A Table in the Corner

135. Rudi Liebenberg - Executive Chef Between Hotels

Russel Wasserfall Media

I got to know Rudi Liebenberg when I worked as a photographer and spent many hours shooting in his kitchen at the Mount Nelson. His approach to cooking and mentoring the chefs on his brigade, constantly pushing them to do better and learn new things, has launched many careers in the industry. I caught up with him for a chat when he'd just come back from a couple of years abroad, running hotel kitchens in Ireland and then the Carribean. He was between hotels, on his way to lead the kitchen at the Westcliff in Johannesburg.
(Correction: During our chat, Rudi mentioned Dan Barber and I erroneously referred to him as the chef from French Laundry, but he is the celebrated chef of Blue Hill at Stone Barns and author of the seminal 'The Third Plate'.)

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  • www.rwm2012.com
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  • Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson
  • All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited
  • Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay