On this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Odette Olivier, head chef of the Harrington Street tasting-menu restaurant Belly of the Beast.
Odette talks about how she found her way into professional kitchens, from an early instinct to cook through culinary school and the formative years that followed in hotels and lodge kitchens. She also reflects on the influence of the late chef Ian Bergh of De Grendel Restaurant, whose mentorship helped shape her approach to cooking and to running a kitchen.
The conversation then turns to life inside Belly of the Beast, where a frequently changing set menu and an open kitchen create a particular rhythm to service. Odette describes the challenge of cooking a tightly choreographed tasting menu night after night, and how the small team keeps the kitchen calm and focused while working through multiple courses for every table.
Russel and Odette also discuss the realities of running a small restaurant in Cape Town today, including the growing problem of no-shows and how they affect independent restaurants operating with limited seats.
Finally, Odette shares a glimpse of what’s coming next for the Harrington Street group, which currently includes Belly of the Beast, Galjoen and Seebamboes. Two new restaurants, No Show and Quagga, are set to open in the next season, expanding the group’s presence in the East City Precinct.
- www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay