Coming from the Northern Cape, the braai is often seen as the place for a man. From a young age I was by my father's side, learning how to master the fire. Later, I would always host the braai, ready to cook the meat while frowning male faces were ready to save me from the 'burden' of yielding the grid. This dish represents how my love for the braai has only grown, celebrating women's ability to tame the flames, along with my passion of showcasing my heritage and enjoyment of local ingredients.

My food journey began as a child in my mother’s kitchen, as the youngest of five it was always my responsibility to help cook. My mother loves sweet potato and could tell just from taste and texture when it was harvested. I’ve taken this humble root and paired it with duck, poultry which to me is symbolic of fine dining and what I’ve learnt in the industry – especially butchering - which I’ve cooked along with the wild foraged matangulu, paying homage to Chef Johannes who has taught me so much.

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.

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.

I am sharing the story of the first traces of humankind through the art of culinary expression. This dish is a tribute to the women of the Khoi-Khoin the Taras whose footprints lie deep in the Southern Coast. Her pure shell jewellery strings around her neck as she heals her family with every meal. I would like to convey the unique diversity of South African Indigenous healing plants. The origin of flavour. By sharing the story of our ecosystems, we could create unity through food in our country.

I wanted to create a dish that can live on a high class fine dining menu, made with “cheap”, attainable, everyday ingredients that I grew up eating at least once a week. It is so important to remember that knowledge, skill and technique counts for so much, a roast potato, a soft boiled egg and an average plate of pasta have so much potential if you know how to work with them.

The power of flavor in simplicity with my love for fusion. Throughout my journey as a chef, I have never really appreciated my own skill because as a chef, you always feel like you can do better. I rather found comfort in how people reacted to my dishes when they ate them and so therefore with this dish, I embrace the produce the earth gives us, I want each and every little component to be felt with every bite for what it is! With this dish I embrace my skills and I appreciate the simplicity.

Growing up, lamb was, and still is, an expensive commodity. In my home lamb always went hand in hand with a special occasion. The preparation of the lamb dish was always tasked to my grandmother who would always take great care and would never dare leave anything to go to waste. This dish is a tribute to her and how she inspired me to pursue cooking professionally and the special memories we shared, showcasing the skills and techniques I have acquired while being a chef locally, and abroad.
 

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.

This dish conveys African traditional dishes in a modern way or style, where by sorghum it's the main source our traditional beer dishes so fermentation of it and burning it to make an ash it says alot of smoke and natural flavors involved. The use of kudu its our Afrikaans way of making family barbecue and eating fresh meat with its juices and braai flavors.

The Strandveld ecosystem dish is a representation of the coastline along Southern Africa. The plate is designed by me and handmade by Corinne de Haas from the Potters Gallery in Kleinmond, South Africa. The plate is inspired by a rock at the Cape Agulhas coastline, the most Southern point of Africa. The dish has a variety of indigenous medicinal fynbos plants which grows in this ecosystem.

I want to express South African Terrior!