South Africa’s top chef up close and personal

Margot Janse was well on her way to making a name as a photographer when she discovered that not the art of light but the art of food was her calling. The fact she did not have a qualification did not inhibit her from taking the plunge, on the contrary. Today, she steers both kitchens of Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek, and successfully so: the establishment’s list of accolades is never-ending.

“When I moved to Johannesburg 20 years ago, I realised that I wanted to be a chef instead of a photographer,” says Janse, who was born in the Dutch town of Bussum, and now is one of South Africa’s best chefs.

“I wanted to do a short course, as I had no desire to do a three-year study. Unfortunately, no such thing existed.

“I then applied for an apprenticeship at a restaurant in Johannesburg. It was an amazing time, during which I learnt a lot,” she relates.

“But no, I still have no official qualification.”

After five years, Janse moved to Franschhoek. “Franschhoek at the time was quite different and not as touristy compared to what it is now. After my arrival in the Cape, I applied for a job in the kitchen of Le Quartier Français and was subsequently hired.

“When the executive chef left six months later, I was asked to take over his position. Obviously, I said yes. It had been a top restaurant in South Africa for a very long time and therefore it seemed like a fantastic opportunity,” she recalls.

Currently, Janse manages two kitchens, which are completely different from one another. “While the Tasting Room is for fine dining, our Common Room – which used to be called Içi – caters for people who are after a glass of wine and a nibble,” she explains.

“In Spain, you would call the food we serve at The Common Room tapas. We are not calling it tapas – we are in South Africa, not in Spain.”

Without dismissing the importance of a formal qualification, Janse believes that passion is the most important ingredient to becoming a successful chef. “I have people in my team who, like me, do not have a degree. To me, it is all about passion,” she says. “You won’t make it in this world if you are not passionate, regardless of your educational background. You need to have passion as well as the right work ethic.

“You need to fit into your team. You can be a qualified chef who creates the most beautiful things; but if you prefer to work on your own island, that attitude won’t work. Not in my kitchen, at least.”

One of the things Janse loves most about her work is the variety the job brings along. “The menu, for instance, changes every day, and therefore we spend lots of time brainstorming about the menus for the days to come and about the new ingredients we have found.”

When it comes to ingredients, her golden rule is to use local rather than imported products. “Both restaurants are proudly South African, and we try to use as many local products as possible. We only use the best and the most beautiful ingredients, mostly free range and organic,”
says Janse.

“Why? I, for instance, have no desire to eat industrial meat, so why would I serve it to my customers?

“I have loads of South African suppliers, big and small. I have my regular guy for my poultry and lamb; he is based in Stellenbosch. My butcher is based in George, and sources my beef from the Free State. My fruit and veggies are usually from the Cape,” she notes.

“Sometimes, locals knock on my door with beautiful produce. Just now, for instance, someone wanted to sell me some beautiful mushrooms. Hen of the Woods, they are called. I have bought them because they fit in our menu and because they are beautiful.

“Because that is the most important thing when we find a fantastic new product: it has to fit in the rest of the menu. It needs to beautiful, yes, of course. But at the end of the day, it has to have the right lightness, density, flavour, beauty and feel too,” Janse adds.

While she endeavours to stick to South Africa when it comes to sourcing her ingredients, she also works with products from neighbouring countries: “I love a Namibian oil that is made from !nara seeds. The !nara is a vegetable that looks like a cross between a melon and a pumpkin.

“I am also a fan of a type of salt from the Kalahari, which is sourced from below an underground stream. It contains all the right minerals, absorbed from the water and the ground. It is a type of sodium that lowers the blood pressure instead of alleviating it. Two months ago, we swapped all our salt with this type,” Janse says.

Apart from sourcing ingredients and designing the menu, her job revolves around managing two kitchen teams. “My entire crew comprises 25 people from all over South Africa, who are split over both restaurants,” Janse says.

“Yes, improvisation is a crucial skill. I spend entire days extinguishing the proverbial fires and fixing things. If it is not the oven that breaks, someone calls in sick. In this industry, you have to be a jack of all trades. However, you have to make sure at the end of the day that your guests get what they have ordered.

“I have to say that my team members manage themselves very well, and work very hard every single day,” she adds.

If time allows it – both kitchens are open seven days a week – Janse tries to take off a day here and there to be with her family.

“I have a son who is six years old, Thomas. He needs my time and attention. Luckily, I live close by, not even 1.5 kilometres from the restaurant. I always make sure that I am home between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., to cook and have supper with my son.

“I simply love to cook, especially for Thomas. He loves to eat, to try new things, to taste food he has never had before.

“Thomas is very brave when it comes to food. That is also because he trusts me – he knows that I will never let him taste something he does not like.”

Janse says that she is very optimistic about the future of South Africa. “When I look back at the last 20 years, I am simply amazed. It is phenomenal what has happened here.

“When I arrived in South Africa, the democracy had just taken root and has developed ever since. There is so much positive energy here among people and so much enthusiasm to do good and improve people’s lives.

“From an entrepreneur’s point of view – and when compared to, for instance, Europe – much more is possible in South Africa,” she notes.

“I could not have achieved what I have achieved here in Europe, especially without a qualification. It does not come on a silver platter, though. You have to be willing to fight for it, and work hard.” 

Le Quartier Français awards – the tip of the iceberg

• 2011 – 36th best restaurant in the world; Best Restaurant in Africa/Middle East (S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Guide);

• 2010 – The Best Restaurant in Africa & Middle East (Restaurant Magazine United Kingdom);

• 2008 – Top 10 Restaurants in the World (Hotel Magazine United States);

• 2007 – Restaurant of the Year for The Tasting Room (Eat Out Awards).

Miriam Mannak