RHP#047. Chantel Dartnall, World Number 1 Female Chef 2017, Botanical Food Artist, Owner of Mosaic Restaurant and Orient Hotel

Aug 29, 2018

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World's Best Female Chef. Food Artist. Nature Lover. Gastronomy Master. Best South African Chef Overall. Smiler. Traveller. Lady Leader. Charmer.

One thing in life we can probably almost all agree on, is that we love food and love to eat. The world of gastronomy is rapidly evolving. When you enter world class restaurants, you expect all of your senses to be mesmerised, lifted and touched. People are there for the full experience and not just to fill their stomachs!

It’s not often in life that you get to chat to someone who is literally the best in the world at something! Chantel Dartnall has been named, Best Lady Chef In the World 2017. When you see her culinary delights you will be totally blown away. It’s difficult to imagine how she creates some of these dishes, as they literally look like pieces of sculptured art!

Chantel was born in Elandsfontein, South Africa, where she grew up on their family farm. Nature has always been something which is in her bones and it’s somewhere she loves to escape and reconnect to. From an early age she was intrigued by food and her great great grandfather was actually a chef for the Royal Family.

At the age of 14, she decided to become a vegetarian. Her mother said that she needed to learn how to cook her own meals because she was not going to cook vegetarian meals especially for her!! It drove her to start her own vegetable garden and that’s when she began to understand and explore the use of flowers and herbs.

The philosophy behind the dishes at her restaurant, Restaurant Mosaic, revolve around portraying botanical stories. In her dishes, Chantel tries to recreate scenes from her life that she has experienced, by using various textures, aromas and flavours.

One of the key things about the world famous, Restaurant Mosaic and Orient Hotel, is that almost every employee has been with them from the start and has been upskilled - from gardener to award winning Sommelier, from cleaning lady to Head Maître'd. Her energy, passion and drive to help those around her is what has helped build a formidable team.

As South Africans we are super proud to have had the honour of speaking with her and we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

Let’s find out what it means for Chantel Dartnall, to be Ridiculously Human.

Your fellow beings

Craig and Gareth

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Chantel Dartnall : Website | Instagram | FaceBook | YouTube |Twitter |

Chantel’s restaurant, hotel and awards

Restaurant Mosaic: Make a Reservation:
The Orient Hotel
Best Lady Chef Award 2017

Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:

Nyalas
Giraffes
Equinox season
Afrikaans
Mackerel
Rollmops
Waterbuck
Pink Ivory Tree
Amadumbe or Taro
Noma (Danish restaurant in Copenhagen)
Botanical cuisine
Snoek fish
Biltong
Michelin Stars
Michelin Star History
Michelin Tire Factory
Eat Out Wine Service Award - Moses Magwaza
Wine Spectator Grand Award - International American Publication
Vin de Constance Wine
Bronze Museum at Orient

People Discussed

Places Mentioned

Magaliesburg, South Africa
Elandsfontein, South Africa
Aubrac, France
Vietnam
Cambodia
Thailand
Laos

Music By

The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here
The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here

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