Shared misadventures with influencers, and an eye on David Higgs’ new Pantry store in Pretoria

The first time I met Hillary Biller she had jet-black hair and was Angela Day of The Star. The second time I met her she was seated in the lounge lobby of the Sky Hotel on the Cape Town Foreshore, reading a book, an older version of herself. Aren’t we all. 

We found unexpected and somewhat alarming common ground that day, over a shared misadventure involving scores of influencers who kept us waiting for hours while they primped and gladragged, donning outfits that would make a peacock blush just so that they could all have their “I’ve arrived!” moments as the presenters of awards to other, more deserving people.

They were nothing if not self-important beyond their abilities. They actually thought it was all about them, yet all they were really doing was doling out gongs to hard-working chefs who rarely get a moment to dine out because they’re too busy keeping us happy at their tables. Chefs, like journalists, are religiously punctual.

It was November 2022 and Hillary and I were very late for that edition of the annual Eat Out Awards, thanks to these posing peacocks, and you can read my well-travelled piece about that here. It had tens of thousands of reads. Hillary, who was representing the Sunday Times, with typically blunt humour has called these popinjays “influenzas” ever since. That’s one strain of it I’d hate to catch.

In February 2024 we found ourselves all at sea. We were aboard MSC Poesia, sailing from Gqeberha to Cape Town, and chef Reuben Riffel was on board too. It was tremendous fun, Reuben greeting us like the old journo stalwarts we apparently are, or that was how it felt. We had such a jol on board, a highlight being the evening Reuben invited us to join his table in the corner of one of the ship’s many dining rooms.

We were all in the mood for prawns. Reubs was the guest chef hero of the night. And we ended up with piles of sizeable prawns and plenty of rich, lively table banter along the way.

We also decided that the polite way to pronounce the name of the vessel was “Poo-wezz-ear”, amid giggles from all the South Africans on board.

When we chatted briefly this week, Hillary was at the launch of the new Pretoria iteration of Pantry, the fancy food store owned by David Higgs and Gary Kyriacou. I’d been invited but was too far away to go. The new outlet is in Hazelwood and is bigger than the Rosebank original. It opens on November 1.

Pantry is really cool. The Rosebank store is set on a petrol station forecourt, but that setting does not really explain the scene at all. Even as you approach the front doors from the forecourt, you’re being soothed by serene jazz. The interior is spacious in the way that a good restaurant is — nothing is crammed in, you feel at ease to roam and not have to try to avoid oncoming trolley traffic.

The emphasis is on high-end foods of many kinds, and part of the idea is that you can buy ready-made meals of a pretty good restaurant standard and take them home. You really could do a cheat dinner party, like the kind of Come Dine With Me diners that buy everything in and then pretend it was all their work.

People like us would not do that, of course. What would be the point for those of us for whom cooking is a hobby that we love to indulge in? Still, if you’re planning a quick supper with friends and have no time for the preparation, Pantry is a good fix.

And now there’s this second outlet, in Hazelwood. Hillary was an eye and ear on the event for me, coincidentally, and scribbled off her impressions. She says the new one is “double the size, packed to the rafters with the most delectable food – from groceries, readymade meals, fruit and veg, bakery, coffee and juice station, it’s an eye opener with reasonable pricing and you would absolutely love it. I think Cape Town is in their line of sight so won’t be long before you have the pleasure as well.

“The quality of the products is incredible and the pricing impressive. Their pepperoni pizza is to leave home for – thin, crispy crust, not overloaded with cheese and topped with the tastiest rounds of thin slivers of pepperoni. Yum, simple but delectable.”

Hillary Biller is in fact a classy cook herself who hosts brilliant dinner parties, and I have seen her do her own cooking so she certainly would not take a sneaky shortcut. 

She is also friendly with home cook and author Jan Kohler, and the two of them are to host a festive cooking workshop, called Jingle Bell Bites with Hilary Biller & Jan Kohler. They promise “new Christmas food ideas” perfect for a South African summer, including cocktails, starters, main dishes and desserts.

My northern English blood requires me to pretend the summer is far away and that it’s snowing outside. I’m not one for a kreef braai on Christmas Day. But I do see the sense of it, and I know that a lot of South Africans avoid the giant turkey, gammon and all of the trimmings that have you napping all afternoon.

Having said that, the pair are not ignoring the big Christmas hitters altogether: they promise a festive ham with Rex Union marmalade glaze. This is Hillary’s own excellent marmalade by the way — I know because she gave me a jar once. And there’s a turkey too, so maybe the fare isn’t as light as we might have thought. And I love the idea of a phyllo wreath.

If you want some seasoned pointers as to how to go about having a properly South African summer-inspired Christmas, Hillary and Jan are your point people.

Kohler is a self-taught cook, food blogger and the author of Pink Gin and Fairy Cakes and Celebrations. She loves entertaining and sharing her top tips with others: “We will be showing lots of make-ahead options too so home cooks won’t be frantic on the day.”

The menu comprises spiced pear Bellini on arrival; homemade gingerbread biscuits with whipped blue cheese parfait (and other cheeses) for snacking on; decadent egg mousse with devilled prawns served with homemade Melba toast, festive ham with Rex Union marmalade glaze; Moroccan-style spatchcock turkey with saffron onions, cinnamon and nuts; spinach phyllo wreath, smashed potatoes with rosemary, grilled pineapple and red pepper salad, Christmas Concertina Baklava, and upside down lattice mince pies.

Jingle Bell Bites takes place on Saturday, 8 November, from 10am to 1.30pm at Kohler’s home. The cost is R800 a person and can be booked on Jan’s IG account @jan_kohler_cooks or email hillary.biller@outlook.com. The cover price includes a complimentary copy of Jan Kohler’s cookbook Celebrations worth R450.

Erinvale in Bloom with new eatery promising local flavour

Down at the Cape, Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa in Somerset West is introducing Bloom, described as a signature new dining experience rooted in South African flavour.

I was at the launch of Erinvale some three decades or more ago. In the early days they had a restaurant that fared quite well, though I always felt uncomfortable, like an intruder in somebody else’s neighbourhood, what with the golf-orientated locals surely being the place’s chief clientele. I’m allergic to these estates, to be honest, but to each his, her or their own.

The modest 30-seater new restaurant promises to converge the rich flavours of South Africa with refined design, alongside Erinvale’s other dining venues, Oak Terrace Bistro and Magnolia Social Dining Lounge, drawing inspiration from the indigenous gardens and verdant grounds of this Somerset West retreat.

Created by the interior design team at Bone Studio, the space boasts murals, bespoke art installations and floral table accents, crafted from indigenous elements.

Executive Chef Sebastian Smith collaborates with small-scale farmers and local artisans to reinterpret South African staples. The promise is that “each plate is a narrative of heritage and terroir — whether through a delicate take on a Cape Malay classic or a vibrant celebration of the Winelands’ bounty”.

Contact restaurantmanager@erinvale.co.za or book via Dineplan.

Popular Paarl eatery reflects Cape terroir and global inspiration

Meanwhile in nearby Paarl, the Bistro at Brookdale Estate has launched its summer menu, described as a vibrant and thoughtful expression of Cape terroir and global inspiration, led by Executive Chef Gary Coetzee.

Voted among Dineplan’s Top 20 Restaurants in South Africa for 2025, the Bistro is situated in the heart of the Paarl Winelands, at the foot of the Klein Drakenstein mountains.

The new seasonal menu offers a celebration of fresh, local produce and progressive culinary techniques, mirroring the Brookdale philosophy in the vineyards: a curated blend of the traditional and the unexpected. 

Starters include green gazpacho, a twice-baked cheese soufflé, a rich duck liver paté, trout tartare, beef carpaccio, spice-battered prawns, and smoked snoek paté.

Chef Gary’s signature risottos remain a highlight of the Bistro’s offering. Available in both traditional and plant-based options, guests can choose between a mushroom risotto or one made with pea purée, both available as either a starter or a main course.

Main course highlights include a crisp mushroom spring roll and a pan-seared fish of the day, boldly spiced tandoori chicken, slow-cooked confit leg of duck, Moroccan-style lamb, or a robust pork chop. For steak lovers, the tallow-aged sirloin is a standout, aged for flavour and chargrilled. 

To finish, guests can indulge in a lemongrass crèmeux, or the Cape Malay koesister soufflé. More at www.brookdale-estate.com or https://www.dineplan.com/restaurants/bistro-at-brookdale. DM