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  GO FISH

  Chefs are elevating seafood this summer to tick all the boxes – interesting, delicious, sustainable and locally sourced. Susan Reynard explores what is on the menu and some of the challenges facing the seafood industry.

  Summer means an abundance of seafood on the menu. From perennial favourites, like salmon
  and trout, to new ways with hake, chefs are keen to offer a fresh taste of the sea or river.
  James Diack, Chef Patron of the Brightside group of restaurants – Coobs, Douglas +
  Hale, Il Contadino, La Stalla and Brightside Farm – received the SASSI Trailblazer Award in 2018 for his commitment to only serving and promoting sustainably sourced fish on the menus in his restaurants. “It’s more economical to use fish from local sources,” he says. “Using local,
  fresh-water farmed trout to replace imported Scottish or Norwegian salmon means fewer imports and lower transport costs.

  Continue reading in Issue 11 of SA Chef by clicking here.

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  WINNING WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS

  Marrying diverse flavours on the menu with vast choice on the wine list is an art and a science. Susan Reynard chats to the experts.

  Food and wine pairings extend the pleasure of the dining experience. Fine-dining restaurants have sommeliers on hand, and restaurants passionate about wine but who do not have
  sommeliers often provide tasting notes on the wine list and waiters trained in wine pairing. There are also various wine pairing apps (such as Vivino, Wine23, wine.co.za) giving guests a virtual sommelier on their mobile phone. Haute Cabrière Nic van Wyk, Chef at Haute Cabrière wine estate in Franschhoek says, “We are lucky on the farm to have our own wine to work with and do most of our food and wine pairing with the Haute Cabrière and Pierre Jordan wines.

  Continue reading in Issue 11 of SA Chef by clicking here.

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  DAIRY: ICE CREAM FOR ALL

  The growth in ice cream and frozen equivalents continues to dominate dairy desserts. Ice cream parlours are popping up everywhere, with mobile versions bringing the fun of the ice cream van to events. Susan Reynard finds flavour innovation surging ahead.

  Chefs at fine-dining restaurants pride themselves on making their own ice cream from
  scratch, as they do with everything else on the menu. Some may buy in premium ice cream from local craft suppliers, who deliver a quality product to specification. Chain restaurants and fast food outlets are famous for their soft serve ice cream, combined with sauces and toppings.

  Continue reading in Issue 11 of SA Chef by clicking here.

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  A CARNIVORE, HERBIVORE AND OMNIVORE WALK INTO A RESTAURANT…

  Top chefs are passionate about respecting ingredients. From carrots to cows, the
  emphasis is increasingly on sustainability and traceability. Susan Reynard reports.

  Ask guests how they define their diet choices and you’ll hear: vegan, vegetarian, fruitarian, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-oco-vegetarian, pescatarian, pesco-pollo-vegetarian, meatarian, paleo and more. The hospitality industry is a broad church and multi-denominational menus are now the norm. Some restaurants define themselves by their excellence in meat, chicken or fish preparation, and others target vegan and vegetarian diners.

  Continue reading in Issue 11 of SA Chef by clicking here.