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xecutive Chef Morné Botha’s passion for comfort-food dishes was inspired by his grandmother, an authentic tannie from the North West. Her recipes, which included many traditional South African dishes, instilled in him a respect for our local heritage, which is lovingly expressed in his dishes.

His career in the hospitality industry began in 1994, straight from school, when he took up the position of maitre d' at a Pretoria guesthouse, which was followed by positions at a number of guesthouses, restaurants and estates in and around the city. From there he moved to Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world, where he found his way into the kitchen of a colonial-styled establishment, the Queens Hotel, where he for the first time held the position of Executive Chef, overseeing the hotel’s Colony restaurant.

This period contributed greatly to his knowledge of local ingredients and he soon developed a unique talent for fusing local and international elements in dishes that are often described as being “fun and flavourful”. Rooibos, South Africa’s much-lauded herbal tea for example, is frequently used in Morné’s dishes.

After leaving Oudtshoorn, he moved to Paarl in the Cape Winelands, where he worked as the Head Chef at 42 On Main, a small restaurant that attracted many foreign diners touring the breathtakingly scenic winelands.

From Paarl, he made the move to the Mother City itself, where he joined The Bay Hotel on the trendy Camps Bay beachfront strip. At this award-winning*, internationally renowned hotel Morné progressed from his initial position as Banqueting Chef to Executive Head Chef, heading up all the venue’s culinary operations. This was followed by a brief stint at celebrity chef Jenny Morris’s Giggling Gourmet operation.

Now the Executive Chef at Blues, a landmark restaurant on the Camps Bay strip, Morné describes his cuisine as, “Consumable artworks that I create to provide a sensory experience that not only stimulates the taste buds, but also tantalises the mind.

“The idea is to encompass all five tastes: sweet, salt, sour, bitter and savoury, also referred to as “umami”. The food I create is not only to fill the stomach, but also to feed the mind and nourish the soul. It is all about the intoxicating journey and the circle of life.”