Food-loving Riffels make big waves in the kitchen

As children they would walk to their grandmother’s house after school for a treat of bread and butter. Today, a love of food still binds celebrity chef Reuben Riffel and his cousins.

While the restaurateur and MasterChef South Africa judge is the best-known member of his family, his three cousins — who grew up next door to him in Franschhoek — have also made a name for themselves in the industry.

Eldest cousin Luzette Riffel is sous chef in the restaurant on media mogul Koos Bekker’s Babylonstoren farm in Paarl. Her brotherWilliam is a sommelier at the plush Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, and youngest brother Granville is a private chef in Franschhoek, after a stint at Leopard’s Leap wine farm, owned by Hanneli Rupert and her husband Hein Koegelenberg.

Reuben, who owns five restaurants in the Western Cape, said his mother Sylvia had been a chef, and his aunt Gwen — Luzette, William and Granville’s mother — had worked as a waitress at Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek.

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“Most of our relatives worked in this industry as tourism is one of the biggest sectors in Franschhoek,” said Reuben.

“We grew up close to each other. We were all involved in big slaughter days. I say big in terms of the number of family members involved in slaughtering one animal. It was always a whole-day affair — from the tension in the morning of killing the animal to the more joyous aftermath once the carcass had been cleaned.”

Luzette said cooking had always been her favourite pastime. “I aced my home economics class since I was in Grade 8.”

She said most of what she and her siblings knew was “self-taught from family gatherings where we all cooked together”.

After matriculating, she worked at Le Quartier with her mother, before joining Reuben’s restaurant, Reuben’s, as a pastry chef.

Sommelier William began working at the Saxon as a trainer for the younger staff, before moving into the world of wine.

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He started “messing about” in the kitchen when he was in matric, and worked as a waiter and beverage maker for “pocket money” alongside his mother at Le Quartier Français.

“My mom introduced me to the life of a barista. I was 17 so I wasn’t allowed to touch alcohol; I was the go-to guy for coffee and anything nonalcoholic at the restaurant.

“I went on to study a four-year hospitality course. I love cooking, but the hospitality side of the business was what I loved the most.”

Youngest sibling Granville also cut his teeth working at Le Quartier.

“Most of my aunts and uncles had ve g e t ab l e and fruit gardens in their homes. They taught me about picking the best for cooking. Some shared recipes and I expanded my knowledge from all those experiences,” said Granville.