Bobotie is a traditional dish that most South Africans know, especially the Afrikaaners. As with anything, everyone has their own version of it and believe theirs is the only right one. My version is rooted in the dish my mother used to make for us growing up, but through my culinary journey I have found my own interpretation for it, while still holding true to that core memory. I’m presenting it with the memory of having the dish for dinner one night and then on a sandwich for lunch the next.

Our Saturday dinners always included a braai. These meals, my happiest moments, were filled with love, laughter and of course good food. My favourite of which was the skilpadjie - lamb liver wrapped in caul fat, served with pap & chakalaka. It’s a dish which takes the humble offal and makes it, in my opinion, the star of the meal. I have recreated and elevated it, as a way to celebrate my Afrikaans heritage, upbringing and culinary traditions.

This dish reflects my Ahıska heritage. After the exile of Ahıska Turks to Uzbekistan, many people lost their lives on the journey. Hinkal reminds me of my grandparents, who were forced to leave their homeland. In my family, this Georgian dish was adapted with goose or duck and served at weddings. Through this dish, I want to preserve my identity, honor my ancestors, and share a story of resilience, memory, and belonging.

I really like the lamb in spring time I use to live in London and I still remember the flavor of rhug estate.
I think is a great product.
It was spring time when I decide to do this plate so I decide to use peas.
Also in spring I like the freshness of the product, so peas combine with mint give you a flavour of freshness.

This dish is an extension of who I am. It shows how I think about food. The flavours are more-ish, there is a balance of textures and flavours, the presentation is unassuming and organic. It's a harmonious balance between man and nature. Eating what the land has to offer. Plant based meals have been at the forefront of the conversation within the industry for a while now, you'd have to be ignorant to ignore the importance of highlighting the beauty of vegetables.

My journey as a chef began around the Egyptian family table, where food brought people together and traditions were passed from one generation to the next. Inspired by freekeh, veal ribs, bread, and familiar Egyptian flavors, this dish transforms a cherished memory into a contemporary expression. I believe the future of cuisine lies in preserving identity while embracing evolution, not by changing who we are, but by showing the world who we have always been.

just to show everything that I have learned in each country that I have traveled, worked, its food, its culture, its people, so that, like us as a cook, it fills us with experience to create new dishes and in this dish I want to show the mixture of all the techniques and styles, combined with my Peruvian origin.

This dish reflects my personal and culinary journey, from childhood memories in eastern France to Réunion, the tropical island in the Indian Ocean that has welcomed me since 2009. I'm keen to bring together on the plate the riches of tradition, the fishing I do and the smoking techniques I discovered on Réunion. Rhubarb is ‘my Proust's madeleine’, reminding me of my grandmother's pies. Every bite of this dish tells my story, combining tradition, creativity and sharing.

I see the future of cuisine as a way to unite people, respect ecosystems, and create opportunity through food. “At River’s End” reflects this through sustainable seafood, whole-ingredient use, and cultural influences. I aim to become a chef who builds a farm-to-table restaurant in South Africa that creates jobs and celebrates responsible, inclusive gastronomy.