#Newsmaker: Chef George Jardine settles into Mount Nelson as executive chef

Chef George Jardine. Image supplied

A celebrity in the culinary hall of fame, Jardine leaves behind a wave of success at restaurants Jordan (most recently), Jardine and Seven, coupled with stints at lauded restaurants and hotels across the globe. Of his new culinary home ground he says: “Mount Nelson has always been an icon and – in one way or another – has been part of my life since the day I arrived in South Africa. So, when we discovered our alignment on the position, it felt like destiny.”

We catch up with chef George Jardine...

When did your passion for great food start?

My passion for good food started at home, but my passion for great food started when I worked with great chef mentors. I have two in particular who took the time to train, encourage and mentor my attitude. Tommy Gordon was my first mentor, a great chef from Scotland. The second was Jean Christophe Novelli, also a great mentor and helped to shape my vision.

What inspired you to become a chef?

I grew up in a family of chefs - from my grandmother to my uncles and cousins, I had many relatives in the industry, so my family was my main source of inspiration.

How did you end up in the restaurant industry? What has the journey been like?

I was born and raised in Sunny Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland. I started in the restaurant industry straight out of school, at the age of 15. Since then, I’ve worked at restaurants across the world – London, Jakarta, Sydney and, of course, South Africa. It has been, and remains, a rollercoaster ride.

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How would you characterise your food and where do you find inspiration?

My food is mostly inspired by the journey of finding wonderful produce. Many of my dishes are characterised by locally sourced and seasonal, fresh ingredients. I like to keep the ingredients simple but execute the dish to perfection. I also personally gain a great deal of inspiration from the teams and individuals that I work with.

Not only are you an award-winning chef, but you have several restaurants under your name. How do you find the balance of chef and businessman?

A great chef needs to not only have good taste, but also needs to have the qualities and characteristics of a good businessman. Managing a kitchen brigade takes a very business-minded approach.

You've worked around the world. What's the one place you would keep going back to and why?

Malaysia. Beautiful people, wonderful food and my kids were born there so I have many good memories that will keep me going back for more.

Describe the dish you're most well-known for?

My loyal customers would most likely say the Honey and Poppy Seed Soufflé, or Mussels En Papillote. I could never take those two dishes off the menu.

As the new executive chef at Mount Nelson, what can diners expect from you going forward?

Guests of the Mount Nelson can expect an overall uplifting of our culinary offering and they can expect a few new concept restaurants. It is a long road, but I would like Mount Nelson to be known as a bastion of culinary excellence in Africa - I look forward to this new journey.

Being a chef takes a lot of your time and energy. How and what do you do when you have time out?

Time out is spent with my family and pets at home in Stellenbosch. This ordinarily entails a lot of walks in the mountains and, of course, frequent discussions on what we’ll be cooking up for dinner.

What advice do you have for young and upcoming chefs wanting to make an impression in the industry?

My only advice would be to give it your all, choose good mentors who will teach, and pick the best places to work.