Gordon Ramsay's Maze in The One And Only has had mixed reviews since it opened in April 2009. We grilled the popular chef on coming to Africa.
TASTE (T): Judging by how busy Maze has been right from opening, it seems Capetonians and hotel residents alike are smitten. Are they starstruck?
GORDON RAMSAY (GR): There’s always hype when a new restaurant opens but what’s important is that customers keep coming back. Of course we want them to come to the restaurant because it’s something new and exciting but also to have such a fantastic experience that they want to return again and again.
T: What ingredient, missing until now from the South African culinary experience, does your restaurant bring?
GR: There are no ingredients on our menu that you can’t get in South Africa – the local produce is fantastic.
T: What’s your favourite dish from your Cape Town menu?
GR: It would have to be something from our seafood counter where you can get the freshest fish under the sun.
T: What aspect of this particular branch of the restaurant are you most proud of?
GR: The team. They have done a fantastic job getting the restaurant off the ground and turning it into a big success.
T: Speaking of which, you have restaurants all over the world. To what do you attribute your success and what has made this particular opening different from all the others?
GR: Hard work. You don’t climb the ladder on a whim – it’s a tough world out there and to get to the top you’ve got to be prepared to work for it. I’ve been in the business for 20 years and haven’t stopped. Opening in Cape Town has been a fantastic experience – here we’re able to use a wide range of ingredients from the local area which is always a real highlight.
T: What has been the biggest challenge in setting up the restaurant and how have you overcome it?
GR: The food culture in South Africa is much more laid-back so it has taken a while settling into it – but it’s an exciting, vibrant culture to be a part of.
T: Is your aim to offer Michelin-level service here in South Africa?
GR: The front-of-house team here is exceptional. We want every single customer who walks through the door to leave having had an incredible experience.
T: Restaurant awards: elitist with no real value for diners or restaurant, or a true measure of success?
GR: The customers in the restaurants are our true critics.
Find Maze at One&Only Cape Town, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town; tel: (021) 431-5222, www.oneandonlyresorts.com
Photograph by Michael le Grange