Less than 5 years ago, Aren Pollack was doing what he describes as the ‘horrible jobs in a kitchen’. When chefs wanted produce from the freezer, he was the one they would send to burrow through crates and boxes. When 50kg of celeriac needed to be sliced, it was his duty. When someone was needed to run, go, get, or find… he was called. In 2026, however, Aren got to experience one of the best moments in a kitchen — celebrating two prestigious awards with the team he leads as Head Chef at Embarc in Parkhurst, Johannesburg.
Recognising a young talent whose work shows immense promise for a successful career ahead, the Eat Out Rising Star Award was presented to the 24-year-old at the ceremony in March. Embarc itself received a One Star Award for being an establishment of distinction.
Aren joined Embarc in 2025, and while awards were on his future wishlist, he didn’t anticipate earning two so soon. “I just wanted to get to the awards. I wanted to be in the same room as people I admired and was so inspired by. Winning the Star for the restaurant was incredible because it’s been a goal from day one. The Rising Star was just mind-blowing. It was really cool to be recognised amongst the great names in South Africa.”
For Embarc’s Chef de Partie, Tayla Nixon-James, the affirmations didn’t come entirely as a surprise. She’d been with the chef-owner, Darren O’Donovan, when Aren was interviewed. “We had a lot of applicants come in that day. He was the only one with a sparkle in his eye. He was extremely confident for such a young chap, and the way he spoke about food showed that he was driven and a hard worker. He left, and I said to Darren ‘I think he’s the one’.”
Aren went on to be hired, and Tayla’s original instinct proved correct. The menu that Aren has created at Embarc is mind-bogglingly both simple and complex. Plated dishes look elegant and refined, with the main ingredients often clearly distinguishable. The intricacy and complexity are designed not to be evident to the diner. The venison dish, for example, is served with charred green, crispy leek and a peri-peri sauce that takes 20 ingredients to make. Seared scallops are served with a tomato beurre blanc that requires four days to ferment. Calamari noodles are served with a cashew XO, which is one of 13 sauces Tayla needs to prep for each service.
“A lot of ideas come from messing around in the kitchen,” Aren reflects. “I had a pot of oil, and one day I threw hot coals into it. They started smoking and almost caught on fire, so I put a lid on the pot. Afterwards, the oil tasted of a braai, and we now have barbecue oil for our dishes!”
Having worked in Michelin-starred establishments such as Jan in Nice and Choux in Amsterdam, Aren has been inspired to blend his South African roots with exacting techniques. On the Embarc menu, heritage is conveyed through masala velouté, Bo-Kaap linefish, and lamb samosas, which sit alongside Korean fried chicken wings, artichoke agnolotti, and a cashew XO sauce.
“The cooking in this restaurant aims to achieve depth through lots of different layers, flavours and textures,” notes Aren. “We try to work as hyper-seasonally as possible, so every couple of weeks, something on the menu is in or out. Sometimes dishes don’t change as a whole, but they evolve because certain flavours and elements change. We’re always striving towards making dishes better.”
