Women are making waves in the South African culinary scene
There seems to be a noticeable gap where women are concerned in the international culinary realm. After much investigation we found out that gladly this isn’t the case with woman in the South African culinary scene.
Chef Peter Tempelhoff from beyond restaurant in Nova Constantia notes that the scene is visibly more diverse. Furthermore he’s surrounded himself with a close-knit team of female leaders. Shaping the discourse of food in South Africa is by no means a female-only role. Likewise there are a handful of women who are making waves in the scene.
We felt this was a very pertinent topic and needed a little more investigating of our own. Here’s what we found out.
Julia du Toit - Head Chef at beyond
Just 8 years after starting her culinary journey, Julia was selected to represent beyond with a stint working at restaurant L’ Atelier des Augustins in France. While there, her menu dedicated to author Deon Meyer highlighted the diversity of South African food. Julia says that her inspiration draws on flavours from around the world that result in signature combinations.
When she’s not developing menus for a Michelin-starred restaurant, her everyday superpower is her unerring sense of calm and her organisation skills. “If I’m the one person in the kitchen who remains calm, then everyone else knows to stay calm too,” she notes.
Michelle Elliot - Head Pastry Chef at beyond
Michelle runs a team of 5 like a well-oiled machine. Having worked at La Colombe prior, she brings both experience and inspiration to the fore. For her, proving that women can hold their own in professional kitchens and inspiring other young women to follow is what brings her joy. That, and creating a dessert that keeps brings diners back.
Jessica Saurwein - winemaker and founder of Saurwein Wines
Jessica feels that women are naturally attuned to winemaking. Saurwein has received multiple accolades from critics with their 2019 Chi Riesling. The vintage has been dubbed “possibly the best Riesling in South Africa”. She approaches her craft with as little intervention as possible. This attitude results in wines that channel the natural balance of the grapes and the nuances of their terroir. Her Nom, Chi and Om wines are now available in 13 countries globally. Each varietal carries symbolic meaning – named in honour of ancestry and spirituality.
Jennifer Hugé - General Manager and Co-owner at FYN restaurant
Jennifer attributes her 20 year experience in various front-of-house positions as the backbone to her inherent understanding of what’s needed at every level. “I tend to thrive under stress and I ‘love’ the challenge of an unhappy customer, having them leave with a smile feels special,” she says.
Bea Malherbe - Head Chef at FYN Restaurant
Having climbed the ladder from trainee, Bea is a driven leader who brings a kind-hearted spirit to a harsh environment. When she’s not ensuring that guests ultimately have the best experience possible, you’ll find her climbing Table Mountain, her other love. Thanks to her farm upbringing, Bea has an innate respect for the journey of food. “It’s our responsibility as chefs to treat every ingredient with respect, thinking about the people before us, and thinking about those who will come after us,” she notes.
Lorna Maseko - celebrity chef and cookbook author
Having grown up in one of Joburg’s biggest townships, the self-taught celebrity chef, media personality and author of Celebrate with Lorna Maseko is also the first black ballerina to ever perform a principal role in SA theatres. Culinary fame came to Lorna when she made top 6 in Celebrity Masterchef SA; she also won two Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and has recently launched her cooking show – Homegrown Tastes South Africa – on BBC Lifestyle. Her goal is to give rise to other women in the industry.
