A Table in the Corner
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.
A Table in the Corner
S2-33. Table For Two - Jonathan Warncke
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In this episode of A Table in the Corner, the tables are turned as I sit down with my friend, collaborator and occasional culinary guinea pig, Jonathan Warncke. Best known as chairman of the South African Podcasters Guild, Jonathan has recently stepped into the food world as my co-host on Table for Two, our new YouTube series exploring some of Cape Town’s most interesting restaurants.
We talk about the origins of the show, why a self-confessed fussy eater who had never tasted oysters, prawns or mussels agreed to become the audience proxy on a food programme, and what happens when curiosity collides with a tasting menu. Jonathan reflects on his first encounters with ingredients he’d spent a lifetime avoiding, and why some experiences have changed his mind while others have only confirmed his suspicions.
The conversation also wanders through his years living in Japan, his love of restaurants despite his selective palate, the surprising nuances of taste, and the strange experience of being recognised in public only weeks after Table for Two launched. Along the way we discuss food media, restaurant culture, the future of our growing collection of video projects and why great hospitality is about far more than what lands on the plate.
If you've watched Table for Two and wondered who the guy in the red glasses is, this is your chance to find out.
- www.rwm2012.com
- On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner
- Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson
- All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited
- Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay