Chef’s Chat – Chris Erasmus. Pierneef a la Motte Restaurant.

Chris Erasmus.

Chris Erasmus, it’s the name on everyone’s lips this week. Why? Because his restaurant,  Pierneef a la Motte opened it’s doors on the 4^th September at the swanky La Motte wine estate, and from day one it’s taking the public by storm.

Spill caught up with a very busy Chris Erasmus to pose some vital questions, and in this exclusive interview he spilled the beans on life, love and the universe.

Ok Chris, you’ve had a crazy week since opening?

Yeah, I can’t believe it but it hasn’t stopped since we opened.

Take me back to the beginning. Where were you born?

I was born in Nylstroom  up North in the Bush Veld.

What’s your favourite dish to cook?

Oh without doubt  Smoked  Pork Hocks, but I have to get them from Neil Jewel at Bread and Wine.

 What’s your favourite dish to eat?

Pizza with a thin crispy base with simple toppings. Scrambles egg with truffles on brown toast and sardines on crispy bread. Methinks Chris has a fixation with bread.

Chris do you have a bread thing going on?We make all our own breads in the restaurants and we have some that are completely unique to us that incorporate wine. They are amazing.

What’s the worst thing about being a chef?

The long hours, not seeing your friends and family, working when everyone is off and the pay.

What’s the best thing about being a chef?

The long hours, not seeing your friends and family working when everyone is off and the pay.

You don't have to go far to get a decent bottle of wine at Pierneef a la Motte.

And then at the end of the evening sitting on your stove picking up a piece of bread and mopping up the last of the jus and eating and then sipping a damn  fine glass of wine. You are alone and all you can hear are the crickets outside.

A place you love to eat in Cape Town?

Chef Pon’s in Kloof street. I don’t like to eat fancy stuff when I’m out.

If you were not a chef what would you being doing?

Chemical engineering, it’s what I started off doing. Anything constantly changing. A paramedic.

I love controlled chaos. It burns you out or makes you a stronger person.

What’s your favourite food memory?

My mum was always cooking. She had a small curio shop in the Karoo and sold jams and preserves.

By the way, she is doing all the jams and preserves for us in the restaurant.

Anyhow I must have been 3 or 4 and I remember putting a whole preserved fig in my mouth. I loved it. To this day I have a sweet tooth.