SA-born chef scoops UK award
JEAN Delport became only the second South African chef to receive a Michelin Star for his restaurant, Interlude, in West Sussex.
The eatery scooped its first star at the awards for the UK and Ireland 2020 Michelin Guide on Monday, hosted at the Hurlingham Club in London.
The restaurant opened nine months ago and is set within the historic Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens estate, near Horsham in West Sussex.
Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens forms part of the Benguela Collection, which includes the Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate (Hermanus) and Lakeside Lodge and Spa (Sedgefield). Owner and founder, Penny Streeter, set out to create a hospitality enterprise, investing in several restaurants on these and other properties.
Growing up in Blouberg, Delport, 31, has always been aware of his environment, a hometown framed with mountains and the ocean on his doorstep.
Karoo lamb and fresh fish were celebrated on the table with locally sourced vegetables, cooked simply but packed with flavour.
“I was a busy teenager and enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen. Soon I was the one cooking most of the dinners for my family,” he said.
Delport met Streeter’s son, Adam, while completing a cooking course at the renowned Cavalli restaurant, just outside Somerset West.
“When the heat is on in the kitchen, it is always a welcoming break when there is someone who can talk about football,” Delport said.
“But this also led me to my next career stop at Benguela on Main, the first fine-dining restaurant the Streeter family in South Africa.
“The owners had faith in me and offered me a blank canvas trusting I would make it a success. “It’s here where I learnt the importance of using only a few strong ingredients to guarantee that wow moment.” |