now have a better understanding of what our customers want. The relocation will provide us with the opportunity to discontinue some ranges and expand on others. We will stock a range of fresh products such as poultry, cheese, cold cuts and some fish. The whole team at Chefs Warehouse is really excited about what lies ahead.

NAME: LIAM TOMLIN COUNTRY OF BIRTH: DUBLIN, IRELAND RELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING GARY EISENBERG WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA AND I HAVE HUGE RESPECT FOR HIM. HE IS GENUINELY INTERESTED IN MY CAREER AND WHAT I DO, AND WILL OFTEN CALL TO SAY HE HAS READ AN ARTICLE I FEATURED IN OR HAD A DISH ON A FLIGHT I CREATED FOR BRITISH AIRWAYS. I HAVE MET HIS FAMILY AND HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER HAS WORKED WITH US AT CHEFS WAREHOUSE.

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WINE

ONE&ONLY CAPE TOWN

WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

LUVO NTEZO

WINE’S WUNDERKIND From humble beginnings as a dishwasher, Luvo Ntezo’s passion for the world of wine has seen him crowned Red Carnation Hotels’ Sommelier of the Year in 2008. The combination of his unquenchable passion for the wine sector, paired with his well-developed palate, is a recipe for success and the reason why he is head sommelier at the celebrated One&Only Cape Town.

sommelier noun / a wine steward.

ORIGIN early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘butler.’

A sommelier (French pronounciation: [somelje]), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional. He specialises in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing.

Q&A WITH LUVO Having won the Red Carnation Group’s Sommelier of the Year award in 2008, which skills should one possess in order to be a successful sommelier and why are these of utmost importance?

Academics are an essential part of a successful career. I always tell aspiring sommeliers that experience is not an assurance to skill, academics are.

With academics I got exposed to a global wine culture and the business aspects of things. My world became much smaller in the sense that what sommeliers across the globe knew was on par with what I knew.

RELATIONSHIP WITH

You grew up during the apartheid era; how has this influenced your view of job opportunities in South Africa? Would you say it’s inspired you to work harder?

EISENBERG DE SAUDE:

My father raised us to look at the world beyond what others saw.

I grew up where apartheid laws were irrelevant to what my dreams were.

I never have self-pity with my skin.

My mother had a white father and a black mother, my sister is married to an Afrikaans man, and my nephew and cousin are mixed race so my background has never bowed down to apartheid.

AS A BUSINESS

WE ARE VERY PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH GARY EISENBERG PARTNER. HE IS UNQUESTIONABLY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST AMBASSADORS. GARY HAS ASSISTED THE HOTEL IN OBTAINING WORK PERMITS FOR VERY SPECIALISED SKILLS AND WE VALUE THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH HIM AND

One&Only Cape Town’s restaurant Reuben’s is famous for its delectable dishes and superb service. How do you find working with head chef Reuben Riffel?

Reuben is a South African chef whose concept is based on simplicity and integration of local and international flavours. He is a skilled, passionate and very accessible guy. In 2011, Reuben and I toured the US where we presented an array of South African dishes to the public and introduced them to South African gastronomy. It was a wonderful experience. Reuben and I work very closely together in order to get the food and wine pairings perfect.

One&Only Cape Town is renowned for its standards of excellence. How do you go about maintaining these standards through your wine selection?

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EISENBERG DE SAUDE.

I select wines based not on prestige, but accessibility and elegance. Not only is my focus based on the public’s favourites or ‘sweethearts’, but also wines not very well known in the market. I encourage them to come on board our extensive wine list and I personally enjoy sharing the stories of the wines with our guests while they dine.

In line with this, when selecting wine for pairings, do you prefer local or international wines; and what would you

deem the most distinctive aspects of South African wines?

The focus at One&Only Cape Town is on South African wines but we do bring in a decent amount of wines from across the globe to introduce the ‘locals’ to the world beyond our borders. South African wines are unique in the sense that we are situated on a yellow (slightly warmer) part of the southern hemisphere, on the Atlantic and Indian oceans, where their effects

play a large role in our climatology.

This results in our wines having a fresh delectable fruity flavour in their youth and, with age, they become classic and elegant.

Looking to the future, where do you see yourself in a decade?

I would like to have completed my Master of Wine with WSET and to still be as excited and enthusiastic about wine as I am today.

S O L M S - D E LTA W I N E E S TAT E

WINE

SOL M S-DELTA A VISION BEYOND VITICULTURE

Much more than just a wine estate, Solms-Delta has earned the reputation as a pioneer in the Western Cape. We spoke to CEO Craig MacGillivray about the farm’s approach to integrating and empowering its workers.

Q&A WITH CRAIG

PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF SOLMS-DELTA WINE ESTATE

Solms-Delta Wine Estate is renowned for its acclaimed wines. In comparison with international producers, how would you say the wine and estate’s approach to production compares?

We believe that the South African terroir is deeply imbued with our social history, which massively impacts labour relations in both vineyards and cellars, and thereby affects our wines.

Our social landscape and the need to address imbalances of the past influences all decisions made on Solms-Delta.

Fyndraai Restaurant’s executive chef, Shaun Schoeman, recently returned from a week in Calais, France as Chef in Residence in France South Africa Seasons 2013 – a testament to the restaurant’s excellent standard. What do you regard as the restaurant’s philosophy when it comes to cuisine?

Fyndraai Restaurant proudly showcases our philosophy of celebrating heritage, identity and all that it is to be truly South African, through serving a fusion of Afrikaner boerekos and Cape Malay (slave) influences, blended with ingredients used by the Khoisan thousands of years ago which we grow in our Dik Delta culinary gardens.

The Solms-Delta Museum van de Caab is a wonderful celebration of South African heritage. As a foreigner, how important is celebrating your culture and why does it play such a big role in shaping the future?

The significance of culture, wrapped as it is in one’s identity, is huge – especially in a country like South Africa where we are looking to transform socially. We all need to understand and appreciate each other’s history and culture fully before we can successfully engage in crafting a socially sustainable future together.

With its black empowerment programme rooted in idealism yet driven by pragmatism, Solms-Delta is known as one of the country’s most progressive wine estates. How has the latter contributed to a shift in mindset and has it generated any results?

An extensive part of our overhead structure is applied to educational, housing, health and social programmes aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and dependency among historically disdvantaged residents and workers.

The Wijn de Caab Trust, a one-third shareholder in Solms-Delta, was established specifically with this purpose in mind. The Delta Trust was established with a view to driving projects aimed at promoting social cohesion in the broader Cape Winelands. We have certainly seen a change in the mindset of the many farmers who visit us on their own, or in groups, to learn more about the approach taken by us and to exchange ideas in a mutually beneficial manner.

The Dik Delta, an unused portion of farmland on Solms-Delta, has been developed into an indigenous culinary garden and fynbos/renosterveld park.

How has this take on sustainability changed the overall approach to farming?

We have become a lot more focused on finding environmentally friendly solutions in all we do, drawing on lessons from the past. Examples include the use of fynbos crop cover in the vineyards and indigenous grasses for our cattle kraal.

Looking to the future, what does the next decade entail for Solms-Delta?

We are looking to increase our influence as an agent of transformation in the South African wine industry with a particular emphasis on broadening its impact on as many people as possible – against the backdrop of projects aimed at addressing imbalances of the past and promoting social cohesion – and, of course, making even better wines.

NAME: CRAIG MACGILLIVRAY COUNTRY OF BIRTH: SOUTH AFRICA RELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING GARY SHORTLY AFTER HE ESTABLISHED HIS PRACTICE WHILE I WAS A PARTNER AT MAZARS, AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIT AND ADVISORY FIRM. HIS VERY PERSONAL APPROACH AND HIGHLY EFFICIENT SERVICE HAS LED ME TO CONTINUE REFERRING CLIENTS AND COLLEAGUES TO HIM FOR ASSISTANCE WITH IMMIGRATION MATTERS; AND SOLMS-DELTA’S NEEDS IN THIS REGARD ARE WELL LOOKED AFTER.

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I am a British citizen and entered South Africa as a tourist; I accidently overstayed my 90-day permit. I don’t want to get in trouble with the authorities when I return home next week. What do I do? Because you intend to leave the country next week, you do not need to do anything other than depart.

Upon your departure, you will be issued with a fine notice, which you will be required to pay either upon your next return to South Africa or at a South African diplomatic mission. If the period you overstayed is less than 90 days, the fine will be under R3 000.

ASK THE EXPERT We asked Stefanie de Saude, exceptional skills specialist and partner in the firm Eisenberg de Saude Attorneys, to provide answers to some frequently asked questions.

I am in a relationship with a same-sex South African partner. Can I stay in South Africa on this basis? If you can prove that you live with your South African partner, and the extent to which you share financial responsibilities, you may apply for a temporary residence permit (with or without work, business or study authorisation) on this basis. The fact that your South African partner is of the same-sex is irrelevant.

I have been living in the country for the past six years on study and work permits. Can I apply for South African permanent residence?

If you have been the holder of a work permit for five successive years and have secured permanent employment, you are eligible to apply for permanent residence on this basis. Study permits do not count towards permanent residence.

I have been a South African permanent resident for the past three years, and have been married to a South African for the past five years. Am I eligible to apply for South African citizenship? In terms of the Citizenship Amendment Act, which commenced in December 2010, you do not qualify on this basis. In terms of this

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amended Act, you must have been ordinarily resident in South Africa for a period of 10 years immediately preceding the date of your application and you must not have been absent from the Republic for a period of more than 90 days in any year during the fiveyear period of ordinary residence immediately preceding the date of the application.

I am a 30-year-old South African citizen and have been living in the US for the past 10 years. I want to naturalise as an American citizen. Will this affect my South African citizenship status? Before applying for any foreign citizenship status, you must first obtain the written consent of the Minister of Home Affairs by filing a retention of South African citizenship status application at the Department of Home Affairs. Without this prior written consent, you will lose your citizenship status, but will retain the right to permanent residency. This does not apply if you are under the age of 18.

My husband and I currently have work permits until 2015, and our child was born in South Africa seven years ago. The school won’t accept our child without a valid study permit, despite the fact that he has a South African

I am a South African permanent resident.

My mother in France is getting old, and I want her to move into my house so I can care for her. How can she relocate to South Africa?

In terms of the current rules, your mother may enter South Africa as a tourist and, once she has arrived in South Africa, she may file an application for a relative permit valid for two years, together with an application for permanent residence on the same basis.

I filed my work permit application eight months ago. Whenever I go to the Department of Home Affairs, I am told that my application is still pending. Is this normal?

Since May 2010, the minister has centralised the adjudication process to a hub in Pretoria.

Therefore, there has since been a collapse between the time which it takes applications to be finalised and the quality of decisions made. The processing of temporary residence permits (including work permits) currently take an average of between two to four months. If your application has been pending for the past eight months, it has probably been lost or mislaid. We suggest that you resubmit your application.

My grandmother was born in Vilnius in 1920 and immigrated to South Africa in 1925.

I do not have any of her original Lithuanian documentation, other than a South African naturalisation certificate confirming that she was born in Lithuania and acquired South African citizenship. Is it still possible for me to apply for reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship? On the basis of the little information you have given us, it would appear that you would be eligible to apply for reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship.

However, you would have to prove that your grandmother was a Lithuanian citizen.

This can be done by conducting extensive archival searches in Lithuania.

OBTAINING AN EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS WORK PERMIT Foreign nationals with exceptional skills/qualifications are eligible to apply for an exceptional skills work permit, which is issued for a maximum period of three years and is renewable. The Immigration Act of 2002 does not define the term ‘exceptional skills’, and therefore leaves room for interpretation.

It enables the permit holder to work freely within the ambit of the skills as defined in their application. This is particularly beneficial to those in the creative fields, as it enables them to do freelance work, consult and take up contract employment with one or more individuals/companies.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS WORK PERMIT: Letter(s) from a South African or foreign organ of state, or an established South African academic, confirming the exceptional skills/ qualifications of the foreigner.

The letter must also state that such skills/qualifications will be of notable benefit to the environment in which the foreigner intends to operate.

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Letter(s) from business/ cultural bodies and testimonials from past employers confirming the foreigner’s skills/qualifications

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Any other proof, such as publications, which substantiate the foreigner’s skills/qualifications in their field.

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You can apply for an exceptional skills work permit at the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa or at a South African embassy or consulate in the foreign national’s country of origin or place of residence.

EISENBERG DE SAUDE

If I obtain Lithuanian citizenship, do I have to give up my South African citizenship status?

If you obtain your Lithuanian citizenship based on reinstatement (in terms of Article 9 of the Republic of Lithuania Citizenship Law), you do not have to renounce, and/or you will not lose your South African citizenship status.

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birth certificate. What do we do?

Being born in South Africa to two foreign parents on temporary residence permits does not automatically entitle your child to become a permanent resident or citizen.

You must thus apply for a study permit for your child.

AT T O R N E Y S AT L AW T E L: +27 21 421 7003 IN F O@E DS L AW.CO.ZA W W W.E DS L AW.CO.Z A

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