Stefan Marais.
Where were you born?
Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.
How long have you been in your present job.
Two years at Societi Bistro
What is your favourite dish to cook?
I can’t just mention one dish. I love one pot wonders. Cassoulets or Pea a la François. This is made with chicken stock, bacon, onions and mint. I’m making it right now. I love simple stuff.
What is your favourite dish to eat?
The same type of food which I love to cook. Simple. I love aubergine and ricotta cheese and I’ve gotten into chilli recently. Just a little bit of chilli in a dish.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Making something special out of a bunch of raw ingredients.
What’s the worst thing about your job?
The cleaning, but it has to be done.
Can you name a restaurant in Cape Town you like?
I ate in the Foodbarn recently and that impressed me.
If you were not a chef what would you be doing?
I was going to study investment banking. In fact my brother is doing that now, and I’m the chef.
What’s your favourite food memory?
Whenever I take roasted peppers out of the oven I think of a restaurant in Athens Greece. All they serve as a starter are roasted peppers with olive oil and sea salt. Once I get that smell I’m back in Athens instantly. The dish is so simple but I love it. The power of memory and food and smell is something which fascinates me.
Posted in 
This has become our favourite restaurant this winter. We freeeze to death in most places, but the minute you walk in the door here you are warm and comfortable. The food is not fine dining gourmet, thankfully, but it is well prepared and delicious. I have met Stefan once or twice and he is a gentlemen.
[...] you should put that curry on hold and come have dinner. It’s their first night open. It’s Stef from Societi‘s new venture and it would be something to write [...]