Salsify at The Roundhouse sits tucked between mountain and ocean, its heritage walls holding the stories of Cape Town’s past. But step inside the kitchen, and you’ll find a different kind of history in the making. Chef Ryan Cole, the visionary behind South Africa’s Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year, is redefining what fine-dining can mean in this space: it’s approachable, seasonal, precise and deeply human.

I spent a day watching Ryan at work in his kitchen to experience first-hand the philosophy and finesse that underpin Salsify’s success. Between the buttery sear of kingklip fillets and the woody perfume of smoked mussels, I learned not only about technique, but about a chef whose belief that the simplest things done exceptionally well leave the strongest impressions.

Cooking fish with Ryan Cole: seasonal simplicity in the making 

The day’s focus was Ryan’s newly launched kingklip sunflower dish. “I chose this one because I think it showcases exactly what we stand for,” he explained as he laid out glistening fillets of kingklip. “It’s simple on the plate, but there’s so much depth to discover.”
For Ryan, sourcing matters. The kingklip is line-caught, its firm, fatty flesh ideal for winter. Around it, fennel, smoked mussels, and sweet fennel. “What grows together goes together,” Ryan says. “That’s something I was taught early on. If you stick to what’s in season, it guides everything. It just makes sense.”

Sense is key to Ryan’s approach. He’s not interested in complexity for its own sake. “There’s no point sous-viding something, then deep-frying it, dehydrating it, and adding seven gels if it doesn’t make sense or make it absolutely delicious.”

Ryan Cole’s 4 tips for how to prepare and cook fish

1. Fresh fish should never smell “fishy”. It should smell like the ocean.
2. Look for firm flesh, bright eyes, no slime.
3.  Get your pan medium to hot, not scorching.
4. Add oil after the pan’s hot, count to five or six, then add the fish.

Ryan's precision extends to prep. His advice for home cooks: “Good chopping board. Sharp knife. Stabilise your board with something underneath, for example a damp cloth. And invest in solid pots and pans.”

Plating is equally deliberate. “Start in the centre of your plate and build outward. Let the food guide you.”

What sets Salsify apart isn’t just the food; it’s the whole experience. Located in a 300-year-old heritage building on the slopes of Table Mountain, the restaurant embodies a sense of place. “This building has been a ballroom, a hunting lodge... there’s so much history here,” Ryan reflected. “We’re writing the next chapter, and that influences everything we do.”

Winning the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year was, in his own words, “probably the coolest thing that’s ever happened”. But it’s more than just a trophy. “It validated what we’re doing. It showed us people believe in what we’re creating.”

And it isn’t over. “Salsify is constantly evolving. We reinvent every year. We reinvest in the space and the team. The mission is to always add to it; to keep it inspired.”

Cooking with Ryan is a reminder that excellence isn’t about over-complication; it’s about clarity, care and connection. From the way he sources his kingklip to his strong but gentle leadership, Ryan embodies the idea that true mastery looks effortless but demands relentless dedication.