Dutch Chef Michiel den Hartogh is assisting at Pierneef à La Motte for the next six weeks, and shared some views on the cuisine in the different countries in which he has travelled and worked.  He praised Australian and South African cuisine for its use of fresh ingredients, and the wide selection and quality of fish in Australia, and game and other meat in South Africa.

Five years ago Chef Michiel came to the Cape, and worked at both Lanzerac and The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français.  He did not learn anything at Lanzerac, and shared his knowledge with the staff there, he felt, rather than the other way around, but he enjoyed the latter restaurant, where he met Chef Chris Erasmus, now Executive Chef at Pierneef à La Motte.  The friendship continued, and last year Chef Chris cooked at Specktafel in Haarlem, in conjunction with a South African festival.  Having left Specktafel as Head Chef earlier this year, after ten years with the restaurant, Chef Michiel did a summer stint at Ajuma in Zandvoort, before coming to join Chef Chris at Pierneef à La Motte ten days ago.  Specktafel does not serve bacon, but is based in Spekstraat in Haarlem, and is ‘speck’-tacular, he said!  The restaurant specialises in ‘world cuisine’, and the menu covers Canadian, Moroccan, Italian, Japanese, Scandinavian, South American, Chinese, and South African dishes.  He has been a representative for Luiten-food, doing demonstrations for them of kangaroo, emu and crocodile, New Zealand venison, and our local meats of ostrich, wildebeest, springbok, kudu, and more.

He has done short ‘internships’ in restaurants around the world, including at Nobu in London, and also in France, the USA, Spain, Madeira, Asia, Australia, and Italy.  In Australia he was impressed with the range of seafood available, not only from the Sydney fish market, but also that he could go spearfishing to harvest some of it himself.  He raved about the blue swimmer crabs, oysters, kangaroo, and crocodile, from which interesting dishes can be prepared.  Springbok and our other game, as well as excellent quality grass-fed beef and poultry impresses him about South Africa, a luxury in Holland.  Compared to five years ago, our restaurant cuisine has developed, and is not as ‘primitive’ as it was then, largely due to the experience our chiefs are gaining from working with international chefs locally and overseas, such as Chef Chris’ one month stage at Noma in Copenhagen. The international experience benefits not only the head chef, but that of the whole team too.

Chef Michiel is very impressed with the herb and vegetable garden at La Motte, and he himself is a keen gardener, having planted some favourite herbs and vegetables on his parents’ farm, and he has begun to forage mushrooms, wild herbs, and wild flowers.  He has brought some seeds from Holland, and Daniel Kruger will prepare a vegetable garden just for him at La Motte, which will be his legacy to Chef Chris and his colleagues, when he leaves to continue his world travels.  He has brought seeds for ‘boerekool’, and ‘endejvie’, which he said is not an endive but a lettuce/cabbage, purple carrots, and more.

Asked about the plans for the future, Chef Michiel said he is working on a ten year plan, and it is still a ‘secret’.  He intimated that he may stay on beyond 31 December at Pierneef à La Motte, and I got the feeling that his vegetable garden in Holland may be the clue to the possible opening of his own restaurant. Should he open his own restaurant, it would serve ‘pure cuisine’, he said, being seasonal produce, and that which is grown in close proximity.  He wants to educate diners about vegetables, meats, and herbs, and take them beyond their restricted knowledge gained from TV and supermarkets. ‘Pure cuisine’ also means presenting fewer elements on a plate, and utilising known ingredients in an unusual form.

We talked about the Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant awards, and he will be attending the Eat Out Conference next Saturday.  There does not appear to be restaurant award of a similar nature in Holland, and I got the feeling that winning a restaurant award is not a big deal in that country.

Chef Michiel is looking forward to developing his vegetable garden at La Motte, and in working with Chef Chris to develop new dishes, and in preparing dishes for the new Pierneef à La Motte summer menu, which was launched yesterday.

Pierneef à La Motte, La Motte, R45, Franschhoek.  Tel (021) 876-8000. www.la-motte.com Twitter: @Pierneeflamotte  @Mich_ha13

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage