Natasha Sideris takes the cake

I recall the opening of the first tashas cafe in Birnam in 2005 and those ingenious paper cut-outs hanging from the ceiling and the incredibly stylish impact they made. It wasn't just the convivial space that enticed me back but her beautiful food and friendly service that made an impression. My appetite for tashas has remained as insatiable as it was all those years ago and with cafes all around Johannesburg, it's never too far to satisfy the craving. Those clever cut-outs have become her signature in tashas stores around the country. 

Today, 19 years later, Natasha and her brother Sava are one of those South African success stories that stretch way beyond our borders and the affable duo now have 10 different concepts in South Africa, the UAE and more recently London with a total of 35 locations globally.

To mark their achievements during their 19-year journey, the siblings celebrated their success at their Beechwood headquarters in Dunkeld, Johannesburg, recently. The cherry on the cake was Natasha's acceptance of an honorary doctorate of philosophy in management studies: entrepreneurship bestowed on her by the University of South Africa (Unisa) for her contribution to the hospitality industry around the world.

Natasha has dedicated her life to opening eateries, but what is more remarkable is her level of involvement. It's the details that set her apart from other restaurateurs. It's her passion for quality and eye for detail and insatiable energy that give her and the team the edge. The real essence of the growing empire is that one can still feel the soul and passion in all their outlets.

Natasha has shared many of their recipes in her cookbook A Celebration of Food & Art (Quivertree) and it's her simple yet divine Greek roast potatoes that I adore and make over and over again. And, as she says, you can never make too many.

GREEK ROAST POTATOES

The golden rule with roast potatoes is always make more than you think you will need. There can never be enough.

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 clove of garlic, chopped

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt and black pepper

6 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked

200g butter

30ml (2 tbsp) water

45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

2. Toss the potatoes with all the other ingredients in an ovenproof dish. Cover with tinfoil and roast for 1 hour.

3. Remove the foil and continue roasting until the potatoes are soft and golden brown.