An Eastern Twist on the Traditional
From his hometown of Pietersburg to the Winelands of Franschhoek, Chef Pasch du Plooy is creating a culinary legacy at Dutch East restaurant.
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“Most of my childhood memories were formed in the kitchen,” says Pasch du Plooy, chef and co-owner of Dutch East, Franschhoek’s newest fusion restaurant. While the rest of us love the experience of fine dining and the personal touch of a gourmet chef, Pasch has always dreamed of being the one to provide that experience.
Du Plooy comes from a large and merry family that always came together in the kitchen as dinner was prepared. They thoroughly enjoyed weekends spent entertaining. He and his two brothers and younger sister would all get stuck in to cook, with their mother at the helm. Her passion for preparing new and unusual dishes, particularly with Eastern flavours, would later influence much of Du Plooy’s culinary prowess.
Putting aside his aspirations, he studied viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch until he could no longer resist the allure of the kitchen, and then enrolled at the ICA Chef School at Spier. Du Plooy learnt the ropes at Reuben’s, one of Franschhoek’s finest restaurants and the perfect place to establish a name for himself. Always willing to try his hand at something different, Du Plooy moved on to take an executive chef position at the new Fransche Hoek Estate. But this was short lived, as he soon realised that he is not a hotel chef and missed the long, hard hours of a busy restaurant.
Now, just 27 years old, Du Plooy has partnered with ICA classmate, Sainkie du Toit, to establish Dutch East, a restaurant filled with the ambience, aromas and flavours inspired by his early memories. “My mom would travel to different parts of Southeast Asia, and return with all kinds of ingredients,” he recalls, adding that he uses many of her recipes as a base for the menu.
A relaxed, homely setting that welcomes the whole family brings out the Dutch element, which Du Plooy says is an important part of the experience he has to offer. He strives to create a sense of family among the staff as well, one that, much like his own, is light-hearted and fun.
While du Toit manages the floor as hostess, Du Plooy keeps his attention focused on what he loves most: cooking up robust bistro fare. Such as the sesame-poached salmon served with wasabi, apple puree, asparagus, orange vanilla beurre blanc and Waldorf salad; or the braised pork belly served with red cabbage, tamarind-fried egg noodles, spiced cucumber and pear jus. There is certainly nothing mellow about his choice of flavours, and there is always a sense of Du Plooy’s zeal for that exotic variation.
Establishing a restaurant that competes in the food and wine capital of South Africa is not an easy feat, but Du Plooy is living up to the reputation of Franschhoek, and Dutch East is a must when you are in town.
Story by Bronwyn Burns
