LIKE artists, true chefs are perpetually seized by restless energy to create something of a surprise for the unsuspecting palate.
They frown on the idea of settling for mundane and predictable dishes, which is what attracts us to our favourite restaurants time and again.
Burundian-Belgian chef Coco Reinharz, owner of the popular Sel et Poivre restaurant at The Quatermain Hotel in Johannesburg, is one such individual. He is at the forefront of the new African culinary renaissance.
He is innovative and produces Afro-fusion gastronomic styles that combine classic French cuisine with African flavours.
Versatility is Coco's strength, which draws its inspiration from his African heritage and stints as a chef in French restaurants in Europe.
His Afro-fusion creations show an individual who is not afraid to experiment. Not even in my wildest dream have I thought a chef could conjure up a combination of oxtail terrine with inkomazi (sour milk) dressing and brunoised beetroot from Lesotho, or yam and crayfish risotto.
Better still, convention tells us that premium brandy is naturally enjoyed to the accompaniment of a cigar. Enjoying brandy with food seemed a far-fetched idea until one met Coco, who challenged my preconceived notions about food with a pairing of the spirit with liver pate or, better still, guinea fowl terrine, smoked quail and pear tart. The match of boerewors bread with fine brandy goes to show that there's no predicting what Coco can concoct next.
He is equally at home with pairing French bubbly with other relishes as he is adept at finding perfect matches of top-notch wines and exquisite dishes.
The whole gastronomical repertoire leaves an impression of someone who not only widely travelled but one who has been curious enough to create culinary confluence between two distinct cultures - the African and French.
- In 2008 Coco's Sandton restaurant, Sel et Poivre, was rated one of the top 100 restaurants in South Africa by WINE magazine and Diners Club.
Great afro-fusion food delights
LIKE artists, true chefs are perpetually seized by restless energy to create something of a surprise for the unsuspecting palate.
They frown on the idea of settling for mundane and predictable dishes, which is what attracts us to our favourite restaurants time and again.
Burundian-Belgian chef Coco Reinharz, owner of the popular Sel et Poivre restaurant at The Quatermain Hotel in Johannesburg, is one such individual. He is at the forefront of the new African culinary renaissance.
He is innovative and produces Afro-fusion gastronomic styles that combine classic French cuisine with African flavours.
Versatility is Coco's strength, which draws its inspiration from his African heritage and stints as a chef in French restaurants in Europe.
His Afro-fusion creations show an individual who is not afraid to experiment. Not even in my wildest dream have I thought a chef could conjure up a combination of oxtail terrine with inkomazi (sour milk) dressing and brunoised beetroot from Lesotho, or yam and crayfish risotto.
Better still, convention tells us that premium brandy is naturally enjoyed to the accompaniment of a cigar. Enjoying brandy with food seemed a far-fetched idea until one met Coco, who challenged my preconceived notions about food with a pairing of the spirit with liver pate or, better still, guinea fowl terrine, smoked quail and pear tart. The match of boerewors bread with fine brandy goes to show that there's no predicting what Coco can concoct next.
He is equally at home with pairing French bubbly with other relishes as he is adept at finding perfect matches of top-notch wines and exquisite dishes.
The whole gastronomical repertoire leaves an impression of someone who not only widely travelled but one who has been curious enough to create culinary confluence between two distinct cultures - the African and French.
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