Rumé Booyens, the Cellars-Hohenort Executive Chef, until recently at The Marine Hotel in Hermanus, has just returned from Oxford where she cooked at Raymond Blanc's Les Manoir aux Quat' Saisons. She has also trained at Germany's famous Relais et Chateaux Hotel in Stomburg under Chef Johann Laffer. Tremendously stimulating stints in celebrated kitchens inspired Rumé to create her own imprint. A pristine approach, a very specific disciplined style, perfectly attuned to the exquisite Cellars-Hohenort Greenhouse Restaurant, surrounded by centuries old trees and gorgeous lush gardens.   

Rume explains, "Every chef that takes over comes in with a bang, chopping and changing. I'm doing things slowly, incorporating signature dishes to include my own special touches and flavours. I've been in the industry for a few years now adapting and changing my style. My team and I grow together constantly being stimulated and motivated".

Rumé's menu is a triumph of brilliant colour, textures and tastes including organically grown vegetables. Her faultless technique embraces home-cured salmon, sous vide cooking i.e. cooking under vacuum, the latest hot trend in European restaurants. A method that induces the most melting tenderness to ingredients while bringing out every last drop of flavour. 

Uitkyk Estate Chardonnay 2004 
Home-Cured Salmon
with Organic Pickled Beets and a Piquant Orange and Vanilla Curd

Uitkyk Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2006 
Plump Lemon Dressed Prawns
Silk textured Avocado Salad, Gruyère and White Truffle Cream

Uitkyk Estate Carlonet Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 
Roasted Quail Sous Vide
Porcini Mille Feuile with Jus Nature.

Uitkyk Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz 2002 
Pan-Seared Beef Fillet with Roasted Asparagus, 
Oxtail Croquette and Black Truffle Jus.

Vanilla Crème Brûlée with a Strawberry Tower
and a Fresh Berry Swirl

SHOWCOOK CHATS TO RUMÉ...

Where do you think we are food wise in 2007?

I think we are right up there matching international levels. Our aim is to use fresh and organic produce and I source these from wherever possible. We are fortunate that we have our own herb garden and vegetable patch at The Cellars. In addition, I use the organic market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Saltriver, as well as the Porter Estate Produce Market in Constantia among others. 

The South African table, what is the direction you wish to take? 

Cooking slower for longer, using the natural flavours in their natural form, e.g. a mushroom should still taste like a mushroom! When you 'sous vide' all the flavour is inside the bag. The 'sous vide' bag works as a hermetic seal, keeping in both juices and aroma and, by cooking in water, you get better heat transfer than you would in an oven. 

Are you a purist or are you pretty flexible in your approach to cooking? 

Yes, I am pretty flexible, but sometimes there are no short cuts in cooking unless you know they work, otherwise stick to the rules!

Who would be the person you would most like to cook for?

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to work at top Michelin-star chef Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison in Oxford where I almost signed a contract and would have if I hadn't had a call from Liz McGrath, whom I admire so much, to say I must take over The Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort... This was an opportunity I couldn’t resist! The Greenhouse has also just been recognized in the Top 100!

I have cooked for former President Nelson Mandela, the Queen, Brad Pitt, Jamie Olivier’s herbalist Jekka McVicar and cooked with Rick Stein and Brian Turner just to name a few, so it is difficult to think of one person! 

Uitkyk Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2006 served chilled with Plump Lemon Dressed Prawns, Silk textured Avocado Salad, Gruyère and White Truffle Cream

WHITE TRUFFLE CREAM 
The special dressing for the plump lemon dressed prawns:
2 truffles, finely chopped
30 ml Dijon mustard
30 ml white wine vinegar
few drops of truffle oil
10 ml honey
olive oil

Chop the truffles. Combine the mustard, vinegar, truffle oil and honey into a bowl and slowly whisk in olive oil until it becomes an emulsion. Season.

Home-Cured Salmon with Organic Pickled Beets and a Piquant Orange and Vanilla Curd marries well with the Uitkyk Estate Chardonnay 2004

Uitkyk Estate Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2002 superb with Pan-Seared Beef Fillet with Roasted Asparagus, Oxtail Croquette and Black Truffle Jus.

OXTAIL CROQUETTES
Crumbed in bacon brioche: 

1.2kg oxtail
sea salt and black pepper
butter
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 carrot diced
1 small celery stick
1 small leek
500 ml red wine
600 ml beef or lamb jus
2 tbsp chopped parsley
3 sprigs of thyme 
flour for dusting

 

Season the oxtail with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in a little clarified butter. Remove the meat when caramelized. Add the onions and lightly colour. Add the remaining mire poix. Add the wine. Followed by the stock. Return the oxtail to the pot. Add the herbs. Cover and cook in slow oven until meat is tender.

Remove the meat from the sauce. Pass the sauce through a chinoise and cheese cloth and reduce to a very thick consistency.

Remove the meat off the bone. Cut into small pieces. Stir through a little sauce enough to coat the chopped oxtail meat. Stir through some chopped parsley and thyme. Season to taste. Form into croquettes. Dust with flour. Crumb twice with bacon brioche crumbs.