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Reuben Riffel: How his winning collaborations work
MAY 2015
MENU MAGIC Making the most of your winter menu
Win a
trip to
Frankfurt! FIND IT ALL
AT FOODBIZ
W
PUBLISHER AND
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Hilary Ward
082 330 1981
hilary@rbmag.co.za
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Johannesburg 2195
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@restaurantbusinessmag
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS Get our app!
Well done to the SACA Academy of
Chefs and Young Chefs Club who raised
R200 000 for survivors of the Nepal
earthquakes, at a fundraising dinner
held at Thava restaurant, in response
to an appeal for help from World Chefs
Without Borders.
4 restaurants
6 cover story
10 make your menu
work this winter
16 pairing beer and
food
18 enter your chef to
win amazing prizes
ON THE COVER: Reuben Riffel of
Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape
Town hotel.
BELOW, RIGHT: Execu,ve chef
Annemarie Steenkamp of the new
Open Door restaurant at Constan-
,a Uitsig. BELOW, LEFT: Lemon-
bu1er poached crayfish tail on the
menu at the Open Door.
restaurants
THE OPEN DOOR RESTAURANT
is the latest venture by Neil
Grant and Barry Engelbrecht
of Burrata and Bocca fame,
now open at Constantia Uitsig.
The existing restaurant
was revamped by Inhouse Ar-
chitects to offer several dining
areas, with menus that will
cater for all palates and appe-
tites, under executive chef
Annemarie Steenkamp.
Dining spaces include a
central bar, lunch and break-
fast room leading to a deck, a
dining room with banqueHe
sea4ng, a private dining
room, and a communal kitch-
en table open to the kitchen.
The style of cuisine is
described as modern con-
temporary, with a café style
menu by day, and more so-
phis4cated fare aJer dark.
R Reuben Riffel is a household name, a celebrity
chef and restaurateur, whose brand aHracts a
loyal following of diners who enjoy good food
and wine, but are also looking for interes4ng
experiences and entertainment.
Far from hogging the limelight, Riffel
has grown his personal brand, and restaurant
brand—Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape
Town—over the years, by a series of collabora-
4ons with other chefs, restaurateurs, celebri-
4es and sommeliers. And customers are loving
the food theatre experience.
One of the reasons promo4ons like this
work so well, is that they prompt customers to
book seats for a specific event on a specific
date—rather than wai4ng for customers to
decide they want to eat out on any random
night.
If you want to fill your restaurant on a
Wednesday night, for example –then some-
thing like the five-course wine-and-food pair-
ings held at Reuben’s on the last Wednesday
of every month could do the trick.
RIFFEL & CO.Much of the secret to suc
is getting feet in the do
So how do upper-end restaurants
dependent on healthy tourism numbers
regular customers—even in low season?
The answer is: constant
restaurant can adapt to their own business.
THE ONE&ONLY FORMULA
GREAT BRANDING
Reuben Riffel is not just a celebrity chef, but
a household name and a brand. Building
promo4ons around a brand name helps cut
through the cluHer. The brand might be your
chef, the restaurant owner, or the restaurant.
PROMOTIONS THAT WORK
One&Only has spent years building a pro-
gramme of promo4ons that work, and that
keep customers coming back year aJer year.
These include:
1. Seasonal menu promo4ons;
2. Wine promo4ons with local estates;
3. Speaker evenings that include dinner in
the price at around R295 to R395 a head;
4. Collabora4ons with other celebrity chefs;
5. Special occasions, such as Mother’s Day,
Easter, and school holidays.
RIFFEL & CO. Much of the secret to successful restaurateuring
is getting feet in the door and bums on seats.
end restaurants—often
dependent on healthy tourism numbers—attract
even in low season?
The answer is: constant promotions, that any
restaurant can adapt to their own business.
RIFFEL & CO. continued...
SUCCESSFUL PROMOTIONS
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
The programme of promo4ons at Rueben's
One&Only is based on the understanding that
their upmarket customer base are well-heeled
and well-travelled, and seek out different din-
ing experiences that include cultural enrich-
ment, status and celebrity.
For other restaurants, the desired experience
may be very different. Family restaurants for
example, would base promo4ons on an experi-
ence the whole family can enjoy. What will en-
4ce your customers out of the comfort of their
own homes – live music, stand-up comedy,
wine tas4ng, flair bartending, pop-up promo-
4ons, special occasions…?
PRICE PROMOTIONS CORRECTLY
Pricing is the key to successful promo4ons.
Everyone loves a good bargain, but some cus-
tomers are much more price sensi4ve than
others. One&Only caters for the upper end
and luxury market, where the perceived value
of the promo4on is not the absolute price of
the event, but the added value it offers. If one
expects to pay R300 for a meal with wine, then
including entertainment such as a speaker of
celebrity chef demonstra4on enhances the
perceived value. Instead of just a meal, cus-
tomers are geSng a night out on the town
worth talking about.
MARKET PROMOTIONS EFFECTIVELY
An establishment like One&Only clearly has a
large budget for promo4ons. But you can do a
lot on a smaller budget. Use public rela4ons
effec4vely to get affordable publicity; take
good photographs of your chef, interiors and
food, and post them on Facebook, TwiHer and
Instagram. Become known for something –
Rocomama’s is known for best urban burgers;
Trieste in Greenside is known for best ice-
cream and gnocchi Fridays; Café del Sol built
word-of-mouth by offering tradi4onal Italian
hospitality, but reinven4ng Italian classics as
fine-dining in a sophis4cated café seSng.
Market the experience—not just the food, or the price. Use imagery
like: ‘tap into authentic food trends; escape the winter chill; spoil mom
on Mother’s Day; lazy Sunday lunches; keep the kids busy while you
relax; learn to cook with a celebrity chef…’
The Reuben Invites 2015 series of chef collabora,ons includes Tanya
Kruger and the team at Makaron restaurant (above); and globetro:ng
chef and TV personality Jenny Morris, with Vikash Coonjan, head chef
at Prime, One&Only Le Saint Géran (below).
Previous page, bo�om right: Rueben Riffel with sommelier Luvo Ntezo
and One&Only brand ambassador, Aubrey Ngcungama, hosts of a reg-
ular five-course wine-and-food pairing promo,on held at Reuben’s
One&Only on the last Wednesday of every month. Previous page,
middle: Execu,ve chef Darren Badenhorst of The Restaurant at Grande
Provence, in collabora,on with Reuben. Previous page, le$: A winter
menu promo,on with chef de cuisine, Victoria Sto1.
E Ignore this principle at your peril, for it is
what allows successful restaurants to care-
fully manage food costs and stock control.
Menus that read like encyclopaedias
are old-fashioned and inefficient. You really
can’t be everything to everyone, and s4ll
hope to offer the best quality food. When
there are too many choices on the menu,
restaurants are forced to resort to too
many frozen, pre-prepared and conven-
ience foods—or suffer wastage from ex-
pired stock.
Careful “menu engineering” also en-
sures that the menu can be updated sea-
sonally—an important part of reinvigor-
a4ng the food offering, keeping up with
trends, and exci4ng customers.
Plus, it is essential to know what catego-
ry menu item occupy, to ensure profitability:
1. THE STARS: These are items that are
both bestsellers and highly profitable;
2. THE LOSS LEADERS: These are dishes
that customers love and order regular-
By
Hil
ary
Wa
rd
EVERY WINTER WE ARE BLOWN AWAY
by the crea4vity and sheer ar4stry of the
winter menus released by South Africa’s res-
taurants. Summer menus are brilliant too,
but there is an extra effort that goes into
winter menus that speaks to the need to re-
ally entice diners to brave the cold, and leave
the comfort of their homes to enjoy the
warmth of a restaurant, and its irresistibly
comforting offerings.
A significant feature of modern restau-
rant menus—whether a fast food franchise
or fine-dining restaurant—is that they are
carefully edited to offer a range of choice
within a compact framework.
ly, but they are not necessarily the
most profitable items on the menu.
3. THE RELIABLES: Steady earners, these
menu items earn their keep reliably.
4. THE PRIMA DONNAS: Highly profita-
ble, but only rarely ordered, are these
items worth the trouble?
5. THE DOGS: Why are these even on the
menu? They are rarely ordered, and
make only marginal profit.
WINTER IS THE TIME
TO BE WOWED BY THE
FANTASTIC MENUS
COMING OUT OF
SOUTH AFRICA’S
RESTAURANT
KITCHENS. TAKE
INSPIRATION, AND
ENTICE YOUR
CUSTOMERS OUT OF
THEIR HOMES WITH
IRRESISTIBLE WINTER
WARMERS AND MENU
IDEAS LIKE THESE.
PHOTOS: OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT:
Gibson's Gourmet Burgers & Ribs has intro-
duced Red-Hot Dogs; Rolls Royce Burgers;
40 Decadently-Divine Gourmet Shakes; and
To-Die-For Belgian Beer Waffles, together
with Monday and Wednesday Specials.
OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM LEFT: Doppio
Zero keeps it fresh and light for breakfast,
with a new Grapefruit and Poached Pear
fruit salad, made with a warming star-
anise infused syrup, and topped with Greek
yoghurt and cinnamon-sugared flaked
almonds.
MONDIALL CHEF RIAAN BURGER COMBINES
winter textures, colours and flavours mas-
terfully—to create a feast for the eyes and
palate. A roast red beetroot and radish sal-
ad adds crunch and a pop of colour. A Guin-
ness chocolate pie is dark, rich and velvety.
The menu is welcoming, but so are
the ambience and facili4es, with a new
fireplace recently installed, lounge chairs
and free high-speed fibre-op4c WiFi. The
idea is for locals and regulars to make
Mondiall a “home-away-from-home” and
surrogate office, for every occasion from a
business mee4ng over lunch, to an aJer-
noon of work over coffee and snacks, to
family weekend brunch.
“The idea is for Mondiall to be a busy,
buzzing lifestyle hub for residents, locals
and visitors,” says Burger.
The brasserie-style dining formula
remains, but with a whole new winter
menu, including classic signature dishes
like Steak Tartare (R88), French Onion Soup
(R72) and Coq au Vin (R190).
By
Hil
ary
Wa
rd
Menu Magic at Mondiall
The
Mondiall’s Roast Beetroot and Cauliflower Salad
may be the most beau,ful and temp,ng winter
salad ever. With hear,er winter dishes by execu-
,ve chef Riaan Burger (above), such as the classic
Coq Au Vin, Seafood Riso1o and Chocolate and
Guinness Pudding, the menu is balanced by a mas-
terful combina,on of texture, flavour and colour.
● Beetroot, cauliflower, sweet potato and
root vegetables are the star’s of this sea-
son’s winter menus in various guises: as
salads, roast vegetables, in risoHos, etc.
● Hearty roasts, like lamb shanks, roast
lamb, roast beef, pork belly, etc.
● With everyone Ban4ng, meat is a staple
on this season’s menus, in stews, casse-
roles, goulash. Everyone is serving Coq
Au Vin and other classics.
● Carbs on not neglected either though,
with luscious risoHos featuring oJen, as
well as crunchy roast potatoes.
● Sunday brunches are hot, hot, hot, as
well as Sunday aJernoon tea.
● Soups are a must
on the winter menu
too—and there are no
limits to the possibili4es
in terms of flavours, in-
gredients and styles.
EXECUTIVE CHEF AND PASSIONATE LOCAVORE,
Frans Groenewald of Gabriëlskloof restaurant
in the Overberg is “steering clear of bite-size
plated art” this winter, and embracing the res-
taurant’s country roots with rus4c dishes
cooked from the heart to feed the appe4te
and soul.
His signature slow roasted Bot River Leg of
Lamb is served with warm slaphakskeentjies
(pickled onions), then there’s drunk Elgin Free
Range Coq au Vin with green farm olives, or
crispy Anysbos Pork Belly, sourced from Oom
Johan’s neighbouring farm, served with
Hemel-en-Aarde Wheat & Pumpkin RisoHo.
Winter Favourites
Southern Sun’s bo1omless
bu1ernut soup
Local is Lekker
W Wine, it is said, accompanies food well, but
beer complements foods. Beer has many
different flavours and textures that pair
with a large variety of food – more so than
other beverages, including wine.
CASTLE LAGER
Characteris)cs:
Known for its balance between dry and
biHer, Castle Lager is described as “thirst-
quenching, flavoursome and balanced.” The
flavour profile is “somewhat dry, somewhat
biHer, never sweet.” It is mildly hoppy with
a gentle lingering biHerness.
Best paired with: Meat
Robust and full-bodied, Castle Lager can
stand up to a variety of meats, provided the
sauce is not too overpowering – especially
braai meats, such as boerewors, grilled sirloin
or anything cooked over hot coals and open
flame. It pairs well with mild curries only.
HANSA PILSENER
Characteris)cs:
Hansa Pilsener is described as “refreshing
and crisp.” Light on the palate, with a dis-
4nc4ve aroma of the Saaz hop, it has a
crisp, green, grassy aroma.
Best paired with: Mild flavours and seafood
Pilseners are medium bodied and pair well
with lightly-spiced dishes, flavoured with
herbs rather than powerful flavours, such
as: herby white fish; crisp green salads
with cream dressing; broccoli; fried Cam-
embert in phyllo pastry.
CASTLE LITE
Characteris)cs:
Castle Lite is described as “ice-cold, lite
and premium.” It has a hoppy aroma with a
green, grassy note, as well as lightness and
less body. It is clean with a sharp crispness
and a smooth, refreshing taste.
Denis da Silva and Anton Erasmus of SAB
Trade Brewers share their quick guide to
pairing some of South Africa’s favourite
beers with the foods and flavours that
bring out the best of both.
Best paired with: Mild flavours and seafood
Lower levels of biHerness and a cleaner,
crisper beer that plates well with light
flavours, such as: green salads, because of
its coarse, crisp mouthfeel and green aro-
mas; light seafood; pastas and salads.
CARLING BLACK LABEL
Characteris)cs:
Carling Black Label is described as
“intrinsic, full-bodied, and full-flavoured
with a fruity aroma.” It is a strong, easy-
drinking beer with low biHerness.
Best paired with: big food flavours
Carling Black Label goes well with hot cur-
ries because of its low biHerness. It is full
bodied enough to stand against bigger
flavours food without geSng lost. The
perceived sweetness and fruity characteris-
4cs also complement pork belly with a
sweet glaze; and sweet-and-sour s4r fries.
MILLER GENUINE DRAUGHT
Characteris)cs:
Miller is described as “fresh from the tap,
smooth, lightly-fruity and slightly sweet.” It
has a smooth mouthfeel with no lingering
biHerness and subtle hop flavours.
Best with: hot curries and so5 cheeses
The Miller’s process of cold-filtering the
beer four 4mes results in a fresher-tas4ng
beer, as if straight from the tap. It goes well
with: hot curries – serve ice-cold as an ex-
cellent “fire blanket”; and with soJ cheeses
like Brie and gorgonzola; as well as spicy,
chilli-flavoured foods like Mexican.
R RESTAURATEURS AROUND THE COUNTRY are
called to nominate their young chefs for the
Unilever Food Solutions Master Your Passion:
The Mentorship Movement competition.
Great prizes are up for grabs, and it’s a
fantas4c opportunity for young chefs to
spend 4me with a mentor, and take part in
a 4me-trial cook-off.
“Mastering 4me in the kitchen is
about maintaining control of all aspects of
the food prepara4on process at all 4mes,”
says Michel Mellis, MD of Unilever Food
Solu4ons in South Africa.
To qualify, young
chefs must be un-
der 25, have a
minimum of three
years in the industry,
and be nominated by a head chef or em-
ployer, with a leHer of mo4va4on.
The nominated chef could win an in-
terna4onal culinary experience to London
worth R50 000, while the nomina4ng head
chef stands to win a South African weekend
getaway to the value of R10 000.
Entries are open for nomina4ons un4l
August 31. The mentoring sessions will take
place between September 30 and 1 and
the finals will take place on October 29 in
Johannesburg.
Having learned the personal 4ps and
secrets on mastering 4me in a professional
kitchen from their mentors, the 2015 final-
ists will be challenged to beat the clock in a
mystery basket challenge.
To nominate your young chef, visit
www.unileverfoodsolu4ons.co.za, select
the Concepts & Promo4ons tab, and click
on Masters of Time, where you will find all
the informa4on you need, as well as the
Last year’s winner, Kerwin Buckley,
with mentor Dion Vengatass
of the Mount Nelson Hotel)
Win a master mentor and amazing prizes for your chef