Michael Broughton - Terroir – The Cookbook

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

There is something undeniably special about a restaurant that is beyond the city limits, especially when its on a farm on the Stellenbosch wine route, and at the tip of Africa. A meal in this environment is relaxing; it connects you to the natural surroundings and is more conducive to a deeper appreciation of the full experience of eating out.

I first met Kobus and Mariette Basson, owners of Kleine Zalze Wines, in March 2004 through a mutual friend and fellow chef Nic van Wyk. At the time I was running my own restaurant in Johannesburg, called Broughtons, while Nic was working at La Colombe in Constantia. When I took up a position as executive chef at Mount Grace Country House & Spa in the Magaliesberg, Nic came to work with me. In time, both of us were keen to head south and start something new.

I clearly remember our first meeting on the farm. It was a beautiful summers morning and we all sat around a table, including my wife Jane and our four-month-old daughter. At some point in the conversation Jane had to breastfeed Sarah, but nobody batted an eyelid. The discussion was too exciting, focused as we were on how to create a food and wine culture in Stellenbosch on this beautiful wine farm called Kleine Zalze. Kobus did not have too much operational experience when it came to restaurants and I had no experience when it came to wine farms. All we knew was that there was room here to create something special in this beautiful part of the world.

In a nutshell, Terroir started off a low base an old golf club halfway house on the farm with a leaking roof, a few tables and old chairs but that didnt dampen our spirits. In fact, we still use many of the original chairs in the restaurant. We planned and designed an open-plan kitchen in this humble building with a rustic dining room and terrace overlooking the garden. Our little jewel in Stellenbosch became a living and breathing reality just six months later when Terroir opened in September 2004. With Nic and I in the kitchen and Kobus as financier, our journey had begun. It was always going to be difficult with two artists working on one canvas, and Nic left soon after we opened to pursue his career. Ive been the sole operator ever since a happier place for me.

Ten years ago, Terroir was at the heart of Stellenboschs emerging food and wine culture, playing an integral part in putting the region on the culinary map while giving Franschhoek long considered the gourmet capital of the Cape a run for its money. I like to think that Terroir was instrumental in helping to kick-start the food revolution along South Africas oldest wine route, with the historic university town of Stellenbosch at its heart.

When we first opened our doors in 2004 there were only one or two reputable restaurants along the R44 route. Today, Terroir is in excellent company with the region boasting the largest concentration of award-winning restaurants, top chefs and gourmet outlets, from bakeries to butcheries. Stellenbosch has become a great back yard for food lovers.

Over the years, there has been a tremendous amount of support for Terroir from the wine industry. It is also through the loyal support of the local community that we are able to trade at capacity in the Capes lean winter season when international travellers are few and the European swallows have left to go back home for the northern hemisphere summer.

One of the highlights of being on a wine farm like Kleine Zalze has been the privilege of having access to the knowledge and expertise of cellar master Johan Joubert and his team of winemakers. Being in their company is an incredible opportunity to listen and learn about wine and, of course, taste a lot. Eventually, it all starts to make sense so that one day you look back and find yourself making useful reference to what you have learned. Wine pairing plays an important role in my menu compilations, and requires intuition and careful thought. A good sense of taste and smell also helps.

The process of selecting wines for the restaurants wine list is rigorous and challenging at times, even controversial. The restaurant has never had the luxury of a dedicated sommelier, but the matre ds and many of the wait staff take a keen interest in food and wine pairing. They are all encouraged to eat at the restaurant, to taste every new dish on the menu and to practise pairing wines. Once a year, Kobus (the owner), Johan (the cellarmaster), the team of assistant winemakers, Terroirs matre ds, and I do a blind tasting and rewrite the wine list.

The process begins in a private room off the wine tasting area where all the proposed wines, mostly local but also international labels, are brown bagged and formally tasted. Tasting blind is the only way to taste. We all have individual score sheets and each wine is scored as a number, as an enjoyable wine, and finally as a wine that fits our style of food. We also take into consideration its rating in relation to the price category and cultivar. A time-consuming part of the process is endeavouring to provide feedback to every enquiry from producers as to why we felt their wine did not make the final list. All producers and winemakers want to be on the wine list, but this is obviously not possible. Sometimes these decisions are hard to accept when we have made our choices. Once those brown bags have been removed there are often a few sighs and surprises.

The wonderful synergy between the wine, the food and the farm has been a tremendous example of successful branding. Kleine Zalze Wines has gone from strength to strength, locally and abroad. Terroir has brought thousands of feet through the door, and many of our customers choose to drink the wines of Kleine Zalze. It has been a real lesson in the value of the relationship between a restaurant, wine sales and branding.

Looking back at the highlights of the past 10 years is an interesting exercise. I am proud of the number of jobs Terroir has created, providing employment for the local community. Keeping a watchful eye over the development and growth of my front-of-house staff and the many, many students and young chefs who have passed through my kitchen is close to my heart.

I have seen talented chefs come and go over the years. Some of these protgs have ended up as excellent chefs, while others have realised that its the wrong career choice for them after spending a year or less in a demanding kitchen. Part of Terroirs reputation in the industry is the strong emphasis I place on teaching and mentoring young chefs. Many of our chefs are graduates of the best culinary schools in the country and some have gone on to head up kitchens at other restaurants or have started their own businesses I follow their progress with great satisfaction.

Terroir has won many prestigious awards over the past decade, including the Eat Out Johnny Walker Restaurant of the Year Award and Service Excellence award in 2006. The restaurant has made the Eat Out Top 10 line-up eight times out of 10. But what brings me even greater satisfaction is the realisation that we have been going for a decade 10 years of hard work and long hours, highs and lows and we are still going strong!