A celebration of land and sea, the new ROOI Restaurant in the illustrious One&Only Cape town offers a world-class menu that is steeped in South African culture and pride. We interviewed the team to get a taste of what's cooking
Terrance Ford
Resort Executive Chef
Can you share the inspiration behind ROOI’s menu and how it reflects a distinctly South African twist?
Our menu’s inspiration can simply be put to fire. As many know, the word rooi means ‘red’ in Afrikaans. For me, ROOI signifies flames and cooking, fire and its natural effect on everything — it transforms it, hence why we say our menu is transformed by fire. It’s inspiring to cook on flames like this as it is the most ancient way of cooking. Five to six hundred years ago, the Khoisan people cooked on coals; there were no grids or anything, so the way we're cooking is showing a different representation of how meat was cooked from all those years ago, thereby paying homage to our heritage. And we have fire everywhere! It's not just the Josper oven in the kitchen, it's also the oven in the dining room that brings in the flames.
What are some of the signature dishes you’re most excited about, and what makes them stand out?
A signature dish to lookout for would be the Grilled South Coast Rock Lobster — it’s vibrant and flavoursome. We’ve also received great feedback on the Grilled Cauliflower main course dish. I'm a meat kind of guy, so if there’s a Wagyu or Denver steak, I'm in! I’m particularly excited about the fact that it's South African Wagyu as well.
How do you source your ingredients, and are there any particular local suppliers or farms you’re excited to work with?
We've focused extensively on partnering with the right local suppliers. This was important to us, that who we partner with share the same values as us. As chefs we dictate the narrative as to what the market does; if we use suppliers that don’t reflect a sustainable practice, we're encouraging the wrong behaviour. Our meats are from a supplier called Wild Kalahari, who follow an intense program on the rearing of their stock; where they live, what they eat and so on. Our seafood suppliers own a small number of boats, maybe three to eight boats each. They go fishing everyday and what they catch is what we cook with. It's not something that we can plan, so the menu is purely based on what is available at the time, which makes it all very authentic and exciting! We also work alongside some fairly new local vegetable suppliers. There's a vegetable supplier in the Philippi area who specialises in organic vegetables and provides us with most of our broccoli, cauliflower and more. Our condiments, like mustard and raisins, are sourced from Wellington, Paarl and beyond. So, we've actively tried to become, what I would like to call ‘hyper local’, with a focus on supporting fellow South African businesses.
How would you describe your culinary philosophy, and how does it align with the concept of ROOI?
In previous roles, I've been limited by the types of ingredients, menus or dishes that we would need to create. With ROOI, we are recreating local and childhood favourites but in an elevated form to showcase our country and our heritage to our guests.
Anne Scott
General Manager
What is the core vision for ROOI, and how does it integrate with the overall experience at One&Only Cape Town?
The vision for ROOI was to allow for our guests to truly experience South Africa, inviting them into our home and community without having to leave the resort. The fact that we were able to create such an incredible space and work so closely with South African designer, Inge Moore from Muza Lab, made it even more special because this allowed us access to artisans that we may never have known about. Majority of our suppliers are local and, by investing in them, we've created a golden thread of local support and upliftment across the resort. Starting with locals in mind, the menu came together quite easily; if the ingredients were not local, ethically or sustainably sourced, we dismissed it in favour of those who were. It was a deeply personal exploration and was very organically designed, allowing us to authentically present South Africa on a plate.
What kind of dining experience can guests expect?
We have so many unique aspects of ROOI to showcase who we are, all of which we cannot wait for guests to experience. For example, our mixology team had a lot of fun creating the cocktail menu, designing each cocktail around an ingredient or two from every province, thereby allowing guests to 'visit' a different province through the menu. I love that our food and drinks can allow exploration of our country from the comfort of our dining space. The ROOI team is so talented and passionate about the food and sharing it with the guests. They want guests to enjoy the South African cuisine so you can feel their passion, which I think is wonderful.
What is your favourite food moment at ROOI?
I love the bread and butter you receive upon arrival — you can taste it’s freshly made. The warmth of the soft, sweet bun and the rosemary of the roosterkoek are so welcoming, and knowing they were cooked just for you makes every guest feel special. Topped with the creamy butter and biltong shavings we offer — I just love it.
What is your favourite design moment at ROOI?
The oven in the main dining room. Having been a part of the restaurant’s culinary history, that oven has technically been burning for 15 years so I love the history involved there. It was an extraordinary moment watching the team from the Bronze Age, carefully place and layer each of those gorgeous tiles, one by one, to build the whole structure. It shows the extraordinary talents of individuals and the craftsmanship really shines through.
luvo Ntezo
Resort Head Sommelier
How did you choose the wine and beverage offerings for ROOI, and how do they complement the menu?
We chose the wines and beverages for ROOI based on the beautiful stories, heritage and celebration of the diversity of the South African landscape. This selection stretches from the furthest coast of the East to the furthest of the West, right through to the drylands of the Karoo, like Calitzdorp where they are famous for ports, and everywhere in between. From all the wine farms we considered, the most dominant theme was celebrating boutique, family-owned wine farms. We of course considered the menu, which is a celebration of our local culinary scene. We did a lot of tastings and pairings throughout, to ensure a beautiful collaboration.
Can you tell us about any unique South African wines or beverages that are on offer?
One of the beautiful things that we did for ROOI is to tap into the importance of our relationships as the One&Only resort to the wine industry. We are very proud that we've received some older vintages that are not available for sale anywhere in the world, that come directly from their private inventory. That is something so special; it really shows that we are indeed the one and only property to offer such.
How do you approach pairing wines or beverages with the dishes on ROOI’s menu?
It is about the celebration of culinary skills. We can always change the ingredients on the menu but we cannot change what is in the bottle, so it's important to honour both sides. There needs to be a beautiful, broad collaboration between food and wine throughout the entirety of the menu and you can see that with every pairing.
Are there any current trends in the beverage industry that you’re excited to incorporate at ROOI?
We’re incorporating many beautiful wines that are produced using biodynamic, organic and sustainable practices.
Tell us more about the Cap Classique trolley.
South Africa produces some of the most remarkable sparkling wines in the world, and I'm not saying that just by the virtue of patriotism. So for our guests visiting South Africa, it's important to give them a beautiful celebration of Cap Classique with our trolley. There is a broad selection to choose from, from old world vintages to new world rosé, and we utilise it as both a personal and dramatic way in which guests can be presented with world-class Cap Classique, right at their table. Debra algie Director of Sales and Marketing
How will ROOI’s decor reflect its unique South African twist and appeal to both locals and international guests?
ROOI has incorporated local elements into its menu, decor and design that hold appeal for all our guests. The interiors provide a note of patriotic familiarity for locals, specifically seen in the colourful entrance mural, hand-painted by Elise Wessels, and custom in-lay rug, adorned with the likes of the majestic Blue crane, glistening local crayfish, the African hoopoe and other recognisable local animals who make cameo appearances.
The textures, artwork and craftsmanship of Africa are on show, included in the seating, with the proud horns of the beloved Ankole cattle depicted in select chair backs, crafted and designed with Mija Furniture, and in the unique handcrafted ceramic chandeliers from Mud Studios. The Private dining area also boasts a 'fallen log' chandelier, expertly woven by the Cape Town Society for the Blind, a great woven textural Centrepiece. We’ve created a space where guests can dine within a welcoming 'ubuntu' environment, and that allows for the spirit of South Africa to come through in every manner possible.
Text by Catherine Mo
Images by Greg Cox
