Chefs Deeya Palath and Jackie Cameron at the school.
Image: Frank Chemaly
Where: 241 Old Howick Road, Worlds View, Hilton
Call: 076 505 7538
Chef Jackie Cameron invited me to the school for a third year student’s final dinner. Here each student had to scope three different cuisines under one umbrella. Deeya Palath put on The Tastes of Asia featuring India, Thailand and Singapore.
I couldn’t resist and brought Mom along to join me.
Corn riblets with coconut sauce, Thai spiced sweet potatoes and beef satay.
Image: Frank Chemaly
I had been to the 18-month student final dinners previously. Here they have been with the school for a year learning their craft and have spent six months in a kitchen in one of South Africa’s top restaurants. They then cook their final dinner.
Now with the third years they do a six month advanced course at the school and do two further kitchen placements.
The theme here is far more managerial. They are running the show. They can choose two fellow third year students to run their kitchen brigade with the first years assisting with service and cleaning. They devise the menu, find the ingredients, cost everything, train the kitchen, do the marketing, take the bookings etc. Basically the school is their restaurant for the day. The only thing they can’t do is touch anything. They can taste, and persuade or cajole the kitchen brigade but can’t cook.
Garlic naan, potato bread and smoked lentil dhal.
Image: Frank Chemaly
And what a feast the young chef presented. The buffet table was laden with a veritable array of tantalising dishes.
Starters included good little phyllo cups of tuna with a Thai slaw and Thai dressing and there were corn fritters fried in sesame oil with creme fraiche. A super cool, crisp cucumber salad had just the right Asian chilli heat, and there was a tasty brinjal salad creation.
Mains consisted of a deep, rich and super creamy butter chicken. There was a paneer and pea curry that for me was the highlight. Beautiful, rich and crumbly paneer (none of this rubbery stuff you buy in the shops) not very hot but beautifully spiced and balanced. I mopped it up with fluffy garlic naan. Sadly when I went back for seconds this had all been snuffled up. There was also a potato curry filled bread that resembled aloo paratha.
Butter chicken, spicy Thai pork and sticky pineapple rice, and paneer and pea curry.
Image: Frank Chemaly
Then from the Straights came a beef and vegetable satay that were both good. The beef had perhaps been on the pass a shade long by the time I got to it as it had cooked through. I also loved the charred corn riblets with coconut milk dressing, and sweet potatoes in a Thai spice blend. Then there were crisp peanut crusted cauliflower florets dressed with a sweet and sour sauce. Yum.
From Thailand there was spicy pork with pineapple rice, and sticky meatballs served with a sesame dressing on noodles. Lovely flavours from both although I might have put a shade more of the red stuff in the meat balls. I added some of the chilli peanuts to the dish which lifted it further. I shouldn’t forget to mention the good thick smoked lentil dhal, which again, while not overly hot, was absolutely delicious. It even called for a second piece of naan bread to scoop it all up.
While the team was getting desserts prepped, Palath's cousin performed a traditional Kathak dance for us.
Vegetable satay and crispy peanut coated chicken.
Image: Frank Chemaly
Now the pastry kitchen is where the young chef first found her love of food. There was a perfect crisp buttery pineapple tart, a sponge biscuit topped with lime or lemon and a cardamom twirl, and a set mango custard topped with coconut cream. I really enjoyed this, although mom thought it a little “odd”. Our tastes do differ. And of course she couldn’t say what was odd about it.
We finished the meal with good local coffees.
After lunch I chatted to Palath. She said she didn’t expect to become a chef.
“My plan was to be an accountant. But this is so much better. I can’t imagine working a desk job. I’d rather be on my feet and doing hands-on work.
The dessert table.
Image: Frank Chemaly
“During lockdown I got into baking, and started experimenting. I realised I enjoy the kitchen. It’s so peaceful when baking. So I took a chance to apply to the school. If Chef Jackie didn’t accept me, I would have been an accountant.”
She had done her postings at Dough Girl, and Post & Pepper in Stellenbosch and Bertus Basson’s restaurant Eike also in Stellenbosch.
“I like working in a fast paced environment. I prefer pastry but I love all sections and am hoping to have my own restaurant one day with a bakery. Maybe the bakery first,” she says.
I wish her every success.
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambience: 4
The Bill: We were treated but the meal was R450 ahead