Two weeks ago I attended a pop-up dining event at RED! The Gallery on Wale Street, hosted by Chef Ridian Kabeya, who had invited me and 19 others to attend his dinner. We were a mix of Influencers from the modelling world, a lawyer, an artist, two restaurateurs-to-be, and I the only food writer.

I knew only one person, Vee Roux of MoreVino, who supplied and introduced each of the three wines which were paired with each dish.

I was one of the first to arrive, the event coinciding with the Parliamentary SONA event, which had led to road closures, making many of the invited guests very late. I took a walk through RED! The Gallery, met the Gallery owner Dave, chatted with Chef Ridian, watched how the two tables were dressed for the event, and enjoyed a passion fruit G & T cocktail made with Amari gin made by Hope & Hopkins from ocean water from Saldanha Bay, until it was time for the event to start.

Chef Ridian told me that he does regular pop-up dinners, describing his offering as French Fine Dining, charging R700 for the experience, which incudes three courses, the welcome cocktail, and three paired wines. He is also a private chef, available for private and celebrity events. Chef Ridian previously worked for Chef Liam Tomlin at Chefs Warehouse on Bree Street, agreeing that the latter has a huge ego and is arrogant! He also worked at La Mouette and Diemersdal.

The Chef encouraged me to meet the other invited guests, using the event as a networking opportunity. We did not receive nametags, so my networking was limited to the persons I shared the table with. I chose a seat at the table nearest the bench I had sat on, and we introduced each other. No one knew anyone else at the table. During the course of the dinner I got chatting to Ali the lawyer, to her artist friend, two other girls at our table, as well as Steve Britz, the Restaurateur-to-be, telling us all about Artizian, his brand new restaurant opening on Bree Street on 1 April.

Vee came to pour a Zevenwacht Chardonnay 2020, and told us that MoreVino represents about 40 wine estates. He gave us a background to Zevenwacht, a 360 year old wine estate outside Stellenbosch, from which one can see False Bay and Table Mountain. It is 200 – 500 meters above sea level.

The Chardonnay was paired with the first course of Yellowtail, a scallop, beurre blanc sauce, peas, brocolli, and cauliflower.

The second course was Duck Breast served with butternut risotto, and paired with The Valley Pinot Noir 2020, served at 16C. The La Brune winery owner Nico Grobler grows vines at ten Elgin sites. Grobler was previously the winemaker at Eikendal in Stellenbosch.

The third course was a dessert of chocolate mousse, biscuit crumble, coconut ice cream, and blueberries and strawberries, interestingly paired with a Ronkedoor Shiraz from Die Kleine Wein Co-op. The wine is made with grapes from Walker Bay, by winemaker Wynand Grobler, the former Rickety Bridge winemaker.

It was disappointing that Chef Ridian did not speak to any of his dishes, nor share where his dining journey has come from and where he plans it to head. There was no menu to explain what we were eating, and the vintage and other details of the wines which were offered with each course.

Chef Ridian contacted me after the dinner, sending me a link to his e-Book of recipe called ‘Fine Dining Made Easy’, costing R230.

Chef Ridian Kabeya, Cell 067 835 o440. www.herorose.co.za Instagram: @chef_herorose @ineedmorevino

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide