Local is lekker at One&Only

Reuben Riffel on the The Martha Stewart Show

Reuben Riffel on the The Martha Stewart Show

Published Feb 24, 2011

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In January, One&Only Cape Town’s Reuben Riffel jetted off to New York City where he was to be filmed for his appearances on both The Martha Stewart Show and The Today Show.

Cooking in the prestigious Saveur magazine kitchen, he showcased recipes from South Africa. “There is a definite interest in South Africa and in particular South African food”, Riffel said, “and so I made simple dishes using South African ingredients that are available in the United States. Dishes like prawn dumplings with rooibos tea salt, curried pickled fish, peppadew salad, things like that. South Africa is seen as an exotic destination and people want to know what we eat locally, so we shouldn’t try and be too clever with our cooking, but we should be showcasing our incredible array of ingredients.”

At Reuben’s One&Only Cape Town there is a strong South African slant to the menu, albeit with a modern take. “I believe in South African produce and I like to offer that to our guests but this does not necessarily mean presenting them with traditional or old-fashioned recipes. But we do take our inspiration from our past and what is available locally. For example, here at One&Only I’ve created a dessert based on a combination of the traditional South African teatime treats. So on a plate you will find a Hertzoggie, some milk tart, a date slice, a Cape Malay coconut koeksister and some rooibos tea ice-cream. I believe we should be authentically South African.”

Reuben’s at One&Only has become a firm favourite with locals and visitors and with the recent addition of the bistro boards in the restaurant advertising the chef’s specials based on the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients, dinners will be hard pressed to choose between the familiar favourites and the seasonal specialities. Which is why they keep coming back for more.

Most welcome, also, is the introduction of a Sunday Lunch Family Buffet which launches on Sunday, 6 March. This promises to be a family affair and children are very welcome. Priced at R195.00 this lunch offers excellent value for money to be enjoyed in the luxurious surroundings of Cape Town’s most glamorous hotel, as well as the chance to reinvent the ritual of family sitting around a table, enjoying a delicious Sunday lunch, a fabulous roast and catching up with one another. Thus offering an opportunity to celebrate old-fashioned family values in a modern setting.

It has been less than six months since Reuben Riffel first opened his restaurant at One&Only and as he divides his time between Cape Town and Franschhoek, both restaurants have benefited by the cross-pollination that occurs naturally. In a type of work exchange program, staff from Reuben’s Franschhoek are given the opportunity to come and work at Reuben’s at One&Only and experience the service demands of a world class hotel, while the team from One&Only spend time in Franschhoek getting to know the heart of the restaurant and understanding the ethos behind this much-loved South African chef.

To book your table at Reuben’s One&Only Cape Town call (27) (21) 431 5222 or mail to [email protected].

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