‘Fussy’ foodie and blues lover opens business in PA

HE iconic Courtyard on Van der Riet Street has a new addition to its family of businesses, and residents rose to the occasion of its opening on Saturday.

After a mad dash the week before the opening to get everything ready, Rise Café at the Courtyard opened its doors and welcomed customers who had arrived to say congratulations to Courtyard owners Kathryn and Allan Sheridan, and to meet the new chef and owner of Rise Café, Andre Nel.

This 28-year-old musician, businessman and chef from Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal said he learnt how to cook by watching his mom in the kitchen.

“I was a fussy kid,” the youngest of three siblings,” Nel said.

“My mom would

Tas a chef at the Fernhill Hotel for a year and qualified in 2009. He also worked at the Moses Mabhida Stadium during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Expanding his knowledge-base, Nel worked in various fields in KwaZulu-Natal, such as a game reserve in the Natal Midlands, and then moved to work at a Buitengeluk Wedding Venue in Fourways in Johannesburg.

Constantly attempting to improve his knowledge, Nel also worked as a blockman at a butchery for a year.

“It’s important as a chef to know about where your meat comes from,” he said.

Nel then moved to Balito for a year where he and a friend taught music.

“I love blues,” said Nel, who has a few guitars he is particularly fond of.

In fact, a trip to Australia was planned

After an attack on their farm when Nel returned home to his parents, the family decided to move and picked Port Alfred as their chosen destination. Nel moved to the coast with them and even worked a couple of shifts at the old Zest Café over last Christmas.

“It was there that I learnt that the café was up for rent,” Nel said.

Rise Café was showed off to residents, and hopefully regular customers, last Saturday, and the afternoon was an unmitigated success.

“It was a lot of work to get everything finished on time, but we made it,” Nel said.

Allan said: “We’re happy to welcome Andre and Rise Café to the Courtyard and look forward to the rejuvenation of this iconic restaurant venue.

“We would also like to welcome back all our regulars and anticipate