The Journey at Urchin: Chef Marcus Gericke’s tribute to the Western Cape
Chef Marcus Gericke, during the road trip that inspired Journey, a culinary experience celebrating flavours of the Western Cape
Image: Dale Herbst
There’s a gentle sincerity to Chef Marcus Gericke, the kind of quiet confidence that comes from years of hard work and dedication.
Perhaps it’s the confidence that comes with being crowned SA Chef of the Year 2024, or the humility of someone who still speaks about food as if it’s a living, breathing extension of memory.
Maybe it’s his global track record, from working in America and Italy to winning the Global Chef Africa & Middle East 2022–2023 title, yet still choosing to base himself in the Western Cape.
What strikes me most is how deeply personal his latest creation - The Journey is.
This nine-course tasting menu at Urchin in Bo-Kaap isn’t just a culinary showcase; it’s the result of a 1,627 km road trip, a lifetime of food memories, and a chef intent on celebrating the people who keep our local food culture alive.
A road trip that became a menu
Marcus recently returned from his expedition after travelling from Kalk Bay through the Karoo, along the Garden Route and eventually back home to Bo-Kaap.
“Each stop reminded me why I love the Western Cape so much,” he says. “The people, the humble ingredients, the family recipes - they all still matter.”
This journey shaped every course on the menu. It wasn’t about reinventing the wheel but rather honouring the dishes South Africans grew up with - the ones that hold stories.
From fishermen in Kalk Bay sharing snoek, to stumbling upon Stellenbosch’s oldest brown bread recipe, to lamb farmers in the Karoo still working the land the same way their grandparents did, the trip became a tapestry of flavours waiting to be retold on a plate.
Pickled fish, radish, edible flowers.
Image: Supplied
What to expect on the nine-course tasting menu
The dishes read like a love letter to South African home cooking, but refined, reimagined and carried by Marcus’s signature precision.
Highlights include:
- Karoo lamb chops
- A playful interpretation of classic pickled fish
- Crayfish
- Homemade brown bread inspired by an age-old Stellenbosch recipe
- Slow-cooked lamb and oxtail
These are paired with proudly local sides such as fynbos atchar, tomato bredie, and house-made jams.
But it’s the desserts that bring Marcus’s childhood back to life. Growing up in East London, coconut ice was always in the house, “My mom’s favourite,” he smiles, while milk tart and malva pudding were staples.
Today, they form the sweet finale of The Journey, along with sago pudding and hertzoggies, the much-loved tartlets filled with jam and coconut.
Karoo lamb chops
Image: Sarene Kloren
A chef shaped by family, travel and resilience
Marcus’s culinary path was shaped early on. His late father, who trained aspiring chefs, opened The Food and Beverage Institute in 2005, a place Marcus describes as the true beginning of his craft.
After his father’s passing in 2015, Marcus travelled the world, working in kitchens in the US and Italy before settling in Johannesburg for five years.
That’s where the idea for The Journey first surfaced. But then Covid-19 hit. “Everyone got retrenched. It was a very sad moment,” he shares honestly.
The setback pushed him to “restart” in the Western Cape - a move that set the stage for his most meaningful work yet.
When the owners of Urchin approached him, the concept clicked instantly. “I thought, I have this amazing opportunity to tell the story of our fishermen, our farmers, our butchers.”
Bo-Kaap: The perfect setting
Marcus believes there could be no better location for The Journey than Bo-Kaap - a cultural heartland rich with heritage, warmth and community spirit.
“It’s close to the city, close to history, and it gives both locals and tourists a chance to experience the true flavours of the Western Cape,” he says.
It’s a fitting backdrop for a menu built on connection, nostalgia and shared stories.
A menu with soul and sustainability
Beyond the accolades and artistry, Marcus is also a vocal advocate for sustainable sourcing and plant-based innovation, making The Journey not only delicious but ethically grounded.
The Journey at Urchin is unlike any tasting menu currently on offer in Cape Town. It’s nostalgic without being predictable, elevated without being pretentious, and deeply South African at its core.
More importantly, it invites diners to step into the Western Cape’s culinary story - one told through landscapes, memories, and the hands of the people who feed us.
If you’re looking for a dining experience that feels authentic, beautifully executed and full of heart, Chef Marcus Gericke’s The Journey is exactly that.
IOL Lifestyle