la boheme

Running a restaurant in Cape Town means working with what the seasons deliver and what the suppliers can actually provide on any given week. Winter brings rock lobster and snoek; summer changes the vegetable palette entirely. A kitchen also has to be nimble about load shedding—some nights the griddle isn't an option, so the menu shifts toward dishes that work on a single burner or cold preparations. Staff coordination happens around the reality of commute times across the city. The wine list makes sense because the Western Cape produces it locally. Every operational decision, from prep timing to storage, is shaped by Cape Town's specific geography, climate, and infrastructure challenges.