Julia Hare is a 19-year-old girl studying at the prestigious culinary school, Silwood. She is currently in her second year of her degree and is working in industry. 

Julia attended Kingswood College for high school and developed her love for cooking after watching and helping her mother prepare for the school events as well as weddings and other celebrations. Julia decided to apply to the prestigious and tough Silwood in her matric year. She got accepted soon after, and the rest is history.

Silwood, the family run business, is the oldest cookery school in the country. They offer many classes and courses as well as the three-year course Julia is currently doing. In your first year you are required to do a full year of practical, then in your second year you do five blocks of internships and then the third year is 12 months of work experience. Once you have finished your three year course with Silwood, you are employable not only in South Africa but pretty much anywhere in the world.

I met Julia about a month ago when I went out for dinner to the spunky, fine-dining, tapas restaurant, The Commissary. I was seated at the table right in front of the chefs’ work space, and before I knew it, I was chatting away to Julia about the gluten-free fad that has hit Cape Town like a storm. I told Julia all about my diagnosis of celiac disease and about my experiences with restaurants not taking my allergy seriously. She went on to explain how she deals with customers every day who cannot eat gluten and what she does to alter her dishes so that they can be enjoyed by gluten-intolerant people. The Commissary exceeded all my expectations. The service was fantastic and the food outstanding. The abundance of flavors that were in each dish were fantastically weird and all so unique. The décor is a modern and spunky one made by the interesting projections on the back wall and the graffiti on the walls. The tiny little restaurant was truly an awesome experience and I would recommend it to everyone.

Julia, an incredibly talented chef (especially for her age), started adjusting and experimenting with my tapas dishes in order to make them gluten-free yet still up to their impeccable standard of taste and presentation. To say I was impressed would be a huge understatement. Julia created for me the most delicious food and was so accommodating to my dietary requirements. When thinking about this blog post, there wasn’t the slightest bit of hesitation in my decision to interview Julia. 

Julia’s talents have not only been recognized by customers such as myself, but also by Silwood. Julia was chosen to be a part of the 2020 culinary Olympics after going through three rounds of trials. The top 30 students of the year were then chosen to do a cook off and from there Julia made it into the top 10. Julia gratefully declined her offer for the Olympics as she said that she wasn’t willing to take on the huge amounts of added stress that she would endure, especially as she was the youngest by 3 years. Julia would have travelled to Abu Dhabi at the end of this year for further training and competitions and then she would have gone on to the Olympics in 2020.

Julia has a CV of unbelievable work experience for someone her age. She has worked at the PotLuck Club, the Short Market Club, Woolworths and Leeukoppie Estate which is Sol Kerzner private chef community. Julia has also been employed to work many private events. One of Julia’s many achievements was when she was selected to work for the renowned Taste Magazine. She was responsible for the food styling and her work even featured on the magazines cover.

Julia’s extensive experience has equipped her to handle obstacles in the work place. When asking her for tips when dealing with gluten-intolerant customers she said that restaurants should create their menus in such a way that it can be easily adapted for gluten-intolerant customers. This is so that gluten-intolerant customers don’t become an issue especially as it is currently the most common allergen.

I was interested to know if cooking schools, such as Silwood, were up to date on things such as the gluten-free fad, and so I asked Julia whether or not Silwood equipped her with the skills to make gluten-free food or alter dishes to accommodate gluten-intolerant people. To my surprise, Julia said that SIlwood did in fact teach her skills for gluten-free cooking, but she also learnt a lot along the way from working in other restaurants alongside experienced chefs. However, Julia did say that she learnt the most by experimenting with gluten-free food on her own.

As someone who always has to think about my food allergen before going to a restaurant, it is comforting to speak to someone like Julia who is so passionate about cooking that no matter what hurdles she encounters in the restaurant she will always do her best to provide her customers with delicious food that is suited their needs. Julia is a very impressive young woman and her passion for food and the culinary arts is inspiring. If you are in Cape Town, I highly recommend you visit at least one of the many restaurants Julia has worked at. You will not be disappointed. From Woolworths Taste magazine, fine-dining dinners, to wine-tasting, Julia has done it all and is sure to hit her next restaurant like a storm. Keep an eye out for this up and coming talented young chef!

Contact: 021 422 2902

Where to find The Commissary: 86 Shortmarket St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000

Opening times:Monday – Saturday 6-10:30pm

In 2016 a very special restaurant opened up in the heart of Cape Town, that would embrace the lives of many people forever. Have you ever wondered what people with varying disabilities do when they grow up? Or what sorts of jobs are available to someone with a disability? Perhaps those thoughts have never crossed your mind until now.Brownies & Downies is a non-profit restaurant that doubles as a training center for people with challenges. The restaurant was started by Netherlands social worker, Wendy Vermeulen, after noticing a gap in the market, for training and employment facilities for people with disabilities. It is no surprise that this restaurant makes the most delicious brownies (as “brownies is literally the first word in the name), and the best part is that they are all gluten-free.  The concept of this restaurant is very personal to me and something I am passionate about as one of my oldest and closest friends, Takara, works there as a waitress and a support to the other kids.

My visits to Brownies & Downieshave never been disappointing. The ambiance is happy and relaxed, the staff are so warm and welcoming, and the food is delicious. As someone who is always looking for gluten-free treats, Brownies & Downies is definitely a favorite spot of mine. Their wide choice of decadent brownies will leave you satisfied and more often than not, you will find yourself buying their mixed brownie box (R120) to take home with you for a treat later. Their brownie prices are extremely reasonable especially considering they are gluten-free. My personal favorite, the classic chocolate brownies, cost as little as R29.00. This goes down perfectly with a delicious cup of Truth coffee costing R24.00.

Takara (28 years old): “labeling is disabling”, how right she is. The serving staff are from all walks of life, with varying challenges from Down syndrome, Fetal alcohol syndrome and Autism which encompasses a wide range of Autism spectrum disorders. 

Takara has worked at Brownies & Downiesfor 2 years now. Takara said, “I love working in the restaurant, I have learnt so many skills such as how to use the industrial coffee machine after going on a coffee training course with Truth coffee. I sometimes work in the kitchen and mainly do front of house.” Takara works 3 times a week which is the “average amount” of shifts each waiter works per week, and she lends a hand to those that need help. She said it gives her purposes and she loves meeting new people. 

As Brownies & Downiesis a non-profit organisation, the employees do not earn a basic salary or wage, unlike their counterpart in Holland. Instead the tips are pooled together and are split equally at the end of each week. Takara told me that she earns on average “R100-R150.00 a week”. It is fantastic she is learning new skills and has a routine job 3 times a week, although she indicated she would love to earn a salary.

After asking Takara what she found the most challenging about working in a restaurant, she responded:, “the customers make it worthwhile and we have our regulars, walk-ins, tourists and of course those who forget why they are here. This can be a bit frustrating, because they know they are at a place that supports kids with disabilities. I think they just forget.’ Personally I think that Takara is right and that customers should know that this restaurant is there to empower and train people with disabilities. I have never experienced poor or slow service at Brownies & Downies, in fact I am always left feeling very impressed with the entire experience. In case anyone thinks my opinion is biased because I am friends with one of the waitresses, Tao Varty confirmed that he found the experience “professional” and “efficient”.

According to Cape Talk, when Brownies & Downiesfirst opened in Cape Town the name sparked controversy, with some saying it was completely inappropriate. I was curious to see how Takara felt and she said, “some parents are always going to think there’s a problem with it because they think they are trying to diss the kids, but it’s not like that at all, it’s a very beautiful concept and everyone likes it”.

According to the Brownies & Downies website, Wendy’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people with mental disabilities as well as to break the stigma in South Africa around mental disabilities and create acceptance of these individuals into society. The organization is there to train people with disabilities, “mainly down syndrome, autism, fetalalcohol syndrome and brain damage, so it’s a lot of different mixtures but basically our boss Wendy moved here from Holland and with help from her father she opened up this business. The reason is that it trains these kids so one day if they have a job of their own they are prepared in how to handle problems” said Takara.

The original concept of Brownies & Downieswas first introduced in Veghel, Netherlands in 2010 when two friends realized their calling to help people with intellectual disabilities. Since then almost 30 stores have opened in the Netherlands and on 8 February 2016, the South African branch opened in the Mother City. 

Takara’s mom said:, “ SHOUT OUT to all mothers who travel far and wide daily, spending time and money to get their children to work and give them purpose with a hope that ultimately they will be able to find employment and eventually support themselves”. She then went on to inform me that that the only organisations that have stepped forward to help employ some of these kids are Checkers, Shoprite, Builders Warehouse, Pick n Pay and MarryPack. Hats off to you all! ANY MORE TAKERS?

Brownies & Downies is open Monday – Friday from 6:30 until 16:00. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough, good coffee, great service and the best brownies in town. 

BROWNIES & DOWNIES

Reference list

Brownies & DownieS. (2019). Home. [online] Available at: http://browniesdownies.co.za [Accessed 9 Apr. 2019].CapeTalk. (2016). Brownies and Downies, ‘utterly inappropriate’. [online] Available at: http://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/11422/brownies-and-downies-utterly-inappropriate [Accessed 9 Apr. 2019].

Considering that this blog is about the yummiest and most current places to find gluten free treats in Cape Town , South Africa, I thought it would only make sense for me to brag about one of our locals. Kobus van der Merwe, the name on every foodies lips, just made cooking history in South Africa, and here’s why:

Kobus van der Merwe’s restaurant, Wolfgat, has just been named the restaurant of the year as well as the best destination restaurant at the first-ever World Restaurant Awards in Paris. According to Africa’s biggest food website, Food24, the awards took place on the 18 February 2019.  

Kobus van der Merwe was born in the Kalahari and grew up in Stellenbosch. According to AFP news agency,  he was originally a food blogger but trained to become a chef at age 30 and opened up a restaurant named Wolfgat. 

In an interview with Filippo L’Astorinafrom The Upcoming,Kobus opened up his beachside restaurant in Paternoster, a small fishing village on the West Coast, in 2016. Kobus continued to tell L’Astorina that Wolfgat is run by a team of six mostly female staff who in fact have no formal training. The restaurant is run out of a 130-year-old cottage situated on a cave on the Paternoster beach. Kobus went on to explain that the name “Wolfgat” is just as true to South Africa as its spectacular cuisine. The restaurant was named after the cave it was built on. This cave was said to be a likely home for the brown leopard (the “wolf”) that roamed the Paternoster area many years ago. 

What sets Wolfgat apart from the rest, says BBC News, is that head chef Kobus van der Merwe forages every day for fresh ingredients on the wild Atlantic shore of the Western Cape near his restaurant. Kobus uses Strandveld, otherwise known as beach vegetation, to finely craft his seven-course menu, which consist of hand-picked dune spinach, seaweed, soutlaai and more. Food24says that Kobus’s best dishes will be far from anything you have tasted before.

In an interview with Eyewitness News, Kobus says that apart from the influence of the subtle spices of local Cape Malay cooking, his philosophy was to “interfere as little as possible with the products, and to keep them pure, raw and untreated.” Kobus’s dishes include twice-cooked laver (seaweed), angelfish with bokkom sambal and wild garlic masala, limpets, mussels and sea vegetables harvested from around the nearby area of the restaurant. Eyewitness news says that it was because of this uniqueness, that Wolfgat also won the prize for best “Off-Map Destination. According to BBC News, Mr van der Merwe told AFP news agency: “I don’t feel worthy. My staff who go out every day gathering herbs, succulents and dune spinach, should be here… It’s their baby.” The restaurant can only take 20 people in one sitting and costs 850 rand per head for its seven-course tasting menu.

Just in case I wasn’t excited enough about eating at this world class restaurant, Wolfgat just released a post about its gluten-free-lactose-free sorghum, seaweed and sweet potato bread! You can check it out on the Wolfgat Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/BtlAXKghi9q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_locale_control.