Holy CoW! Chef of-the Week: Luke Dale Roberts

Initials: LDR means Last Day to Register in financial circles and while Jannie Mouton waits eagerly for the Distell results expected this morning, culinary superstar Luke Dale Roberts and assorted sous-chefs with 1950s matinee idol looks and paler-than-a-vampire maître d’s were out in force last night at Bizerca Bistro for the Alto Top Ten Places to Eat In Cape Town party.  Served gazpacho and fishcakes by diminutive angels paid R22 a shift plus a Pokémon card, this was the party to have been at last night, as kitchen lights dimmed all over town as chefs took their toques off at Heritage Square.

Skinny: LDR’s Pot Luck Club pop-up at Verbier is pumping after a recent memorable 53rd birthday bash for Prince Andy.  Randy Andy and his former foot hygienist wife Fergie were upstaged by nephew, nude snooker player Prince Harry and new society squeeze Cressida Bonas who had to sit on his lap according to UK paparazzi, so packed was the Pot.  Which could explain why American Beauty’s Kevin Spacey had to puff out back.

Thoughts on the Cape Town culinary scene: LDR’s Test Kitchen and Pot Luck Club gigs have longer waiting lists than those for RDP housing, but this is sudden popularity is no flash in the jus pan as Aubergine, 95 Keerom and Bizerca are all full to bursting.  “The off-season is getting shorter” declares LDR with some relief, as if you have 15 chefs on the payroll, a quiet month can become a calamity.  “The Americans have returned in force, whether it be to hunt or watch whales.  Having discovered you’re safe from homicidal maniacs, they have come back.”  Let’s hope the Oscar Pretorius problem won’t put them off.

On wine: “Showing those amazing Swartland wines of Eben Sadie and Adi Badenhorst gave me inspiration for a couple of dishes and the uncertified white of Adi was perennially popular.  I think there’s space for Natural Wines although if they look cloudy, diners may baulk.”  LDR sat back and sipped his Alto Cabernet as culinary inspiration was not lacking at Bizerca last night.