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Meet the foreigners whose contributions are making a difference in the lives of South Africans

P6. | TRUTH COFFEENo sugar required

P8. | THE TEST KITCHENReinvention of the gastronomic spectrum

P9. | LIAM TOMLIN Creating a stir

Brew the perfect cupP7. | AEROPRESS HOW-TO

A vision beyond viticultureP11. | SOLMS-DELTA

Luvo Ntezo: Wine’s wunderkind

P10. | ONE&ONLY CAPE TOWN

T H EC U L I N A R Y

I S S U ES U M M E R

2 0 1 3 / 1 4

I S S U E 02

W I T H C O M P L I M E N T S

www.edslaw.co.za

2 | F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E

W W W . E D S L A W . C O . Z A

F R O M S H A N G H A I T O C A P E T O W N

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F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E | 3

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the second issue of FRONTIER.

The comments we have received about the Art & Architecture Issue were

encouraging and constructive. We are working towards making FRONTIER the centerpiece of discussion and hope that this issue will inspire, enrich and invigorate you.

My partner, Gary Eisenberg, and I are children of foreigners who immigrated to South Africa from

Belarus and Portugal respectively. The gastronomic impact of Jewish Litvak and Catholic Iberian cuisine in our homes has sustained us. We believe that food is the soul of every family.

We dedicate the Culinary Issue to all our foreign clients and expatriates everywhere, for whom food defi nes their heritage and the meaning of life.

We welcome your thoughts on gastronomy and the role food plays for immigrants. Please submit this along with any general feedback by e-mailing us at info@edslaw.co.za

WELCOME

SOUTH AFRICAN IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIPEisenberg de Saude advises on, prepares and

facilitates the fi ling of temporary and permanent

residence and citizenship applications locally or

at South African diplomatic missions abroad.

We ensure that our clients submit compliant

applications to the Department of Home Aff airs and

that their applications are treated with dignity and

are lawfully processed and adjudicated.

OBTAINING LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIPEisenberg de Saude assists the descendants of

former Lithuanian citizens to obtain Lithuanian

citizenship. Lithuanian citizens have complete

freedom of movement within the European Union

and enjoy visa-free travel to many countries,

including the United States, Canada and Australia.

OUR KEY SERVICES INCLUDE:TEMPORARY RESIDENCE (Work, Corporate, Relative, Study, Retired, Medical)

PERMANENT RESIDENCE CITIZENSHIP (Regularising Status, Naturalisation)

LITIGATION (Deportation, Extradition,

Inspectorate Investigations)

OBTAINING LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIP

EISENBERG DE SAUDE AT TORNEYS AT L AW TEL: +27 21 421 7003INFO@EDSL AW.CO.ZAWWW.EDSL AW.CO.ZA

FRONTIER MAGAZINE is designed and published by

PURE CREATIVE AGENCY for EISENBERG DE SAUDE.

www.purecreative.co.za - call (021) 424 6918

EDITORIAL & CREATIVE TEAMEDITOR-IN-CHIEF Gary Eisenberg

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Stefanie de Saude

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Burke

EDITOR Michelle Marais

DEPUT Y ART DIRECTOR Dave Strauss

DESIGNER Tess Green

PRODUCTION MANAGER Marianne Burke

MARKETING MANAGER Dan Brotman

FRONTIER is distributed by Eisenberg de Saude

quarterly and is available on request (email

info@edslaw.co.za) or online at www.edslaw.co.za

Our services

Gary Eisenberg and Stefanie de Saude of Eisenberg de Saude

Stefanie de SaudeS T E F A N I E D E S A U D E / P A R T N E R , E I S E N B E R G D E S A U D E

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COFFEE ORIGIN WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

An unbroken chain of excellenceORIGIN

After falling in love with the café culture in France and discovering the artisan coffee-roasting movement in Seattle, Joel Singer moved to the Mother City to start an artisan revolution. Seven years in the making, Origin now boasts a successful barista school and has become the cornerstone of Cape Town’s coffee culture.

NAME: JOEL SINGER COUNTRY OF BIRTH:

MONTREAL, CANADARELATIONSHIP

WITH EISENBERG DE

SAUDE: GARY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ORGANISING MY IMMIGRATION STATUS TO ENSURE THAT I COULD START ORIGIN AND LIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY THEN PARTNER AND MY TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN HERE.

With coffee culture in Cape Town booming over the past decade,

what sets Origin apart from other artisan roasters?

Our focus on quality and traceability. We source only top quality, speciality

grade coffees and Cup of Excellence coffees. We are quite relentless in exploring the optimal roast for each coffee we sell. Coffees are not all the same and it takes commitment to get the best out of the great coffee we roast. Origin has a very strong team. We consistently deliver high quality, freshly roasted coffee; we offer industry-leading barista training to our clients as well as ongoing quality and technical support. We do this for over 100 clients nationally and in Mauritius. We have a very wide range of coffees on offer – 10 at any time including our seasonal espresso blend, a seasonal chemical-free decaf, and eight other single origins. These rotate regularly, meaning the coffees are at their peak relative to the harvest.

The Origin headquarters has an impressive barista school.

What inspired you to establish the school and how has it impacted on Origin’s success?

One of the key missing components in SA coffee society was the lack of a

professional barista culture. No matter how good the coffee, if the barista does not pour the coffee well, nothing the farmer nor the roaster does matters. We do intensive training and ongoing mentoring of the baristas at all of our wholesale clients.

We have trained over 1 000 baristas since we started, including four SA barista champions in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013, and have probably invested over R1 million in barista training. We also run regular coffee appreciation and home barista courses for

the public to introduce them to the world of coffee and coffee making.

With farmers from India, Brazil, Rwanda and other countries

supplying beans, how do you ensure that Origin adheres to an ethical and sustainable sourcing model?

We source exclusive speciality grade coffees. These high grade coffees by

defi nition reward farmers with higher prices. Most of the world’s coffee production is sold indexed to the world commodity price for coffee, which is extremely volatile, and has often dropped below the farmers’ cost of production. Origin does not roast any commodity-grade coffees. We have an SA-exclusive partnership with Mercanta (UK). It has long-term relationships with many of the growers from whom they purchase. Stephen Hurst, the owner, was a pioneer in the relationship coffee model. These coffees are bought at a price that is fair to these farmers – consistently exceeding their costs of production, regardless of the fl uctuating world commodity price. Mercanta’s focus is fi nding these exceptional coffees, building relationships with the growers, and connecting them with top roasters in over 35 countries.

Looking to the future, what does the next decade entail for Origin? South African coffee culture will continue to grow and deepen. We will

carry on pushing to deepen our expertise. We are expanding our activities nationally with a roastery/café which will soon open in Maboneng in Johannesburg and our presence in Gauteng will increase dramatically over the next few years. I expect that our wholesale (supply to the hospitality trade) will increase substantially and our team along with it and that our current client base of 100+ clients will treble.

I think that SA consumers will consume more high-quality coffee at home, often using new brewing methods (Aeropress, Hario pour-over and Siphon). We hope to substantially increase direct sales to them from our roaster; and to found similar roasting businesses in our neighbouring countries and further afi eld.

Q&A

WITH

JOEL

F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E | 5

C O F F E EO R I G I N / H A U S B R A N DT

The art of roasting

Q&A WITH

JORGE ALBERTO

Growing up in Angola, have you always had a passion for

coffee and how would you say South African coffee culture differs from that in Angola?

Yes, I brought my passion with me but it has grown here. In South

Africa they’ve adopted the coffee culture and embrace the learning process that accompanies it. The idea of coffee culture is fairly new in this country and it has allowed for job creation and various levels of entrepreneurship. In Angola it’s seen as an occupation, a way of life. Angola greatly lacks infrastructure, but I hope that in rebuilding its coffee industry, it will re-emerge to the forefront.

Is it benefi cial for roasters to have a good relationship with their

growers and how does this relationship impact the product?

Yes, absolutely. The amount of information and understanding

of what goes on in the fi eld is crucial to producing an excellent cup of coffee. Unfortunately, few farmers get to experience the end product. Last month I had the opportunity to sit down with Hector Dos Santos, a farmer in Honduras, at Origin HQ. I roasted Los Cedros, a coffee from a region close to where he lives, and he was amazed. We offer growers this experience and we exchange information. This allows both parties to gain invaluable knowledge.

What skills do you need to possess in order to be a

successful roaster? Honestly, my personal opinion is that no amount of skills or product

knowledge can make you a successful roaster. You need to have a passion for coffee and a lot of patience when it comes to your craft. I have it in my blood, from the soil of my mountain village.

When it comes to roasting, Origin’s famous for its

experimentation. Could you explain the process of unlocking the full potential of the beans to us?

Well, Michael McDonald or “Professor” as I like to call him,

and I do not have a specifi c method. Traceability is very important to us – it is the understanding of all the natural elements contributing to the harvest. It enables us to study and discuss each coffee. When we feel confi dent about the product, we design different profi les. When I feel connected, I can spend days thinking about it. I will take the fi rst wild shoot, we’ll discuss it and then Professor will experiment with various approaches and its profi le. Sometimes it will take up to three roasts before we are satisfi ed.

What would you regard as your personal favourite roast/type

of coffee? Defi nitely a medium roast, with the exception of some light

to medium roasts.

Leaving war-torn Angola at the age of 18, head roaster Jorge Alberto has come a long way. Now a Capetonian, the head roaster has become synonymous with Origin and is a respected member of the artisan coffee community.

NAME: GERT TUPPINGER COUNTRY OF BIRTH: AUSTRIA, GERMANYRELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: IN 2007, WE OPENED A LITTLE COFFEE SHOP AND GELATERIA IN CAPE TOWN. EISENBERG DE SAUDE ASSISTED WITH OUR MANAGER’S SPECIAL SKILLS WORK PERMIT. TODAY, GARY HELPS US WITH ALL OUR IMMIGRATION AND VISA ISSUES. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO CONVINCE HIM TO CHANGE HIS COFFEE AT THE OFFICE BUT I BELIEVE HE IS ADDICTED TO HAUSBRANDT COFFEE NOW. HE HAS BECOME A TRULY WONDERFUL BRAND AMBASSADOR.

HAUSBRANDT

After a decade as CEO of a leading hotel operator in Germany, Gert Tuppinger convinced the company to bring their business to the southern tip of Africa. Following the successful launch, he was convinced that he would call Cape Town his home for some time to come.

Hailing from Austria, what challenges

did you face as the representative of

an Italian brand, rich in family history?

Austria and Italy have a long history

together so the challenges were

minimal and the process, seamless.

Available in more than 70 countries,

including Rome, Moscow, Tel Aviv

and New York, what inspired you to bring

Hausbrandt to Cape Town, South Africa?

That is easy: the quality of the product

and the aim to increase the passion for

coff ee. Hausbrandt is family owned and I

was immediately impressed with the way

in which Martino Zanetti, owner and

director, presents and operates his company.

The rich history and close family bond is

an inspiration and makes me proud to be a

Hausbrandt partner.

With a variety of local artisan

coff ee shops/roasteries owned

by immigrants, what impact has the

contribution of foreigners had on Cape

Town’s coff ee culture?

Coff ee culture is linked to Venice

in Italy and Vienna in Austria – again,

there is this link between the two

countries. The Italian coff ee roasters are

known worldwide for their high quality

coff ee-blending and roasting expertise.

Very important is consistency in quality,

which is Hausbrandt’s strength.

In your personal capacity, how do you

ensure the highest level of service is

off ered at Hausbrandt’s local outlet in order

to uphold the brand’s excellent

global reputation?

I fulfi ll, and often exceed, the

brand standards when it comes to

presentation and respecting the corporate

identity. In addition, we use only high-end

coff ee machines and grinders; and we

partner with individuals and corporates that

fi t the brand’s image to ensure consistency.

The mystery that accompanies the

ritual of drinking coff ee is what

makes it so appealing. Inspired by the latter,

Hausbrandt founded Accademia Veneziana

del Caff è, a training facility. How has its

establishment impacted the brand and its

customers?

It was very important to establish these

training facilities; all our international

partners have access to the off ered courses

and it contributes to the brand’s success.

We have showrooms and training facilities in

both Cape Town and Johannesburg and take

great pride in them.

Looking to the future, what does

the next decade entail for Hausbrandt

in South Africa?

Our philosophy remains quality before

quantity. But, of course, we are

constantly looking for new partners who

are willing to implement Hausbrandt by

respecting our high service quality requests.

We are always aiming to place our product

in companies in order to enhance the quality

of coff ee for clients, but most importantly

for employees. In 2013, we added

Ronnefeldt Tea to our product portfolio.

Like Hausbrandt, it is family owned.

The addition of this high-end brand will

allow us to off er our clients a full coff ee and

tea solution. In 2014, we will add the fi rst

of three Proseccos from Casa Bianche to

our product portfolio; this is a wine estate

situated on the hills of the Conegliano

Valdobbiadene DOCG and owned by the

Zanetti family.

A journey across continents

South Africa cannot afford to remain isolated if it wants to make a mark in the global market.

Looking to the future, what does the next decade entail for Truth?We cannot tell you yet… keep in touch. Seriously, we are most

interested in quality, focused cafés, restaurants and hotels throughout sub-Saharan Africa and believe we add value to these venues.

6 | F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E

The spectacular vintage Probat on which you roast has defi nitely set you apart

from your competitors. When was this machine purchased/built and how did you go about assembling it?

The machine was built in the 1940s and has a cast iron drum,

a habit that was ‘improved’ in the 60s. We found ours completely run down and spent a year refurbishing it and adding modern computerisation and measurement devices.

Your website makes a bold statement: “We believe that if it is worth doing

anything, it is worth being world-class, challenging the constant tide of mediocrity.” What would you consider as mediocrity among roasters and how does Truth go about challenging it?

Accepting the status quo or roasting by the numbers is not for us.

We believe we are constantly learning how to best roast any coffee, and engage in a continuous process of roasting, tasting, making notes and experimenting, and then repeating the loop, making minor

tweaks and improvements to our roast every day. Very few coffee roasters even talk about the taste of their coffee.

What impact has the technological revolution and the introduction of

e-commerce had on the coffee business?Artisanal coffee and the home barista owe their existence at least in part to

the availability of information and learning, and the sharing platform that the internet provides. As for e-commerce; although we dispatch daily, it is microscopic in terms of the total coffee we ship. South Africans are only just learning that e-commerce works and is trustworthy.

A variety of local artisan coffee shops/roasteries are owned by foreigners,

resulting in immigrants having a large impact on Cape Town’s coffee culture. What do you consider the signifi cant differences between local and international roasters?

There are passionate people who care about great coffee from all

walks of life. The pool of local coffee experts is microscopically small. We just haven’t had the skills and opportunities here for long enough. The speciality coffee industry began here around 2005 and was running in other countries for about two decades before. Sadly, in order to fi nd a greater pool of talent to uplift local talent, we need to make use of foreign skills and training. We are in desperate need of more skilled experts in the industry. Local people need more exposure to global skills.

Q&A

WITH

DAVID

NO SUGAR REQUIREDFrom chicken farmer to hotelier, David Donde’s road to roasting success at Truth has been an interesting one. Central to the rise of coffee connoisseurship in Cape Town, he provided us with insight into the culture of coffee.

FEATURE TRUTH COFFEE WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

NAME: DAVID DONDECOUNTRY OF BIRTH: SOUTH AFRICARELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: GARY EISENBERG HAS BEEN A PASSIONATE SPECIALITY COFFEE DRINKER FROM AROUND THE SAME TIME I DISCOVERED THE POSSIBILITIES MYSELF. BESIDES HIS DEDICATION AS A DRINKER, HE HAS BEEN AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE VIRTUES OF EXQUISITE COFFEE BY HELPING FACILITATE COFFEE EXPERTS IN THEIR VISA AND CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS.

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F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E | 7

1. Remove the plunger and cap from chamber.

2. Wet fi lter paper, and insert the fi lter cap onto the tube.

3. Rest your Aeropress over a mug.

4. Add 18g/1 heaped spoon (provided) of fi lter ground coff ee.

5. Pour in 250ml of water at 80°C.

6. Stir using a north-south-east-west motion. Allow to brew for 90 seconds.

7. Insert plunger into chamber. Gently plunge (30 seconds from top to bottom).

Open to endless experimentation, the Aeropress has become one of this

year’s most popular coff ee tools. Follow these steps to brew the perfect cup.

AEROPRESS HOW-TO

01

04 05

02

06 07

03

Chamber

Filter cap

Plunger

Seal

Scoop

Stirrer

A quick reference for coff ee lovers

COFFEE GUIDE

C O F F E EA E R O P R E S S H O W-TO

FRONTIER’S dedication on this occasion to coffee and its culture is fortuitous.

Since being a student at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1983, and having my fi rst espresso ever at the Southern Sun hotel on O’Reilly Road in Berea, I have celebrated my life and its milestones with coffee, imbibing it black and rough.

My second cup of espresso was at the coffee shop in the lobby of the Carlton Hotel in central Johannesburg a few days later. Those are not memories. They are refl ections, like affairs, of the heart. Both experiences were imposed on me, the fi rst by a mad Dutch woman living at the same residential hotel as I was, and the second by the Mozambican telephone operator in my hotel who claimed that Portuguese colonists had invented the espresso shot. My habit of smoking a Monte Cristo No 4 cigar, with its full bodied mocha notes, together with an espresso lungo has stayed with me ever since, every morning, every mid-morning and at every lunchtime like my daily prayers.

In America in the 1980s, all I drank was “fi ltered” coffee, the commercial variety served in diners and cafeterias – the Italianate style of coffee preparation had not penetrated the American palette until much later. Artisanal roasting seemed to linger in Seattle and San Francisco, slowly

meandering eastward in the late 1980s. Even the coffee in New Orleans, while I studied law and caffeine was supposed to invigorate my tired brains, was brewed, sometimes boiled with milk as café au lait, and served with fi ne sugar dusted beignets, at Café Du Monde in the steamy French Quarter or at the small creole bakeries in the Garden District.

My introduction to the coffee of the American south swept me off my feet and launched me into life, pushed me

into becoming a lawyer and marrying the woman who had an unquenchable passion for hazelnut fl avoured robusta served in paper cups at Tulane University at PJ’s Coffee.

As a college student in Galesburg, Illinois, when I sold silver chains and rings to students to supplement my daily spend, I bought my stock from a Palestinian trader in Chicago, where our deals were discussed and consummated over small cups of thick coffee spiced with cardamom. I was sustained in Israel for my Honors dissertation in 1986 (during the fi rst Intifada) by the “café botz” (“mud” coffee), that my host made in a small brass fi njan over a gas burner every morning and after every lunch. And then, as an articled clerk in Cape Town dispatched to Madrid for an investment conference, I began to understand that coffee is the elixir of the King, drank as Café Solo sin leche. This is my empire of coffee refl ections, which has sustained me throughout.

“I HAVE CELEBRATED

MY LIFE AND ITS

MILESTONES WITH

COFFEE, IMBIBING IT

BLACK AND ROUGH”

COFFEE REFLECTIONS OF A STUDENT WORDS: GARY EISENBERG

8 | F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E

You opened The Test Kitchen at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, a

suburb known for its recent boom in creative spaces; how does hustle and bustle of the neighbourhood infl uence your innovation and creativity?

The Test Kitchen originally consisted of a single space. Two years down

the line, it became two. We didn’t have a bathroom, guests had to use the communal toilets in the courtyard. We had 24 seats in the restaurant, three chefs, three waiters and a barman. Now, we have more than 15 staff. The idea was to create a space where the kitchen is the heart of the restaurant. I wanted to break the mould of the traditional restaurant where the kitchen is separate from the dining. With regard to working in Woodstock, I believe creativity is infectious. If you surround yourself with people who are innovative and creative, it will rub off on you. Woodstock has many amazing resident artisans; when I look at the restaurant’s interior, the chairs, the fi ttings – most of it was sourced within this area.

In 2011, you won the title of Chef of the Year at the Eat Out DStv

Food Network Restaurant Awards and The Test Kitchen moved from number two in 2011 to win the Restaurant of the Year in 2012. And it took home the award again this year. What do you consider the most challenging aspect of opening a successful restaurant?

Before I opened The Test Kitchen people thought I was mad. Very few of

them had faith in Woodstock and that made me nervous. Money, or the lack thereof, was another challenge. When I opened, I was still consulting at another restaurant. The reason was that I still wanted to sustain my income; but the trade-off was that I was not allowed to bring any staff with me. I had to start afresh. When you open a new business by yourself, you want to keep it as small as possible and not over-extend because you have no idea if it is going to be successful. In the end, word got out and things seem to be working out.

In line with this, your various awards and accolades are surely a

sign of excellence. How do you go about pushing the culinary envelope and ensuring you prepare innovative dishes of the highest quality?

I am an ‘ideas’ guy. I constantly think of new ways to do things and it

comes naturally. That is what keeps me and everyone else going. I also believe that it is what makes the restaurant so successful.

Having travelled a great deal in Switzerland, England and Asia,

what would you consider one of the most signifi cant ingredients or dishes native to South Africa?

South African game is fantastic. There are also a lot of young,

new producers growing interesting ingredients. I’ve seen a lot of different, cutting-edge produce in the last couple of years. It is an emerging market. The cheese is also incredible.

You mention on your website: “My job now is about running a

great restaurant, cooking great food; but, as much, it’s about creating opportunity for a new generation of chefs.” Where do you see the culinary scene headed in Cape Town?

It is absolutely booming at the moment. There are already a lot of

good chefs but there is obviously a new generation coming up. I have fantastic guys working for me. If I am in the position to create opportunities for them now, and help them in whichever way I can, that is what I will do.

Looking to the future, where do you see yourself and The Test

Kitchen in a decade? I have no idea. At this stage, I am taking it one day at a time and

enjoying the experience.

The reinvention of the gastronomic spectrum

THE TEST KITCHEN

Twice crowned Restaurant of the Year at the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards, it is clear that The Test Kitchen is pushing the culinary envelope. We spoke to the head chef and owner, Luke Dale-Roberts, about his innovative approach to gastronomy and Cape Town’s foodie scene.

Q&A

WITH

LUKE

“I WANTED TO BREAK

THE MOULD OF

THE TRADITIONAL

RESTAURANT”

NAME: LUKE DALE-ROBERTS COUNTRY OF BIRTH: BRITAINRELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: I MET GARY ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO WHEN I ARRIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY YOUNG FAMILY. AFTER AN INITIAL CHAT, GARY AND HIS TEAM WORKED QUICKLY AND PROFESSIONALLY IN ASSISTING US WITH ACQUIRING THE CORRECT PAPERWORK. SUBSEQUENTLY GARY HAS ASSISTED ME IN GETTING PERMITS AND VISAS FOR SOME OVERSEAS STAFF.

FOOD THE TEST KITCHEN WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

Restaurant of

the Year at the

Eat Out DStv

Food Network

Restaurant

Awards

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F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E | 9

You have travelled extensively, working

in various countries, including Asia,

Australia and Europe. Do you think it’s

essential for a chef to be well travelled in

order to be excellent at what he does?

From my own experience, travel is the

best way to accumulate knowledge,

not only with regard to food, but also by

being able to understand the culture.

I have been very fortunate and have worked

or done promotions in over 20 countries

and still enjoy travelling whenever the

opportunity arises. I know it is not for every

young chef but I do recommend travelling

and working in a few diff erent countries

before settling down.

Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School is

a natural extension of your enthusiasm

towards fi ne cuisine. Do you think it is

important for senior chefs to invest in the

future of the culinary scene by training

young chefs?

I get great pleasure in seeing one of

my protégés doing well. Any good

chef will tell you they are only as good as the

team working with them, so it is essential to

spend time with them, setting standards and

teaching them as much as possible. It is then

up to the individual to take that experience

and, in time, put their own interpretation into

what they have learnt. As a chef, you can

never learn enough. I have always tried to

surround myself with young chefs who have

worked in kitchens that I haven’t, so that I

also learn from them.

The Cookery School’s classes are

often joined by celebrated local and

international chefs: Laurent Deslandes from

Bizerca in Cape Town, Neil Jewell from

springing up everywhere, which is great.

On the down side, I think a lot of young

chefs are getting into the industry thinking

they will become overnight celebrities.

The internet is a great source of knowledge

and I use it every day for work, but it

has allowed anyone to become a

food writer or a restaurant reviewer and

that can be extremely frustrating for

industry professionals.

You are currently working on your

fourth book. Any clues as to what we

can expect?

My third book Lessons with Liam was

published last year and is a step-by-

step guide of the basics of cookery. I am

currently working on my fourth, which will

have more of an Asian infl uence to it.

Looking to the future, where do you

see the Chefs Warehouse & Cookery

School in a decade?

We are very excited to be relocating

to Heritage Square in Bree Street in

January 2014. We will also be expanding the

business. During these fi rst four years,

a lot of our customers have encouraged us

to off er food, so we are going to have a small

delicatessen where guests can buy and take

away, or sit and have a simple meal with a

glass of wine. We are also planning on having

a separate space next door where we will

open an Asian street food take away.

We now have a better understanding of

what our customers want. The relocation

will provide us with the opportunity to

discontinue some ranges and expand

on others. We will stock a range of fresh

products such as poultry, cheese, cold cuts

and some fi sh. The whole team at Chefs

Warehouse is really excited about what

lies ahead.

Bread & Wine in Franschhoek, and Margot

Janse from The Tasting Room at Le Quartier

Français in Franschhoek. How do you go

about choosing these individuals and what

do they contribute to the classes?

We enjoy having guest chefs and really

appreciate when they take the time to

give classes, as they are all very busy running

their own kitchens and businesses. I know

our customers really enjoy experiencing

diff erent chefs, their diff erent styles and

their philosophies towards food. It is also

great for our young chefs to work alongside

them and get a break from listening to me.

In order to maintain a standard of

excellence, how do you go about

sourcing stock for the warehouse?

We aim for quality in all the retail

categories – knives and books to

food products and spices. We are always

on the lookout for new things for the store;

products that you would not necessarily

fi nd in our competitors’ stores or in the

supermarket. It is a real team eff ort.

Customers also direct us as to what they

would like to see. We love the challenge of

sourcing something out of the ordinary.

With an e-commerce store,

would you say the internet and the

introduction of various cooking shows have

changed the face of cuisine? Have these

tools contributed to establishment of the

foodie scene?

I think the internet and TV have their

respective pros and cons. There is

no question that there is a much bigger

interest in cooking due to the likes of Jamie

Oliver, Rick Stein, the various Masterchef

shows from around the world and, of course,

Gordon Ramsay. I think the public is a lot

more aware when it comes to food. We are

seeing great artisans and fresh food markets

CREATING A STIR Chefs Warehouse

& Cookery School

Liam Tomlin is no stranger to the world of cuisine. Beginning his career at the age of 14 in Dublin, he went on to work in Europe’s fi nest kitchens. Since then, this top chef has opened his own restaurant, published three books and raked in a number of awards. Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School, his latest project, is a fi rst for Cape Town and off ers a combination of retail and culinary education to the public.

Q&A

WITH

LIAM

“WE LOVE THE

CHALLENGE

OF SOURCING

SOMETHING OUT

OF THE ORDINARY”

NAME: LIAM TOMLINCOUNTRY OF BIRTH: DUBLIN, IRELANDRELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING GARY EISENBERG WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA AND I HAVE HUGE RESPECT FOR HIM. HE IS GENUINELY INTERESTED IN MY CAREER AND WHAT I DO, AND WILL OFTEN CALL TO SAY HE HAS READ AN ARTICLE I FEATURED IN OR HAD A DISH ON A FLIGHT I CREATED FOR BRITISH AIRWAYS. I HAVE MET HIS FAMILY AND HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER HAS WORKED WITH US AT CHEFS WAREHOUSE.

F O O DC H E F S WA R E H O U S E & C O O K E R Y S C H O O L

PHO

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RA

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: RU

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ITH

1 0 | F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E

RELATIONSHIP WITH

EISENBERG DE SAUDE: WE ARE VERY PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH GARY EISENBERG AS A BUSINESS PARTNER. HE IS UNQUESTIONABLY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST AMBASSADORS. GARY HAS ASSISTED THE HOTEL IN OBTAINING WORK PERMITS FOR VERY SPECIALISED SKILLS AND WE VALUE THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH HIM AND EISENBERG DE SAUDE.

I select wines based not on prestige, but accessibility and

elegance. Not only is my focus based on the public’s favourites or ‘sweethearts’, but also wines not very well known in the market. I encourage them to come on board our extensive wine list and I personally enjoy sharing the stories of the wines with our guests while they dine.

In line with this, when selecting wine for pairings, do you prefer local or

international wines; and what would you

deem the most distinctive aspects of South African wines?

The focus at One&Only Cape Town is on South African wines

but we do bring in a decent amount of wines from across the globe to introduce the ‘locals’ to the world beyond our borders. South African wines are unique in the sense that we are situated on a yellow (slightly warmer) part of the southern hemisphere, on the Atlantic and Indian oceans, where their effects

play a large role in our climatology.This results in our wines having a fresh delectable fruity fl avour in their youth and, with age, they become classic and elegant.

Looking to the future, where do you see yourself in a decade?I would like to have completed my Master of Wine with WSET and

to still be as excited and enthusiastic about wine as I am today.

Having won the Red Carnation Group’s Sommelier of the Year award

in 2008, which skills should one possess in order to be a successful sommelier and why are these of utmost importance?

Academics are an essential part of a successful career. I always tell

aspiring sommeliers that experience is not an assurance to skill, academics are. With academics I got exposed to a global wine culture and the business aspects of things. My world became much smaller in the sense that what sommeliers across the globe knew was on par with what I knew.

You grew up during the apartheid era; how has this infl uenced your view of

job opportunities in South Africa? Would you say it’s inspired you to work harder?

My father raised us to look at the world beyond what others saw.

I grew up where apartheid laws were irrelevant to what my dreams were. I never have self-pity with my skin. My mother had a white father and a black mother, my sister is married to an Afrikaans man, and my nephew and cousin are mixed race so my background has never bowed down to apartheid.

One&Only Cape Town’s restaurant Reuben’s is famous for its delectable

dishes and superb service. How do you fi nd working with head chef Reuben Riffel?

Reuben is a South African chef whose concept is based on simplicity

and integration of local and international fl avours. He is a skilled, passionate and very accessible guy. In 2011, Reuben and I toured the US where we presented an array of South African dishes to the public and introduced them to South African gastronomy. It was a wonderful experience. Reuben and I work very closely together in order to get the food and wine pairings perfect.

One&Only Cape Town is renowned for its standards of excellence. How do

you go about maintaining these standards through your wine selection?

sommelier noun / a wine steward.

ORIGIN early 19th cent.: French, literally ‘butler.’

A sommelier (French pronounciation: [somelje]),

or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine

professional. He specialises in all aspects of wine service as

well as wine and food pairing.

WINE’S WUNDERKINDFrom humble beginnings as a dishwasher, Luvo Ntezo’s passion for the world of wine has seen him crowned Red Carnation Hotels’ Sommelier of the Year in 2008. The combination of his unquenchable passion for the wine sector, paired with his well-developed palate, is a recipe for success and the reason why he is head sommelier at the celebrated One&Only Cape Town.

LUVO NTEZO

WINE ONE&ONLY CAPE TOWN WORDS: MICHELLE MARAIS

Q&A

WITH

LUVO

F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E | 1 1

Solms-Delta Wine Estate is renowned

for its acclaimed wines. In comparison

with international producers, how would

you say the wine and estate’s approach to

production compares?

We believe that the South African

terroir is deeply imbued with our

social history, which massively impacts

labour relations in both vineyards and

cellars, and thereby aff ects our wines.

Our social landscape and the need to

address imbalances of the past infl uences

all decisions made on Solms-Delta.

Fyndraai Restaurant’s executive chef,

Shaun Schoeman, recently returned

from a week in Calais, France as Chef in

Residence in France South Africa Seasons

2013 – a testament to the restaurant’s

excellent standard. What do you regard as

the restaurant’s philosophy when it comes

to cuisine?

Fyndraai Restaurant proudly

showcases our philosophy of

celebrating heritage, identity and all that

it is to be truly South African, through

serving a fusion of Afrikaner boerekos and

Cape Malay (slave) infl uences, blended with

ingredients used by the Khoisan thousands

of years ago which we grow in our Dik

Delta culinary gardens.

The Solms-Delta Museum van de

Caab is a wonderful celebration of

South African heritage. As a foreigner, how

important is celebrating your culture and

why does it play such a big role in shaping

the future?

The signifi cance of culture,

wrapped as it is in one’s identity,

is huge – especially in a country like

South Africa where we are looking

to transform socially. We all need to

understand and appreciate each other’s

history and culture fully before we can

successfully engage in crafting a socially

sustainable future together.

With its black empowerment

programme rooted in idealism yet

driven by pragmatism, Solms-Delta is

known as one of the country’s most

progressive wine estates. How has the

latter contributed to a shift in mindset

and has it generated any results?

An extensive part of our overhead

structure is applied to educational,

housing, health and social programmes

aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty

and dependency among historically

disdvantaged residents and workers.

The Wijn de Caab Trust, a one-third

shareholder in Solms-Delta, was

established specifi cally with this purpose

in mind. The Delta Trust was established

with a view to driving projects aimed at

promoting social cohesion in the broader

Cape Winelands. We have certainly seen a

change in the mindset of the many farmers

who visit us on their own, or in groups,

to learn more about the approach taken

by us and to exchange ideas in a mutually

benefi cial manner.

The Dik Delta, an unused portion of

farmland on Solms-Delta, has been

developed into an indigenous culinary

garden and fynbos/renosterveld park.

How has this take on sustainability

changed the overall approach to farming?

We have become a lot more focused

on fi nding environmentally friendly

solutions in all we do, drawing on lessons

from the past. Examples include the use

of fynbos crop cover in the vineyards and

indigenous grasses for our cattle kraal.

Looking to the future, what does the

next decade entail for Solms-Delta?

We are looking to increase

our infl uence as an agent of

transformation in the South African wine

industry with a particular emphasis on

broadening its impact on as many people as

possible – against the backdrop of projects

aimed at addressing imbalances of the past

and promoting social cohesion – and, of

course, making even better wines.

W I N ES O L M S - D E LTA W I N E E S TAT E

SOLM S-DELTA A VISION BEYOND VITICULTURE Much more than just a wine estate, Solms-Delta has earned the reputation as a pioneer in the Western Cape. We spoke to CEO Craig MacGillivray about the farm’s approach to integrating and empowering its workers.

Q&A

WITH

CRAIG

NAME: CRAIG MACGILLIVRAYCOUNTRY OF BIRTH: SOUTH AFRICARELATIONSHIP WITH EISENBERG DE SAUDE: I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING GARY SHORTLY AFTER HE ESTABLISHED HIS PRACTICE WHILE I WAS A PARTNER AT MAZARS, AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIT AND ADVISORY FIRM. HIS VERY PERSONAL APPROACH AND HIGHLY EFFICIENT SERVICE HAS LED ME TO CONTINUE REFERRING CLIENTS AND COLLEAGUES TO HIM FOR ASSISTANCE WITH IMMIGRATION MATTERS; AND SOLMS-DELTA’S NEEDS IN THIS REGARD ARE WELL LOOKED AFTER. PH

OTO

GR

APH

S: C

OU

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SY O

F SO

LMS-

DEL

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INE

ESTA

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1 2 | F R O N T I E R M A G A Z I N E

I am in a relationship with a same-sex South

African partner. Can I stay in South Africa on

this basis? If you can prove that you live with

your South African partner, and the extent

to which you share fi nancial responsibilities,

you may apply for a temporary residence

permit (with or without work, business or

study authorisation) on this basis. The fact

that your South African partner is of the

same-sex is irrelevant.

I have been living in the country for the past

six years on study and work permits. Can I

apply for South African permanent residence?

If you have been the holder of a work permit

for fi ve successive years and have secured

permanent employment, you are eligible

to apply for permanent residence on this

basis. Study permits do not count towards

permanent residence.

I have been a South African permanent

resident for the past three years, and

have been married to a South African for

the past fi ve years. Am I eligible to apply

for South African citizenship? In terms of

the Citizenship Amendment Act, which

commenced in December 2010, you do

not qualify on this basis. In terms of this

amended Act, you must have been ordinarily

resident in South Africa for a period of 10

years immediately preceding the date of

your application and you must not have been

absent from the Republic for a period of

more than 90 days in any year during the fi ve-

year period of ordinary residence immediately

preceding the date of the application.

I am a 30-year-old South African citizen and

have been living in the US for the past 10

years. I want to naturalise as an American

citizen. Will this aff ect my South African

citizenship status? Before applying for any

foreign citizenship status, you must fi rst

obtain the written consent of the Minister of

Home Aff airs by fi ling a retention of South

African citizenship status application at the

Department of Home Aff airs. Without this

prior written consent, you will lose your

citizenship status, but will retain the right to

permanent residency. This does not apply if

you are under the age of 18.

My husband and I currently have work permits

until 2015, and our child was born in South

Africa seven years ago. The school won’t

accept our child without a valid study permit,

despite the fact that he has a South African

birth certifi cate. What do we do?

Being born in South Africa to two foreign

parents on temporary residence permits

does not automatically entitle your child to

become a permanent resident or citizen.

You must thus apply for a study permit for

your child.

I am a British citizen and entered South

Africa as a tourist; I accidently overstayed my

90-day permit. I don’t want to get in trouble

with the authorities when I return home next

week. What do I do? Because you intend to

leave the country next week, you do not

need to do anything other than depart.

Upon your departure, you will be issued

with a fi ne notice, which you will be required

to pay either upon your next return to South

Africa or at a South African diplomatic

mission. If the period you overstayed is less

than 90 days, the fi ne will be under R3 000.

I am a South African permanent resident.

My mother in France is getting old, and I want

her to move into my house so I can care for

her. How can she relocate to South Africa?

In terms of the current rules, your mother

may enter South Africa as a tourist and, once

she has arrived in South Africa, she may fi le

an application for a relative permit valid for

two years, together with an application for

permanent residence on the same basis.

I fi led my work permit application eight

months ago. Whenever I go to the

Department of Home Aff airs, I am told that

my application is still pending. Is this normal?

Since May 2010, the minister has centralised

the adjudication process to a hub in Pretoria.

Therefore, there has since been a collapse

between the time which it takes applications

to be fi nalised and the quality of decisions

made. The processing of temporary residence

permits (including work permits) currently

take an average of between two to four

months. If your application has been pending

for the past eight months, it has probably

been lost or mislaid. We suggest that you

resubmit your application.

My grandmother was born in Vilnius in 1920

and immigrated to South Africa in 1925.

I do not have any of her original Lithuanian

documentation, other than a South African

naturalisation certifi cate confi rming that

she was born in Lithuania and acquired

South African citizenship. Is it still possible

for me to apply for reinstatement of

Lithuanian citizenship? On the basis of the

little information you have given us, it would

appear that you would be eligible to apply

for reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship.

However, you would have to prove that your

grandmother was a Lithuanian citizen.

This can be done by conducting extensive

archival searches in Lithuania.

If I obtain Lithuanian citizenship, do I have to

give up my South African citizenship status?

If you obtain your Lithuanian citizenship based

on reinstatement (in terms of Article 9 of the

Republic of Lithuania Citizenship Law), you do

not have to renounce, and/or you will not lose

your South African citizenship status.

Foreign nationals with exceptional skills/qualifi cations are eligible to apply for an exceptional skills work permit, which is issued for a maximum period of three years and is renewable. The Immigration Act of 2002 does not defi ne the term ‘exceptional skills’, and therefore leaves room for interpretation. It enables the permit holder to work freely within the ambit of the skills as defi ned in their application. This is particularly benefi cial to those in the creative fi elds, as it enables them to do freelance work, consult and take up contract employment with one or more individuals/companies.

REQUIREMENTS FOR

EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS

WORK PERMIT:

Letter(s) from a South African or foreign organ of state, or an

established South African academic, confi rming the exceptional skills/qualifi cations of the foreigner. The letter must also state that such skills/qualifi cations will be of notable benefi t to the environment in which the foreigner intends to operate.

Letter(s) from business/cultural bodies and testimonials

from past employers confi rming the foreigner’s skills/qualifi cations

Any other proof, such as publications, which substantiate

the foreigner’s skills/qualifi cations in their fi eld.

You can apply for an exceptional skills

work permit at the Department of

Home Aff airs in South Africa or at a

South African embassy or consulate

in the foreign national’s country of

origin or place of residence.

ASK THE EXPERT

We asked Stefanie de Saude, exceptional skills specialist and partner in the fi rm Eisenberg de

Saude Attorneys, to provide answers to some frequently asked questions.

EXC

LU

S IV E F E AT URE • EXC

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FROM THE DESK PHOTOGRAPHY / GRAEME ROBINSON

E I S E N B E R G D E S A U D E

AT TO R N E Y S AT L AW

TEL: +27 21 421 7003

INFO@EDSL AW.CO.ZA

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OBTAINING AN

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