Silas Miami | Photography

/ LUST BISTRO & BAKERY /

The Lust Bistro & Bakery enfolds you with that feeling of belonging that fills up your senses with satisfaction. Cradled in the folds of the peaceful Vrede en Lust wine estate in Franschhoek, the Lust Bistro & Bakery entices one’s surroundings with the tantalising aromas of freshly baked artisan bread – imaginative creations of Jean Pierre Smith, patron chef and baker extraordinaire whose lunchtime chalkboard presents a constantly intriguing invitation of discovery.

From breakfast to late lunch, there is something for everyone: salads crisp with dew-fresh seasonal garden produce, cakes just out the oven, cheese and charcuterie platters boasting South African specialities, mouthwatering chicken and beef dishes all exquisitely presented. The Lust Bistro & Bakery is definitely an experience you do not want to miss.

JEAN PIERRE

SMITH

JOHANNESBURG - CAPE TOWN

When you meet chef Jean Pierre Smith, you realize that underneath his soft-spoken manner and quirky smile, there hides a dangerously sharp mind. Patron chef and baker extraordinaire at Lust Bistro and Bakery, Jean Pierre dreams up dishes that embody his ultimate vision for food: simple, fresh and without pretense.

When Jean Pierre speaks about his bread, his eyes light up. He is an esteemed chef who has had many successes as restaurateur and even a stint as chef to David Copperfield and guests – but when you take away all the fancy food jargon, he is an easy-going but dedicated Afrikaner man who wants nothing more than to feed you fantastic food. His food journey only started after finishing a B. Comm. degree in Industrial Psychology and travelling to the UK and South Korea. His heart was set on becoming a chef and he enrolled at the Stellenbosch Institute of Culinary Arts. “ I had no set plan … I’m lucky it turned out the way it did”.

There is no space for pretense in Jean Pierre’s kitchen. It is already packed to the brim with exquisite produce, heavenly smells and a lot of heart.

JOHAN
VAN

SCHALKWYK

CAPE TOWN

Growing up, Van Schalkwyk was infused with a love for food as the middle child of three hungry boys. Both his parents were good cooks and he spent weekends baking scones, cakes and having Sunday cook-offs with his brothers. Initially he did not consider a career in cooking opting rather to study construction management. Later, at the age of 28, he decided to follow his passion for food and enrolled at Elsa van der Nest Culinary Academy, where he was top of his class.

In 2003, he took up the position of Head Chef of a chateau in Normandy, France. Here he discovered the beauty of working with fresh, seasonal ingredients. “They had their very own organic vegetable garden from which to prepare meals. I would walk through the garden every day, filling my baskets with what the head gardener had to offer. Once back in the kitchen, I would start working on the menus for the day.” He says fresh produce shaped his cooking style and standards as a country chef – not complicating flavours, but rather letting the ingredients speak for themselves.