FAST, FINE DINING
Soweto-born chef Wandile Mabaso has returned home to spearhead a transformational dining concept in Johannesburg. Classically trained in the French tradition and a protégé of multi-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse, he brings an eclectic mix of Michelin tradition and a completely non-conformist attitude to fine dining.
As a newly signed ambassador for Michelin in South Africa, Mabaso seems tipped to bring fine French food to Johannesburg, but at his restaurant space, the South African Culinary Club, he plans to fly in the face of the traditional restaurant format.
The young chef’s formal French education was hard-won. He spent his formative years working his way through kitchens as far flung as Florida, New York and Paris. After completing his studies and working on cruise ships, he moved to New York in search of Michelinstar experience.
He went door-to-door for three weeks before securing a job in a French bistro. Following that he moved on to a Korean fusion restaurant in Brooklyn and completed chef internships, or stages, at two- and three- Michelin-starred restaurants La Bernadin and Daniel. Stages, known in the industry as ‘‘trials by fire” are unpaid, and require chefs to work a superhuman hours while still supporting themselves.
This dedication and commitment won Mabaso a reputation as a respected upcoming talent and gained him access to the upper echelon of cooking in New York. His career took a rapid series of leaps forward, ultimately leading to an introduction to Ducasse, who holds an almost unimaginable 21 Michelin stars at his various restaurants.
Impressed by Mabaso’s technical precision and obvious passion, Ducasse offered him a position at his restaurant in Paris, Le Meurice.
Last year, Mabaso decided it was time to return to South Africa to rework the staid format of dining out. Entrenched is a strong respect for the French philosophy of food, which he interprets as: “You have to be the very best, not by using techniques and ingredients to elevate yourself, but by using yourself to elevate ingredients. What makes a cuisine is getting hold of the very best products you can and applying technique respectfully.”
Having dedicated the first part of his career to learning the rules, Mabaso has now set about breaking them. The dining experience at the South African Culinary Club is a riotous break from tradition, and Mabaso’s concept disrupts every traditional divide between diner and chef, so that patrons are immersed in the experience.
Future events will include dinners where diners learn directly from Mabaso and even assist on the pass, as well as formal fine dining, and even a tapas-style concept that reflects the culture of Johannesburg — things done with speed, and with ample opportunity to drink and talk without being encumbered by a large meal. He describes it as “really fast, really fine dining”.
Most ambitious is his collaboration with local artist Lazyhound. The two work together to push the intersection between art and food, working on edible paint compounds, stencils, bespoke cutlery and sound engineering, all aimed at creating culinary art installations. Diners will enjoy music and visual art that is not intended as window dressing but rather inherently intertwined with the food.
All this innovation seems in contradiction with his role as an ambassador for Michelin, which is a traditional, formal organisation. He laughs at this: “The slogan for Michelin is ‘a better way forward’. I couldn’t sum up my food philosophy better than that.”