Secret Source

Meet two chefs bringing a back-to-basics approach to their unique culinary platforms

With a return to the restaurant where his career began, Farrel Hirsch is taking an innovative approach to seasonal dining, with new-generation cuisine prepared to explore every facet of the foraged ingredients that have grown in the area since time immemorial. Having already presented an imaginative approach in his first menu for Greenhouse at CellarsHohenort, he has his eye on further explorations in the near future, and we’re already warming to his ideas for winter.

As foraged ingredients grow in popularity, the ways in which they’re used is evolving. Do you see a shift towards foraged meals that are less about the luck of what’s found on any given day, and more engineered – more artful?

It’s most definitely an art to find what you are looking for. The beauty of using foraged ingredients lies in the process of gathering them. I think it’s really good to know the different areas within range of your restaurant – Constantia is a great area for foraging – and it also helps if you know the seasonality of the produce that you’re looking for, to not waste your time looking for something that hasn’t bloomed quite yet. You can engineer an ingredient to its maximum potential when you understand where it comes from, and what its limitations are.

How does a tasting menu lend itself to the exploration of foraged foods and their flavours?

We try to use as many different textures and flavours as possible in the tasting menu, so as to not repeat ourselves. We want the guests to feel the season during which they’re at the table. We don’t want heavy foods for summer, or vice versa.