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A Table in the Corner
A Table in the Corner
Author: Russel Wasserfall Media
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© 2025 Russel Wasserfall Media
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A Table in the Corner is the space where Russel Wasserfall chats to people in the food industry about their passion and their take on the business of eating. Russel has worked in the media and food space for over 3 decades. He's run bars, restaurants and a confectionery factory, written for dozens of food and travel publications and made a bunch of cookbooks. His show is about the nitty-gritty of the food trade in all its forms. Top chefs, food artisans, proprietors, bakers, farmers, foragers, cheesemakers, writers, photographers, bloggers... you name it. If they’re involved in the food industry, you will meet them with Russel at A Table in the Corner.
160 Episodes
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In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Tasmin Reid, the young, fiercely thoughtful chef behind Melfort, a seasonal farm to fork restaurant on Marianne Estate near Stellenbosch. Tasmin shares her journey from Silwood Kitchen to working with Ryan Cole at Salsify, her plans for Australia, and how an unexpected autoimmune diagnosis reshaped both her life and her style of cooking. Now the owner of a popular winelands restaurant, she speaks openly about healing through food...
In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Chef Nathan Clark, head chef of Test Kitchen Fledgelings. Apologies in advance - the sound quality is not the best, as I had a few technical challenges, but Nathan's story is incredible. He shares his remarkable journey from scullery to running the kitchen, rising through the ranks of the Test Kitchen group over 13 years. He speaks openly about learning under Luke Dale Roberts and Jason Kosmas, mentoring young chefs through...
In this episode of A Table in the Corner, we step into the golden world of Veuve Clicquot’s Emotions of the Sun, the global photographic exhibition created with the legendary Magnum Photos agency, now shining in Cape Town at Youngblood Gallery on Bree Street. My guest is Seth Shezi, Celebrity MasterChef winner, global traveller and lifestyle tastemaker, who curated the Sun on Your Plate Café for the exhibition. Inspired by light, optimism and the emotional power of the sun, Seth created a Cap...
Join me at my table in the corner for this incredible conversation with chef Anouchka Horn, co-owner of Cape Town’s acclaimed restaurants Belly of the Beast and Galjoen. In this episode, Anouchka shares her journey from her grandmother’s traditional Afrikaans kitchen to becoming a leading voice in ingredient-driven, low-waste South African dining. We talk about her early culinary influences, training at the ICA, formative years working under Michael Broughton, and the creation of two of Cape ...
Join us at A Table in the Corner as we chat with Chef Jess Van Dyk, the creative force behind Post & Pepper in Stellenbosch. From growing up in a small town with a love of food, to training at top kitchens, and now running her own restaurant, Jess shares her journey in the culinary world. Discover the stories behind signature dishes like pork lollipops, her approach to shared plates, and how she keeps creativity and sustainability at the heart of her kitchen. Find out where Jess eats off...
The best meal I've eaten in Cape Town recently whas hands-down the one I enjoyed with my wife at Vue Shortmarket. With Vusi Ndlovu in the kitchen and Absie Pantshwa out front, this is the exceptional product of a pair of fascinating minds who take diners on a journey into African ingredients and cooking techniques with a refinement and playfulness that is delightful. Chatting with Vusi is always hilarious. I doubt that I've laughed as much with any other guest. For more on Vue Shortmarket, cl...
Until very recently, Belly of the Beast was my favourite restaurant I'd never eaten in. That sad situation has been remedied and lunch at this Harrington Street legend was everything I'd imagined. I sat down for Episode 02 of the second season of A Table in the Corner to chat to Neil Swart who created Belly with chef and co-owner Anouchka Horn. I'll chat to Anouchka in an upcoming show about the duo's second venue, Galjoen. For more on Belly of the Beast, click here Message me here with comme...
In Season 02 of A Table in the Corner, we talk to the chefs we love about the restaurants or the menus they create. In the first episode of the new season Chef Marco Cardoso of De Eetkamer in Stellenbosch has to stare unblinking into the spotlight as I grill him with a bunch of questions about his background as a chef, his vision for De Eetkamer and his favourite comfort food. Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price w...
That's it for the first chapter of A Table in the Corner. Join me next Tuesday for Season 2 and much more chef- and restaurant-focused content. Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Top Restaurants in Cape Town according to the Inside Guide Survey www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless oth...
While we work on the early episodes of Season Two, we're going to issue some re-edited and remastered episodes from the archives of Season One. Enjoy this chat with one of the legends of the local food scene, Franck Dangereaux. Visit the 44 Stanley website for more information on this cool precinct. 44 Stanley is in Instagram here. Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Top Restaurants in Cape Town acco...
As if proof were needed that strong narratives sell brands, my favourite local coffee brand, Bean There, has a fabulous back-story. We used their coffee in our restaurants and I was a regular in their Wale Street shop before the closed it to concentrate on the wholesale aspect of their business. I sat down for a great chat with Jono Robinson, the founder and drive behind this excellent brand to find out more about how he started and how it's going. Visit the 44 Stanley website for more inform...
I'm back with Justin Bonello to chat about his urban farming project, Neighbourhood Farm in Fish Hoek. One episode just couldn't pack in all the stuff this fascinating human is doing, and I'm not sure I've managed in two. We spoke about the importance of connection kids to nature and the source of their food, the challenges of keeping an urban farming project running and the harrowing thought that although we idealise the village life, we've completely forgotten how to live as a community in ...
In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I chat to Dale Herbst — the creative force behind That Food Guy. A content creator and brand marketer with a deep love for food culture, Dale recently traded Johannesburg for Cape Town, drawn by our rich and diverse culinary scene. He’s now collaborating with local food and hospitality brands to craft stories and creative campaigns that celebrate their flavour bth here and abroad. www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image ...
Fresh from a month's residency at Clarke's in Bree Street, Yoraya Nydoo of Not Sad Food Co. sat down with me to talk about the experience. We chatted about whether she and partner Claudia Alberti are ready for a bricks-and-mortar restaurant having pushed that boat out. It's a complicated answer and led to some interesting lines of discussion. Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Top Restaurants in Cape...
Justin Bonello was creating great food shows for TV back when Jamie Oliver was just starting to come to our attention. Some of my favourite local cookbooks are the product of his creative vision, and he is almost single-handedly responsible for dragging braais out or our back yards and into the limelight with the incredibly popular Ultimate Braai Master series. We found some time for a chat about the roots of his creative impulse and where he is now, with his urban farming project, Neighbourh...
Charné van Heerden was the life and soul of House of Machines, and there was probably a collective "Booooo!" when people heard she was moving on after six years behind the bar. Lucky for the crew, she only moved across the road, and opened her own very chilled, late-night cocktail lounge. HIBALL serves a range of cleverly-wrought cocktails in high ball glasses, along with flavoursome and comforting risottos. The idea is that it's not too raucous. You can linger over your drink and natter the ...
Luke Dale-Roberts and Jason Kosmas got back from setting up their London pop-up of Pot Luck Club in mid-August. It's running at the iconic Waldorf Hilton Hotel until the end of November 2025, with an option to extend if chefs and hotel agree. It's too early for any serious reviews to give us an idea of how the concept has been welcomed, but the two chefs loved doing it and working with a local team in Aldwych. I was very chuffed that they agreed to sit down and chat to me in the recently refu...
Ashley Moss has worked with chef Peter Tempelhoff since he started his cooking journey at The Greenhouse. They’ve since partnered in opening a number of shops including FYN and Ramenhead. I spoke to him about the journey, his inspiration and the drive to create. Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson ...
Kurt Ackermann is the CEO of the Urban Food and Farming Trust which, among many other things, organises the annual Food Indaba in Cape Town. I sat down with him in the courtyard at Honest Chocolate in Wale Street to talk about the outcomes of Food Indaba 2025 and to learn more about what his organisation does. There's material for a dozen episodes here, but we tried to colour inside the lines. Perhaps there's meat for another long chat in the future. Message me here with comments or guest sug...
In this episode, I sat down with Justine Drake to explore her impressive career and dive into the evolving landscape of food media. From storytelling to trends and being a judge on SA Masterchef, we discuss how the industry is shifting and what it means for food lovers everywhere. Justine booked me for one of the first food shoots I landed when I first moved to Cape Town in 2005, so we've known each other a long time. It was fantastic catching up with her, and learning more from someone who i...























