Shore thing
Coy, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
coyrestaurant.com
With his impressive international portfolio and being named last year’s Eat Out Chef of the Year at Salsify at The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, Ryan Cole needs no introduction. His new restaurant venture, COY, is located right on the water’s edge and offers diners exciting African cuisine inspired by his love of the ocean. A strong sustainable focus means that all produce is seasonal and locally sourced, and you may well find Ryan – a keen fisherman – has provided the day’s catch himself.
Having delved into Africa’s rich culinary history and the cooking techniques that come with it, Ryan is particularly excited about these nuances and methods, many of which have been lost over time.
Savour the seven-course tasting menu, which includes sublime dishes such as fresh tuna tartare served with caramelised coconut and sugarcane, seared line fish or Xai-Xai chargrilled squid served with pearl barley and a touch of rum. We loved their groovy twist on the Mozambican R&R (rum and raspberry).
Passion for Provenance
The Living Room at Summerhill Guest Estate, KZN
summerhillkzn.com
Multi-course fine dining built around sustainability and regionality is how chef Johannes Richter tells his culinary story at The Living Room. It’s a gastronomic – now off-grid – tale of a supper club that became one of South Africa’s best sustainable restaurants (2022’s Eat Out Restaurant of the Year). It came to life through its chef’s passion, appreciation of hyper-endemic ingredients, and deliberate approach to creating sustainable menus with low impact. German-born and Durban-raised, Johannes trained at Michelin-star restaurants abroad where he learnt to combine a sustainable ethos with his classical French training and love of Asian cuisine.
Exquisite dishes are beautifully presented as part of five, seven or 10-course menus at The Living Room, each one made with seasonal ingredients that are grown in the kitchen garden or come from small suppliers. Johannes also uses ancient fermentation and preservation techniques to stretch produce across the seasons and reduce wastage.
The wine list, expertly curated by sommelier and Johannes’ wife Johanna, is part of an extended drinks offering which includes kombucha and syrups made in-house. Menus change twice each season so there are always new flavour fusions to try like ‘unripe strawberries, North Coast macadamia and heirloom peppers.’
Deep Connections
Qunu, Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, Johannesburg
saxon.co.za
Qunu is a small Eastern Cape village where Nelson Mandela spent much of his childhood, and like Madiba’s roots, the philosophy at Qunu restaurant is deeply connected to the terroir. Head chef Scott Dressel’s menus are built on a strong sustainable foundation and every offering at the hotel’s signature restaurant has a story that connects farm to fork.
The two, three and four-course menus infuse terroir-driven African flavours with Mediterranean cuisine such as Wagyu sirloin carpaccio with whipped Gorgonzola and a mandarin dressing. The Wagyu fillet – with black truffle, chestnut mushrooms, mustard and cognac – can be prepared at your table.
Passionate about his craft, Scott is also committed to nurturing the next generation of chefs, encouraging creativity and allowing young chefs to express themselves freely in the kitchen.
