It’s all happening at Gorgeous George, the innovative downtown boutique hotel set to open in St Georges Mall in April. At the helm of the state-of-the-art kitchen is Guy Bennett, who was hand-picked for the job. Here he spills the beans on opening a new restaurant, making his culinary mark in the heart of the city and why GiGi Rooftop will buy into the hotel’s creative bent
You’re an experienced executive chef but GiGi Rooftop is your first opening. How do you feel about it?
It’s very exciting. There are nerves … which is a good thing. If the dream isn’t scary, it isn’t big enough. Establishing a restaurant from scratch, and setting up a kitchen, requires a lot of hard work and dedication. But that is what I am all about … I am very confident in my kitchen and management team. We are all very capable. I have 15 kitchen staff, ten of whom are chefs. I am with the right pack.
Tell us more about GiGi Rooftop …
We wanted to give the restaurant its own name and came up with GiGi as the female counterpart to George. The restaurant is on the sixth floor of the hotel and has an open area. We can seat 45 people inside and between 35-50 on the rooftop area, which will be enclosed. In total, we can serve 90 people in one sitting at full capacity.
Is this a daunting prospect?
No, I have worked in bigger restaurants – at Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch we could seat 160 people in one sitting.
Contemporary African design is celebrated throughout the hotel’s interiors and also in the GiGi Rooftop restaurant.
GiGi Rooftop is described as a Grand European-style café. What kind of food will you be serving?
The inspiration behind GiGi Rooftop comes from restaurants like Blakes in London, with a touch of Cecconi’s at Soho Beach House in Miami or Gemma at The Bowery in New York.
I have a fine-dining background, so it’s been interesting creating a casual menu. The main menu, which will be served from midday till late, is varied, with an emphasis on sharing dishes with friends. We will be serving modern South African food with distinctive plating.
Basically, there are various sections on the menu including the steak section (prime beef and game, hand-cut fries, sauces and infused butters), the comfort food section (beef burgers, clubhouse sandwiches, ale-battered fish and chips with mushy peas and hand-made tartar sauce), the small plate section (dishes that are great for sharing and can double-up), and the fresh salad section (fancy salads with seasonal ingredients). Delicious desserts will be made in-house, too.
We also serve breakfast from 07h00 to 10h30, in-house and there is an à la carte menu available for room service. The bar has a strong menu with meticulously crafted cocktails made by renowned in-house mixologist Jody Rahme.
The menu will evolve, and over time we will find our signature dishes.
Is the fresh produce organic?
Yes, I have connected with Meuse Farm, that uses organic principles to farm specialty vegetables and herbs on an acre of land in the Hout Bay valley.
Before opening GiGi Rooftop you were executive chef at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate in Franschhoek, and over the years you've worked with the best of the best. Who are your culinary mentors?
I have worked under incredible chefs, and I am still in touch with all of them. After I received my chefs’ diploma from the Hurst Campus Culinary Academy, I joined Edgar Osojnik’s kitchen at Buitenverwachting Wine Estate in Constantia where I learnt classic techniques and French discipline. Working for him was a big learning curve! In 2013, I joined Reuben Riffel at Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape Town where I learnt to cook South African heritage food, embracing great flavours and techniques. Reuben, one of South Africa’s celebrity chefs, is inspiring. I have several of his cookbooks and refer to them often.
Next up was working with Michelin-rated head chef Michael Deg at Delaire Graff Restaurant in Stellenbosch. He is my main culinary mentor, and one of the most skilled, dedicated and passionate chefs I have ever worked with. I was senior sous chef under Michael and learnt a lot about developing new culinary ideas and being consistent. I grew a lot working long hours with him and really respect his work ethic. He gave me an opportunity to create my own dishes and seeing them on the menu was gratifying.
I also worked briefly for Peter Pankhurst at Savoy Cabbage in Cape Town’s CBD for months at a time here and there. I learnt how to use very simple ingredients that work well together, a farm-to-table style of cooking that you would experience at St. John Restaurant in London.
What is the key to running a successful kitchen?
Consistency and determination. My main focus is always on the food.
Are you Gordon Ramsay in disguise?
No, I keep my head down … but I am hyper-assertive in my kitchen. People know exactly what is required and I keep communication lines open. We spend a lot of time together … we’re like a second family. I try to mentor, motivate and inspire people and lead by example.
What are your store cupboard staples?
Tinned chickpeas; good quality anchovies in vegetable oil; garlic; yoghurt; rotis from Atlas Trading Company in the Bo-Kaap. It’s a mismatched list of ingredients but you can conjure up a great meal from those in minutes.
Guy's menu at GiGi Rooftop will focus on European-style cuisine with a unique local flavour.
Have you always loved cooking?
Yes, my mother and ouma were keen cooks, and my father braais a lot. I felt comfortable in the kitchen from a young age. I had a natural inclination to make food and it gave me a lot of confidence. By the time I was 12 I had mastered “spag bol” and Thai green curry. Chefs like Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein were my main inspiration.
Which cookbook would you buy for a friend?
Being Bertus Basson by Bertus Basson. I love what he cooks, he is so talented and also one of my mentors.
And for yourself?
The Noma Guide to Fermentation by Rene Redzepi & David Zilber.
What’s on the menu when you have friends round for supper?
I love making curries, pastas and pizzas. I make them all from scratch. I tend to make mostly vegetarian curries, using mother-in-law spice from Atlas, which is where I grab my rotis, too.
Your favourite South African restaurant?
Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia. I really look up to Ivor Jones.
Where would you like to eat overseas?
Eleven Madison Park in New York City, for fine dining, and St. John in London, for fine dining that is accessible.
Which other local restaurants do you rate highly?
My favourite neighbourhood eatery is La Frasca in Gardens, then there is Cavalli Restaurant at Cavalli Estate, where Michael Deg is head chef, Wolfgat in Paternoster and Thali Restaurant in Gardens.
Last question! What would you order from the GiGi Rooftop menu?
I would order a couple of items for myself and friends: two items from the small plate section, a steak to share, some oysters for sure, salads …
Gorgeous George on St Georges Mall is the first Cape Town hotel to join the Design Hotels stable.
- GiGi Rooftop at Gorgeous George opens its doors on 18 April 2019. Local design and innovation are set to define the boutique hotel, which is the first Cape Town hotel to join the cutting-edge Design Hotels stable. Design Hotels is a collection of 300 hand-selected, privately owned hotels in 60 countries that “represent unique creative expressions with a strong cultural rooting in design, architecture and hospitality.
Images: Studio A