Luke Dale Roberts to cook with his greatest mentors at exclusive event

For years, celebrated restaurateur Luke Dale Roberts has been mentoring SA's next generation of chefs - many of whom have gone on to forge names for themselves, garner acclaim and win awards.

Thinking back to his own days as an up-and-coming young chef, learning the tools of the trade and the fundamentals of cooking, Dale Roberts reflected on his mentors and, following a serendipitous mail from one of them, the concept for a special event came to fruition: LDR Origins – The Mentors.

During this two-day event to be held at The Test Kitchen, Dale Roberts's flagship Cape Town eatery, in January, he'll once more cook side-by-side with his two greatest culinary teachers.

They are Graham Garret of West House in the UK and Kevin Hopgood, proprietor of New Zealand’s Hopgood & Co.

Garret's eatery, which is housed in a 16th-century weaver’s cottage in the village of Biddenden in Kent, is known for its hyperseasonal approach to food. This is very much in line with the seasonal ethos at Hopgood’s modern bistro in the city of Nelson, which focuses on the provenance of ingredients.

This partnership is about looking back to look forward and, as such, the one-time mentors and mentee — now great friends — will work on a menu taking diners on “a journey around the British Isles”. Think fine-dining twists on cottage pie, sausage rolls and beans on toast.

Taking the collaborative effort a step further, Dale Roberts has brought together three of SA’s top winemakers, Eben Sadie, Adi Badenhorst and Ken Forrester, tasking them with creating a one-of-a-kind wine pairing experience to complement the dishes.

“It is a great honour for me to be cooking with two of my main influences and I’m excited about this nostalgic, culinary journey. Mentorship is the biggest cog in the kitchen machine and I want to highlight that and celebrate it,” said Dale Roberts of the event.

BOOK YOUR SEAT:

The LDR Origins – The Mentors event will be taking place at The Test Kitchen on January 3 and 4 2020:

• Lunch, R2,450 pp, is a five-course experience with wine pairing, which will feature four snacks and five plated courses.
• Dinner, R3,500 pp, is a six-course experience with wine pairing, which will feature six snacks and six plated courses. 

Booking will open on November 11 and can be made via the website LDR Origins – The Mentors, which will go live on the same date. 

• This article is adapted from one originally published on Wanted Online. Visit wantedonline.co.za for all the best in luxury lifestyle news.