What top chefs eat before dinner service

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What top chefs eat before dinner service

Have you ever wondered what the staff of top restaurants eat before their dinner service? Former chef turned photographer, Claire Gunn, took her camera backstage to document the ‘family meal’, which can forge deep connection in a kitchen team.

The following recipes are from the feature, My Family Kitchen, that appeared in the April 2018 issue of TASTE Magazine. Get this issue to read more about Claire Gunn and her experience shooting these top restaurants.

The Restaurants at Waterkloof’s Paella

A simple, hearty meal – the kind of balanced meal needed to sustain staff through a dinner service.
Get the paella recipe here

Thali’s smoked tadka dhal

Thali’s head chef, John van Zyl, says that this recipe was inspired by one of the best dhals he’s ever had – simply made with chilli, cumin and tomatoes – on a trip to India.
Get the dahl recipe here.

La Tête’s fish sandwich



Ah, the famed fish sandwich from La Tête. What started as a staff meal now has cult status amongst Capetonians. Best served an ice cold beer.
Get the fish sandwich recipe here.

La Colombe’s Sunday lunch (meatballs with tomato sauce)



A simple, hearty meal – worthy of a Sunday lunch!
Get the meatballs and tomato sauce recipe here.

The Test Kitchen’s pork ramen



By no means the easiest lunch on the list – but would you expect anything less for the staff at South Africa’s number one restaurant?
Get the recipe here.

Follow Claire Gun on Instagram @clairegunnphoto or visit her website clairegunn.com.

TASTE Article by: TASTE

The TASTE team is a happy bunch of keen cooks and writers, always on the look out for the next food trend or the next piece of cake.

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