LINDI GREEN

Lindi Green is one dynamic woman! She is the lady behind Café Roux restaurant, a Cape Town institution that she jointly started 16 years ago. The restaurant in the popular Noordhoek Farm Village below Chapman’s Peak, is the hub of the city’s South Peninsula (“Deep South”) community. What began as a small family affair has grown into one of the country’s most loved restaurants & live music venues, showcasing some of SA’s top musical and comedy acts. It is the epitome of the Cape Town’s laid back Deep South lifestyle. You have not been to Cape Town until you have been to Cafe Roux.

Core’s Q&A with Lindi:

Q: How did you get to where you are ? 

A: My brother Paul, his wife Bern and I opened cafe Roux 16 years ago. Paul and I were already in the hospitality business running 5 star guesthouses and Bern was a mad foodie. We had no restaurant background but were in love with life in the Deep South & decided to explore new business opportunities. The first place we stumbled across was Weltevrede Restaurant (now cafe Roux) in the Noordhoek Farm Village. We were blown away by the beautiful outdoor setting and the great location. 

Paul & Bern sold out of the business in 2020 and I was joined by my current partner Jessica Bos. Jessica has a strong background in operating & owning restaurants and her amazing skill set has added unbelievable value to cafe Roux.

Q:  What do you love most about your job?  

A:  Every day is different and you never know what is around the corner. Cafe Roux is a community hub that holds space for so many different occasions – kids parties & celebrations, weddings, family meals, pets under the table, amazing live music & comedy gigs, informative talks & lifestyle films. And you get to meet amazing people from every walk of life!

Q: What makes your business successful?

A: We have always adapted to change and are not scared to change direction and try new things. You can never stand still, you have to keep evolving and changing as to what your customer is needing.

Q: What makes your business unique?

A: We cater for such a wide range of people and their needs. Establishing ourselves as one of SA’s premiere live music venues, and yet still being able to be a relaxed “home away from home” for families during the day. We have always prided ourselves on being authentically simple and from the heart. 

Q: How did you get through COVID?

A: We had to pivot very quickly during Covid. As soon as we were allowed back into the restaurant building, we converted cafe Roux into a soup kitchen, making large volumes of soup to distribute to the elderly and school kids in nearby Ocean View & Masi who were no longer getting their daily meals. Following that, we started hosting a weekly outdoor community market in our large outdoor space. As restrictions lifted some more, we evolved into a full-blown take away business, with different take-away hatches, providing different take-away meals. So we altered the menu to make it more take-away friendly and started using illuminated vibrating disks so people could still walk around the Farm Village and shop and would know when their orders were ready. As we moved back into the restaurant space again, we kept things streamlined and simple sticking to what we do well.

Q: What do you think makes our industry globally competitive?

A: Eating out in Cape Town is a word-class experience – beautiful settings, excellent cuisine, value for money and brilliant hospitality.

Q: What does being a successful business woman mean to you?

A: Being passionate about what you do, embracing every new day and  remaining open to new ideas & possibilities. Learning to balance life, family, work and all the rest – not easy! 

Q: What advice would you give to a young woman entering the industry today?

A: Women are amazing and have it all to succeed – strength, drive, creativity, empathy & compassion. 

Q: What makes you happy?

A: Doing hot yoga at Yoga Life in the Noordhoek Farm Village

Q: What makes you sad?

A: Selfish people

Q: What’s your favourite food?

A: Italian/Asian

Q: What’s your favourite song?

A: Harry Styles – As it was

Q: Dogs or Cats?

A: Dogs

Q: What do you do in your downtime?

A:  Hang out with my family, lots of yoga, walk on our beautiful beaches or on the mountain, taste wine, eat great food, listen to music

Q: Where to from here? For you and your business?

A: Cafe Roux is going from strength to strength. We are focused on always improving our core business and keeping our customers happy and wanting to come back for more. We put great emphasis on keeping our menu simple, great tasting and good value for money. Live music & entertainment are only getting bigger and better and we will continue to host the best of SA musicians and comedians on our stage

A CAPE TOWN INSTITUTION

You haven’t been to Cape Town until you’ve been to Cafe Roux

FRESH EASY GOING FOOD

Food plays a starring role at Cafe Roux with a varied menu that caters for all tastes including vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, as well as dinner on show nights, the cuisine is South African with a twist. Expect from Springbok carpaccio to Durban curries and Asian beef salad. It’s all about fresh local ingredients put together in a no fuss simply delicious way.

O! and special note… you MUST try their burger which is a local favourite, all home made from the patty to the relish. Simply delicious!

LIVE MUSIC

Going to one of Café Roux’s concerts is a MUST! It’s a great vibe either sitting on the lawn or dancing on your table ! In the past they have welcomed to their private stage the likes of Majozi, The Kiffness, Jesse Clegg and Monark. Now, they’re filling up with even more live music not to be missed. View their upcoming line up HERE

Here’s wishing Lindi and Jessica all the very best for the future. We think they rock !

NATASHA MACIEL

She heads up one of Joburg’s most iconic restaurants and we find out in our quick Q&A below that the reason for her success is not just her fine restaurateur skills, but also her positive energy and a lovely glowing warm heart. 

Her restaurant, Pronto in Craighall (proudly one of our longstanding clients) is known across Joburg’s northern suburbs for its warm and inviting atmosphere, delicious Italian food and friendly and professional service. It’s a fun place to be with this wholesome all round formula, that has made it and Natasha so successful.

“Love is the secret ingredient”

Natasha Maciel

Core’s Q&A with Natasha:

Q: How did you get to where you are ?

A: I worked in media sales for most of my life, both in Johannesburg and London. I joined Pronto with 10% share and had such a love of this world that a decade later, I bought out the other partners and now Pronto is 19 years old and deeply entrenched in the neighbourhood.

Q: What do you love most about your job?

A: Being able to create spaces for people to connect. That I think is the whole point of hospitality – to bring people together. I think we’ve lost our way when we think it’s only about excellence or being unique and exclusive. 

Q: What makes your business successful?

A: My staff. My super power is finding and working with amazing people. The culture at Pronto is one of accountability and pride. People who work there are naturally people who try their best, with a good heart and have helped me build Pronto into the business it is today.

Q: What makes your business unique?

A: Love is the secret ingredient. Yes, we have amazing ingredients prepared consistently well, but by taking care of our staff and having a culture of peace and respect I believe that we have something that is sustainable and special. That extends to being gracious and helpful in service to our community and we are endlessly thankful to our incredibly loyal clientele, some of which come in EVERY single day and have been with us for over a decade. People, whether they are serving or being served, make our space special.

Q: How did you get through COVID?

A: I kept asking the fundamental question – what does my community need? And that’s what I would buckle down and start to create. There were overwhelming times and tears, but I have an amazing support system and the one piece of advice that I really took to heart was: don’t stay closed, keep your doors open. And it worked. We built a rudimentary shop called Pronto Foodstore that has now morphed into the most incredible space that houses over 350 unique products. From dining décor (think pewter, imported glass-ware, napkins, candles) to our own range of pasta sauces that are small batches and made with real ingredients (nothing in a grocery store can complete). We are now a space that celebrates small suppliers, who would get trampled by big grocery stores, but have incredible products that should be shared.

Q: What do you think makes our industry globally competitive?

A: South Africans are hard working. We have grit and character and do what needs to be done. Wrap that up in a smile (which we always seem to have on our faces) and those are some pretty high standards. 

Q: What does being a successful business woman mean to you?

A: Living life to my own standards. I think success is personal and I like freedom, space, low stress and balance. Success isn’t a bank account full of money but no time to do what I love with whom I love.

Q: What advice would you give to a young woman entering the industry today?

A: Try to hear you own inner voice and when you finally do – trust it. Women often feel they need external validation and other people’s approval to do what they want. It holds us back, and at its most basic level gives our power away to others. 

Q: What makes you happy?

A: Being of service to people. I love being a restaurateur because I feel like I am a part of my community. I see and am part of all the comings and goings of a small community, even though I am in a big city.

Q: What makes you sad?

A: That we live in a country of such inequality. I have over 50 staff and I feel for them. They have untold suffering that they endure to support families and themselves against all odds. It’s why I do my best to be kind and respectful to the people that I meet. Everyone is going through something and I have no desire to make life harder for anybody than it already is. As a boss I try and be a safe harbour for my people. 

Q: What’s your favourite food?

A: Impossible to say just one. I have too many sides to my personality to love one and grew up with a passion for food. I’m part Portuguese and part Pakistani – and these foods hold a special place in my heart. But I’m an adventurous soul and love sipping on Sake in an obscure restaurant as much as eating sushi, French or really anything at all. Food is love. And I love it all.

Q: What’s your favourite song?

A: I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. I’ve had to stand up to a lot of bullies and disrespect in my time and this song reminds me that all the hardships that I have faced, I have still managed to stand up to reach the next level. I’ve let it soften my heart and make me stronger.

Q: Dogs or Cats?

A: Definitely cats. What’s not to love: independent, clean and very discerning about who they love. My cat is called Socrates named after one of my favourite philosophers. “The only thing we know, is nothing at all” – Socrates. Good to remember in a world that thinks we can know everything and prepare for everything.

Q: What do you do in your downtime?

A: Being a female restaurateur comes with a lot of stress and I think that my personal goal is to have balance between work, my children, myself and my friends. I’m not obsessed with making money but I am obsessed about being balanced – so I meditate, spend lots of time in nature, manage to put my kids to bed most nights and am always trying to build time in to stop thinking and stop doing. We live in a culture that worships productivity and I have to work hard to follow my own agenda and not someone else’s.

Q: Where to from here? For you and your business?

A: I’m in the incredibly lucky position of re-launching my restaurant (we are closed in September for a major shopping centre renovation) and also break ground on a new restaurant called Liberté – French Food & Wine on 1 October – we should be launched and ready to go by 1 December 2022. The restaurants will be opposite each other in the SAME shopping centre which is amazing because I can keep an eye on both spaces and hopefully this will mean I still have lots of time to be there for my boys and enjoy my life. 

You sure are one inspiring woman Natasha and we wish you every continued success !

Treat yourself to a visit to Pronto Italian Restaurant in Craighall Park. This award-winning eatery offers a selection of authentic Italian classics like arancini, penne salciccia and polenta con polpette excellently paired with an array of both local and international wines. It also has a deli and shop not to be missed!

The perfect lazy breakfast feast that’s packed with flavour

SLOW COOKED FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

12 large eggs 

2 cups half and half 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

2 loaves (1 pound each) brioche bread, crust trimmed and cut in 1-inch cubes 

Confectioners’ sugar 

Maple syrup 

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add half and half, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon and stir until blended. Add bread to bowl, stirring until well coated. 

Spray slow cooker crock with non stick cooking spray. Pour bread mixture into crock.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Place crock in slow cooker base. Cook on LOW for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until mixture is cooked through. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve with maple syrup.

It’s heaven on a plate! We don’t think anything else in the world can be as satisfying !

STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE STUFFED FRENCH TOAST RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 CUP MASCARPONE CHEESE 

3 TABLESPOONS GRANULATED SUGAR 

2 TABLESPOONS HALF AND HALF 

1 1/2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT, DIVIDED 

1 TEASPOON LEMON ZEST 

6 SLICES (1 1/2-INCHES THICK) CHALLAH BREAD 

4 CUPS THINLY SLICED STRAWBERRIES 

6 LARGE EGGS 

1 1/3 CUP MILK 

2 TABLESPOONS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR 

1 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON 

CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR, FOR GARNISH

DIRECTIONS

IN A SMALL BOWL, COMBINE MASCARPONE CHEESE, GRANULATED SUGAR, HALF AND HALF, ½ TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT, AND LEMON ZEST. PLACE MIXTURE IN A 1-GALLON RESEALABLE PLASTIC BAG. CLOSE BAG. REFRIGERATE UNTIL READY TO USE. 

USING TIP OF A SMALL KNIFE, CUT A SLIT FROM SIDE TO SIDE TO FORM A POCKET IN EACH SLICE OF BREAD.  

WITH SCISSORS CUT BOTTOM CORNER OF BAG MASCARPONE MIXTURE. SQUEEZE ABOUT 3 ROUNDED TABLESPOONS MASCARPONE MIXTURE INTO EACH BREAD POCKET AND ADD 6 TO 8 SLICES OF STRAWBERRIES. 

HEAT CAST IRON COOKTOP 

IN A LARGE BOWL USING A WIRE WHISK, BEAT EGGS, MILK, 2 TABLESPOONS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR, GROUND CINNAMON, AND REMAINING 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT UNTIL WELL BLENDED. 

PLACE STUFFED BREAD POCKETS IN MILK MIXTURE AND SOAK 30 SECONDS ON EACH SIDE. DRAIN AND CAREFULLY TRANSFER EACH BREAD POCKET TO COOKTOP. 

COOK TURNING ONCE, UNTIL BROWNED AND HEATED THROUGH, ABOUT 6 TO 8 MINUTES.  

GARNISH WITH REMAINING STRAWBERRIES AND CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR.

Simple, healthy and so delicious your guest will be begging you for more!

EGG WHITE BITES RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

2 large egg whites or 3 tablespoons liquid egg whites

1 teaspoon water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon shredded cheese

1 tablespoon chopped herbs and vegetables

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, using a whisk or a fork, combine egg, water, salt and pepper. Stir in cheese, herbs and vegetables. Fill egg cups to the MAX fill line in the tray.

Fill water cup to 100 mL line and pour water into centre of reservoir in base. Replace egg tray.

Cover with lid. Plug Egg Bites Maker into outlet to start cooking.  Both lights will turn on. When green light goes out, unplug egg bites maker.

Remove lid and remove tray from base. Allow egg bites to rest for a few minutes. To remove egg bites, invert tray onto a serving plate.

Impress your guests with this unusual (and delicious!) topping for your glass of bubbly. They look a little bit like sparklers and they are easier to make than you might think. 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Champagne / sparkling wine

INSTRUCTIONS

Line the table or floor you are working on with newspaper. The sugar can fling quite far sometimes, so make sure you have a large work space covered and newspapers will make clean-up much easier. Place a baking pan upside down onto your work space. Place a piece of parchment paper over it, tucking the end into the pan. You can also use a large bowl or something similar. You basically want a non-stick surface for the spun sugar threads. When the sugar is first spun, it is malleable enough to bend and shape so you can make them on a flat surface and then shape them. However, if you have specific shapes in mind, you can adjust accordingly. For example, if you want to make a nest, you could wrap parchment around a small upside down bowl and fling threads around the bowl. If you want a cotton candy shape, you can wrap parchment paper around a large stick/mixing spoon, etc.

In a medium pot, add sugar, water and syrup. Stir lightly until all sugar is wet. If any sugar is sticking to the edges of the pot, brush them down.

Bring your pot to medium heat. Let mixture boil and do not stir or touch it (very important!!). Allow it to boil until it turns a light pale yellow. Once it reaches that colour, immediately remove pot from heat. If you want to make a more gold coloured spun sugar, allow the mixture to boil slightly longer until it turns a slightly darker yellow. However, keep in mind that you will likely have to warm up the sugar mixture again before you are done making all your spun sugar and each time you warm it up it will get darker. 

Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Using two forks (you can also use a decapitated whisk tool), start stirring the mixture. Lift up your fork to check the consistency of the syrup. You want the consistency to no longer be drips, but instead it should be a solid thin stream. 

Working quickly (the sugar cools quickly), dip the two forks in the syrup and then move them back and forth quickly across your parchment paper. Continue doing this until you have quite a few threads, like a nest. Once it’s as thick as you’d like, remove from parchment paper and shape to desired shape before sugar hardens.

Repeat process again to make more. If sugar in the pot cools off too much and begins to harden, place it back on the stove and warm up. You should have more than enough sugar syrup to make tops for 12 champagne glasses and probably have some leftover.

The finished spun sugar will eventually get sticky and melty if they sit out too long. If you do not plan on using right away, place them gently in some ziploc bags (separated with parchment paper so they don’t stick together).

Pour champagne into flutes. Top with the spun sugar. Guests can eat the spun sugar or place into the champagne where it will dissolve for a sweet champagne cocktail.

If you have not yet tried a smoking gun then you are missing out. This versatile tool can be used to unleash a world of new flavours to anything from prawns to ice cream!

B.L.T IN A SMOKEY BAG

A new take on a trusted Classic. A Bomb of smells made for an atomic snack time! Never just a regular sandwich. You’ve got to try this one!

VIEW RECIPE

SMOKE DROWNED SHRIMP

If you could drown shrimp, this would be how. Enjoy the freshness of shrimp salad combined with the robust aroma of nature!

VIEW RECIPE

SMOKED PORK RIBS

Try this best ever pork ribs recipe with slaw as the ultimate recipe for parties. Your guest will be begging you for more!

VIEW RECIPE

SMOKEY ICE CREAM

Yes really. The beautiful sweet coolness of ice cream with a touch of misty applewood…Just when you thought it couldn’t be more delicious!

VIEW RECIPE

The perfect addition for any professional chef (or home cook extraordinaire!) who wants to add extra depth to their creations. This heavy-duty gun has been developed by some of the best chefs in the world and it will take your cooking, bartending and presentation skills to new levels with multiple uses…

Capetonian Joshua Hendricks has been crowned best Barman in South African at the local leg of the Diageo World Class bartending competition recently held in the mother city. The 24-year-old is the youngest person to win the award of this Global Competition, which has supported, trained and inspired more than 400 000 bartenders, across 60 countries, for over 12 years

Hendricks and nine other top bartenders were put through gruelling challenges over three days at the competition in front of a judging panel of the who’s who in the industry. It included Johnnie Walker brand influencer Kay Ngonyama; award-winning restaurant chef, cookbook author, “MasterChef SA” judge and “Ultimate Braai Master” judge Pete Goffe-Wood; three-times World Class champion and co-founder of Diageo SA The Hand Up Mentorship Programme Brent Perremore; Diageo Reserve brand ambassador Dom de Lorenzo; and runner-up for two consecutive years in the World Class competition and current bartender trainer Haroon Haffejee. 

Hendricks said the first day started with a Mastery challenge, where they had to identify 50 cocktail ingredients by smell and taste alone. He said classic cocktails were served in test tubes and they had to identify these blind.

In the knock-out challenge, 50 spirits had to be identified correctly by the contestants until just one person remained.

“I came fifth in this challenge, so I didn’t do that great. In fact, I did not win any of the rounds, but I managed to be consistent about placing in the top three and this is why I had the highest mark at the end of the competition,” Hendricks said.

In the speed round, where contestants had to create 10 original cocktails in eight minutes, he said his best creation was a Singleton honey sour, with a red wine and pear reduction between the foam. Hendricks said it is a New York sours type of drink which is done quite often, but the way he did it was amazing. And Tuesday saw two challenges for the mixologists, a heritage challenge where they had to make a group serve using one of the Johnnie Walker expressions based on their culture.

“I am coloured, so I made a rooibos pinotage tea blend which represented the aunties that sit and skinner in the kitchen, and a vermouth with crackling,” he said.

In the evening during the food challenge, Hendricks chose a deconstructed paella and a saffron risotto croquette, and spiced prawn to pair with his Singleton and apple fennel juice cocktail. He said it had cumin-infused vermouth and honey citrus with star anise – aromatic, fresh and tart so that the acid could cut through the fat of the dish. 

Lastly, the remaining six contestants had to create their own pop-up bar within 24 hours, using a concept of their own choice. Hendricks’s concept was chrysalis – the metamorphosis of a butterfly, and the bar featured a garden atmosphere with autumn leaves and origami butterflies.

“Each of my cocktails represented a stage of the metamorphosis of a butterfly’s life cycle. The judges liked the concept and for me, this challenge was my favourite despite being stressful as I’d been planning it for such a long time that seeing it come to life so that people could experience it was really exciting,” he said.

Hendricks will be flying his way to Australia in September to represent South Africa in the global final of the Diageo World Class competition.

You go Joshua! We wish you the best of luck !