Introducing Moses Moloi's Gigi

It’s been an exciting few months for the immensely talented Moses Moloi, the young chef who cut his teeth under the mentorship of some of South Africa’s culinary greats, including Peter Tempelhoff and David Higgs. Last year he was awarded 85th position on the global platform The Best Chef Awards and this year he has Johannesburg abuzz with the opening of his new restaurant, Gigi, in Waterfall City.

The restaurant, which is billed as contemporary South African, has a decidedly international twist and is very much a culinary journal of the chef’s journey. At Gigi, the chef draws inspiration from, and pays homage to, the restaurants he’s worked at. Touchpoints of South American, Japanese and European cuisine meet a host of South Africa’s favourite dishes, flavours and ingredients.

The interior also leans into this global meets local fusion with a muted palette of earth tones and neutrals, expressed in raw African materials and luxurious textiles, juxtaposed with pops of bold, colourful florals. It’s calming, elegant and sophisticated without being flashy, and the focal point is the white marble bar behind which the chefs can be seen at work in the open kitchen.

The menu is divided into small plates, salads, mains and grill options — an offering that has proven popular with Johannesburg’s restaurant clientele. The small plates include Moloi’s famous oxtail vetkoek — a dish he came up with at Zioux and which he’s now given a Gigi twist, here serving it with morogo, ginger tamarind and onion seasoning. The sea bass ceviche is another, with the delicate fish served with elements of citrus and textures of seaweed. The salad offering features the likes of fillet steak and sweet potato, chicken and grains, as well as a clever twist on prawn toast.

On to the mains and the deboned, coal-grilled baby chicken is a firm favourite, accompanied by charred corn, corn purée, jacket potato and spring onion, creating a dish as flavourful as it is vibrant. The chef’s signature oxtail also makes an appearance on this menu segment, where it’s available as a twist on a traditional plate of meat, pap and veg or as ravioli with a red-wine jus and almonds.

The grill section offers a host of classic cuts of pork, lamb and beef cooked over coals and served with a salad and jus. Expect the likes of 28-day aged Angus sirloin, pork tomahawk and lamb rack with ultra crispy duckfat potatoes, charred, honey-glazed pumpkin and romesco cauliflower available as optional sides.

For dessert, Moloi looks to childhood favourites and South African classics. The age-old favourite of jelly and custard is elevated to new heights with the chef’s iteration featuring a rooibos jelly, vanilla custard and raspberry sorbet. The Gigi malva takes the local pudding and gives it a twist with textures of coconut, salted caramel and a peach and amasi ice cream.

In wine and cocktails, Moloi has enlisted the help of former colleague Lester Riffel — previously at Fyn — and the cellar already displays a glorious selection of beautiful South African wines. Gigi is a welcome addition to Johannesburg’s dining scene, with the chef delivering an experience that is elegant, unfussy and refined while wonderfully telling his story throughout the menu.

Wanted