There is nothing more appealing than buying fresh ingredients and preparing a culinary meal while sipping on a tall glass of cabernet sauvignon. The fulfilling feeling that rushes over you when you plate your fine creation is one of utter accomplishment and satisfaction. The love and passion for cooking is often short lived when it is something that needs to be done every day, soon becoming mundane and boring. But for a head chef the enthusiasm of conjuring up a scrumptious delight is an ongoing pleasure. The amount of time and effort that goes into running a kitchen is something that many take for granted when frequenting a restaurant, but appreciation for this demanding profession can be found in spending the day in the life of a 5-star Head Chef.
The Black Bamboo restaurant at The Menlyn Boutique Hotel is managed by Head Chef Pellie Grobler who shares some insight into what a typical day in his shoes entails. Pellie strongly believes that balance is the key to success and it is for this reason that he maintains a hobby of cycling in the mornings before starting his day. “I usually arrive at work at 7h30am and my day starts in the kitchen where I catch the last end of the breakfast run,” Pellie explains.
“Once breakfast is finished, I attend to admin which involves ordering stock for the week and managing the current stock that we have,” Pellie says. “What most people don’t realise is that being a chef is not only about cooking, but it involves a vast amount of planning so every spare opportunity that I have I dedicate to meal and menu planning.”
Lunch time preparation at The Black Bamboo begins at 11h30am and Pellie caters for hotel and conference guests. “After lunch I devote more time to admin and I try see our suppliers between 14h00 and 15h30. Meeting with suppliers is vital in this industry, it is good to maintain relationships and to discuss feedback from guests,” he explains.
“As I spend most of my time at the restaurant, my wife pops in after she finishes work to have a quick cup of coffee with me before I start preparing for the dinner service at 18h00pm,” he says. Monday to Wednesday Pellie leaves the restaurant at 23h00pm but Thursday to Saturday are the restaurants busiest nights so Pellie often leaves at around midnight.
“Being the Head Chef of such a fine 5-star establishment is an honor but it comes with its own challenges,” Pellie explains. “I think the most challenging aspect is trying to accommodate everyone, so it is finding a balance between managing requests and maintaining the fine-dining element. The best advice that I could give to up and coming chefs who are aspiring to be head chefs is to have a no compromise mind set, never let any food leave the kitchen if it’s not 100 % up to standard, you are only as good as your last dish.” he concludes.