21Originally from Nelspruit, Head Chef Lucas Carstens, feels completely at home in the winelands kitchen of Simonsig's Cuvée restaurant. Having honed his culinary skills at another Stellenbosch hot spot, Terroir, followed by a stint at Reuben's at the 5-star One & Only hotel in Cape Town, Lucas is ready to set his own course at this popular Winelands destination.
Equally inspired by French Provencial
flavours, homegrown South African tastes and Asian ingredients, this versatile
chef sources the finest local ingredients to create a feast of uncomplicated
dishes with a sustainable conscience.
"Today, sustainability by having your
own vegetable garden or even breeding your own fish, and then serving it in
your restaurant, is the way to go. I explore with new meat cuts and reduce our
carbon footprint by relying heavily on local produce," shares this Institute of Culinary Arts graduate.
Dining with Lucas at Cuvée, guests can expect nothing less than 'back to basics', honest food, made with the freshest ingredients, with the greens harvested from the herb and vegetable garden on Simonsig Estate. Working side by side with his team, they stock their pantry with as much local produce as possibly to support the surrounding communities.
Lucas' classical training and global
approach to cuisine saw him cooking for high profile guests during his career,
including Oscar-star Denzel Washington. Not your typical fiery chef,
Lucas is laid back and very likeable. His love of food comes from his heart and
as a result he has mastered a broad range of cuisines.
"The
Stellenbosch Winelands has a lifestyle second to none. We have access to
beautiful ingredients, great local talent and an endless wine supply. What more
could one want," shares a man who values ginger as the ultimate ingredient.