We recently sat down with Chef Wade for a little Q&A session to get to know him a bit more. We learnt so much about this dynamic man, and hope you will too!

Tell us a little bit about your journey to The Quarter Kitchen?

I trained at the North link Hotel School Panorama Campus for three years, of which two years were a diploma in professional cookery and one year an advanced patisserie diploma. During this course of studies I had an 18-month in-service training with six months spent at Asara Wine Estate, The Mount Nelson Hotel, and Encore Restaurant and Conference Centre respectively. I started my career back at Asara Wine Estate where I worked for a further year to gain five-star experience as Commis Chef. Further positions included Lourensford Wine Estate, The Mount Nelson Hotel, and INN on the Square Hotel Greenmarket Square. I finally moved to The Commodore hotel where I worked for three years as a sous chef until receiving the promotion of Head Chef to their sister Portswood Hotel, a position I’ve now held for four years.

How did your love for Cape Malay cuisine develop?

My love for Cape Malay cuisine started as a young boy coming from the Cape culture of cooking and traditions; it was quite easy to fall into the Cape Malay cuisine learning from the way my family cooks and observing the traditional way did things. When I started at the Quarter Kitchen these dishes and spices just came back to me as memories and I could put all that history into the menus I created.

Which is your favourite of the curries and why?

My favourite curry dish will be the Pienang curry, the name “Penang curry” is originally Malaysian but was localised by the Cape Malay people as Pienang curry. It’s a dish consisting of meat and an aromatic sauce, it is my favourite because in the Cape culture it is a delicacy to eat lamb – a meat that would only be served on special occasions.

What do you think is unique about the Quarter Kitchen?

Quarter Kitchen has had a small family of chefs working there for years, and they go way back with the Cape Malay culture. It’s a distinctly cosy feel when you sit in the restaurant with warm hearty food made with love and service staff treating the guest like family. I see it as a unique place where memories are made – and of course particularly on special occasions such as Christmas lunch, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, honeymoons and anniversary celebrations.

Taste the delicious curries for yourself in Quarter Kitchen Restaurant, Portswood Hotel, V&A Waterfront Call +27 21 418 3281