A haze of purple softens the afternoon light at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg, where the famous Jacaranda bloom creates a breathtaking backdrop for a dining experience that redefines seasonal luxury. Beyond the expected refinement, there’s also an evolving celebration of vegetables — the passion project of Executive Chef Rudi Liebenberg. His approach marks a philosophical shift toward celebrating produce with integrity and profound respect.
At the heart of this approach is a Mushroom Terrine, a dish that showcases the chef’s thoughtful creativity. Layers of charcoal-grilled portobello and button mushrooms are bound with a smooth cashew pâté and studded with shiitake, shimeji and king oyster varieties. Served with tofu aioli and pickled onion, it’s a complex, earthy creation that stands confidently on its own.
The next evolution of this vision is a dish still in development: Coal-Roasted Cauliflower. This endeavour is rooted in a no-waste philosophy, aiming to showcase the vegetable’s versatility through a purée, a bhaji, a pickled salad and a curry leaf dressing — perhaps even a cauliflower kimchi finding its way onto the plate.
Chef Rudi’s philosophy is refreshingly direct. He is not a supporter of a separate vegan menu. Instead, he believes plant-based options should be woven seamlessly into the main menu and treated with the same creative rigour as any other dish. “It should form part of the menu without it being in your face as being vegan,” he explains. This integrity stems from his own culinary education, acknowledging that some of his greatest lessons have come from vegan discoveries. For him, a kitchen must earn the guest’s trust to cook plant-based dishes with the seriousness they deserve.
This approach extends to the hotel’s seasonal highlight, the Jacaranda Afternoon Tea, curated by Pastry Chef Nathan Jacobs. It’s a graceful homage to Johannesburg’s iconic bloom, with patisserie that captures the essence of the season.
The menu features delights such as a cassis and white chocolate vacherin — its violet hue a direct nod to the blooms outside — and a hazelnut and blackberry financier. The savoury selection adds balance, including a classic cucumber and herbed crème fraîche sandwich and a wonderfully earthy mushroom empanada.
Together, these culinary expressions capture the evolution of the hotel’s culinary philosophy — one rooted in respect for ingredients and a sense of place.
Paired with the whimsical artistry of the Jacaranda Afternoon Tea, Four Seasons The Westcliff is not merely serving meals, but crafting a nuanced and memorable narrative of taste — one where a simple cauliflower or a mushroom can truly shine.
