The choice is simple at the waiter-less CHEFS restaurant
17 Sep 2018
There's been a lot of debate lately about whether or not the hospitality industry should ban tipping. One restaurant in Cape Town that's taken a stand is CHEFS, where there are no gratuities because there are no waiters at all.
Upon arrival, you’re greeting by one of the chefs – hence the name – who will either take your order at the counter or usher you to a table and present you with an iPad from which you can browse the three main meal options, which change every day.
When I visited for lunch, the choices were ember-roasted aubergine marinated in Malay spices served with charred broccolini and cumin dahl topped with roasted cashew nuts; saffron crusted linefish with seared prawns served on a bed of baby greens; and truffle chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles and braised spring vegetables. Given that it was an unusually cold day for the start of September, the soup was an easy and ideal choice.
For dessert, which also changes every day, there was one item: dark chocolate and orange croissant pudding with vanilla ice cream. This suited me perfectly; much like, I’m sure, people who are tired of restaurants that have endless options that make it hard to decide. It’s the same with the drinks list. Still or sparkling water is complimentary and there are only half a dozen wines to choose from so it’s easy to narrow down to what you like.
All in all, the experience was efficient and in line with the idea of saying no to frills and fuss and saying yes to great food. Rather than having waiters interrupt you to ask if you’re enjoying your meal (why is it always right at the moment you put food in your mouth?), the chefs leave you to eat while they get on with their work. And yet they were still able to clear away the table and top up my water without me having to ask or wait.
It took exactly one hour from the time I arrived until I walked out the door satisfied, which makes CHEFS ideal for those who want a quick lunch. Granted, I was literally the only person there for the first half an hour, after which several groups seemed to arrive all at once. It would be interesting to see how well the chefs handle a full house cooking and serving almost 40 people, but I’m sure they’re up for the challenge. I’ll definitely be back to find out!
No menus, waiters, or tipping at CHEFS. @CapeTown @lovecapetown @InstaEats @Eat_Out @food24 @Fresh_Living @WWTaste @GourmetMagSA @FHEMag @anniehodes @fivestarprza @GC_Com @manleycom @NickyArthurPR @redlip_pr @scoutpr_za @yolandidewetpr #capetown #lovecapetown #foodiefriday #Food pic.twitter.com/aXiHgR1rlP
— Eugene Yiga (@eugeneyiga) September 14, 2018
Eugene Yiga was a guest of CHEFS, located at 81 St. John's Street, Gardens, Cape Town. Call 0214610368 or visit www.chefscapetown.co.za.
About Eugene Yiga
Eugene graduated from the University of Cape Town with distinctions in financial accounting and classical piano. He then spent over two-and-half years working in branding and communications at two of South Africa's top market research companies. Eugene also spent over three-and-a-half years at an eLearning start-up, all while building his business as an award-winning writer. Visit www.eugeneyiga.com, follow @eugeneyiga on Twitter, or email moc.agiyenegue@olleh to say, um, hello.
