Twenty years ago, Sepial Shim touched down in South Africa with her son and one suitcase, ready for the adventure promised by a move to Cape Town. Armed with the kind of positive, can-do attitude one can only hope to cultivate over a lifetime, her journey started far from the culinary spaces she now so comfortably inhabits.
After obtaining a degree in urban design and city planning, she went on to work in PR and the film industry. In a field notorious for being demanding, burnout soon beckoned, and cooking and baking became Sepial’s therapy.
“Sharing food is kind of rewarding,” she says of how her interest in the food industry was sparked. Having grown up not really being allowed to cook — she says her “stereotypical” Asian mother wanted her to focus on her studies and become a doctor or engineer — she learnt to do so properly in 2017 when she went to Silwood School of Cookery. There she learned classic French cooking techniques, which she adapted for Korean dishes, blending her newfound skills with the flavours of her childhood.
Until recently, you could experience these punchy flavours at Sepial’s Kitchen every weekend at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market in Cape Town — the “KFC” chicken, a cult-favourite, often sold out long before closing time. When she announced on Instagram that they had closed their market shop, it seemed sudden, and she admits, “It’s hard to stop doing such a beautiful thing. It’s almost addictive. People smiling, happy, excited.” But it was time to level up.
In Woodstock, she has found the space and freedom to do things her way — physically and mentally. The In The Meantime team comprises her, a front-of-house, and a cleaner. That’s it. Every dish you eat here is prepared by Sepial, and even though a small team means more cooking for her, it has freed up mental space because she doesn’t have to manage people, and quality control is entirely hers: “I just cook what I know.”
Stepping into In The Meantime, the interior enfolds you with simplicity, calm, and aroma, in stark contrast to the bustling street outside. The music is instrumental, the colours muted, and the flavour in the air comforting: slow-cooked pork shank that has been going for hours. Her food philosophy is palpable in this space: “I want to cook to make the world slightly better by making people happier or positive, or by using ingredients smartly. It’s like practising your belief. If you go to church, you pray, right? This is my church.”
So, what’s on the menu? “The food is healthier, but not obviously so. Not salad,” she laughs. “Balanced food that gives you a bit of joy, but it’s not too much.” Think dumplings, kimchi, japchae, slow-cooked beef ribs in bone broth, and, of course, Korean fried chicken.
As we wrap up the interview, in classic Cape Town style, there’s a sudden downpour, followed by a crisp rainbow arching over the street — a good omen for what’s to come, no doubt.
In The Meantime is located at the corner of Sir Lowry Road and Selwyn Street at The Palms Centre, Woodstock, Cape Town. Book via Dineplan.
