What the Top Chefs are having for Christmas Dinner.

We thought we’d ask a number of our favourite chef’s what they will be cooking and serving up this Christmas Day. 

It’s a mix of the traditional with a South African twist. 

Here’s what they had to say. 

Stefan Marais.

Stefan Marais, Societi Bistro. 

“We have an awesome tradition at Societi Bistro where we close between 3
and 6pm and all the staff sit down and have Christmas lunch together.
Even Mrs Weetman, (Peter the owner’s mom) joins us for the lunch.  We
will all be tucking in to large platters of watermelon salad, Roast Lamb
and some of Mrs Weetman’s famous cherry trifle.” 

Henry Vigar, La Mouette.  

Chef Henry Vigar of La Mouette will be working Christmas Lunch, however this does not take away from the Christmas Dinner he has lined up with the rest of Team La Mouette on the evening of the 25th. 

“It will be home cooking and will include for starters chilled gazpacho, to follow honey glazed gammon, roast chicken, potato salad and summer vegetable salad. To top it off there will be Malva pudding and ice cream and later on some cheese and biscuits”. 

Christophe Dehosse, Restaurant Christophe. 

For me a traditional Christmas dinner always starts with oysters and some bubbly (my absolute favourite). The oysters served with just some lemon, finely chopped shallots and red wine vinegar. The second course is often a traditional foie gras terrine served with nice toasted brioche and toasted rye bread. 

For main course this year, I think we will have some braised lamb shoulder with a lot of green vegetables (fine bean, peas, brocolli, just steamed and tossed in butter) and some Mediterranean roast potatoes with rosemary. Then some nice cheese with a green salad. One of the desert will certainly involve chocolate, another one will have some fresh fruit, but I will definitely have a large creme caramel which is finished the next morning for breakfast. Some Burgundy will do well with the main course and the cheese. If we have foie gras as one of the starters, we will then finish the noble late harvest with the desert. Voila. 

Reuben and  Maryke Riffel. Reuben’s in the One and Only Cape Town, Franschhoek and Robertson. 

Oven roasted pork belly, braised apple, cinnamon, and apple sauce 

The Riffel Family.

Glazed, spiced gammon with cherries 

Grilled veal tongue and green bean salad with sweet & sour mustard dressing 

Creamy crayfish curry, with cinnamon wild rice 

Green salad with tomato, cucumber, red onion, chilli, and red wine vinaigrette 

Roasted potatoes. And to finish,Trifle. 

Slow roasted leg of lamb on the Weber. Roasted with thyme, rosemary and garlic and all the veggies. 

Followed by Xmas pud and brandy butter, all washed down by a magnum of  Uitsig Red Blend 

Eric Bulpitt, Jardine on Bree. 

Starters canapés of smoked salmon and dill 

Cold salmon, turkey on the weber, a range of mixed salads, 

Finish with a  trifle. Very trad as my girldfriend’s family is English.