Q&A with Chris Erasmus

Q&A with Chris Erasmus, former Pierneef a´ la Motte chef who has struck out into the wild on his own

Why the name Foliage?

We're forest to plate. We pick wild mushrooms now, and will move to tomatoes and broad beans as seasons change. We use lots of wild herbs too: dandelions, wild watercress, goosefoot and chickweed.

What can we expect?

An upmarket bistro serving sustainable comfort food from free-range and organic sources. Our free-range beef is from Jersey milk cows. Ingredients we've found or picked, and lots of fermenting, preserving, pickling and curing.

Atmosphere?

Homely. Seating is almost in the kitchen, at beautiful wooden clothless tables. There are two fireplaces, an Oregon distressed wood ceiling and walls painted fire-engine red. My wife Alisha runs the gallery next door so the art in the restaurant changes regularly.

What's not on the menu?

Prime cuts. We'll have more shin, shank and shortrib.

Last trip?

Copenhagen in Denmark to work a stage at Noma restaurant, in their lab. We fermented crickets, made ant paste, and caramelised bee larvae.

Guilty pleasure?

Tequila.

What's hot in food?

Your own veggie garden.

Saving for?

A new deboning knife - I snapped mine on a whole boerbok (a local goat).

What don't people know about you?

I have a tattoo fetish. I've got anatomical cuts tattooed on my back, like the diagrams of pieces of meat at a butchery.

Cost?

From R60 to R80 starters, mains R100 to R130, desserts R50 to R60.

• Foliage, 11 Huguenot Street, Franschhoek. Lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday. 021-876-2328