Classic Cuisine with Contemporary Twists

It is a warm Summer’s day. Tourist season has ended, and you can leisurely saunter down the now quiet streets of Franschhoek. Feeling a bit peckish, you scan the rows of culinary delights that line the streets of this upmarket town. Suddenly, a white building with a welcoming veranda catches your eye. You cannot remember seeing it before, but you are glad you are seeing it now.

A fine-dining example of old meets new, Le coin Français is the newest addition to the centuries-old town of Franschhoek. Deriving its name from the town’s French origins in the 1600s, Le coin Français is the French derivative of the current Dutch-named Franschhoek, both of which translate to “French Corner” in English.

“I wanted a name that really had depth in meaning and paid tribute to all that this amazing town has to offer. In my mind, there was no better way to achieve this than by using the name the French used when they first settled here, especially since my culinary style has firm roots in French classical cooking. I have also included a few handselected rare wines from the various wineproducing regions in France in my wine list,” explains Chef Darren Badenhorst, owner and executive chef of Le coin Français.

Durban-born Chef Darren opened this upmarket establishment in October last year. Prior to this, he worked as the executive chef at the nearby renowned Grande Provence Estate for over seven years. He left with the ongoing support of current owner, Alex van Heeren, taking with him not just the years