Breaking into the culinary scene takes a lot more than ranking top of your class, working a pair of tweezers or being a molecular gastronomy genius, it requires innovation, intellect, and serving your heart on the plate. And even if you have all of that going for you, opening an establishment in this economy makes as much sense as eating gazpacho in the dead of winter. But despite the odds, one thing is apparent – South Africa’s youngest chefs have stepped up to the plate. Welcome to our Next Gen series, a celebration of young talent in the local food industry. These chefs have proved they can throw down in the kitchen, rise above the chaos and break the glass ceiling. For our first instalment, we interview head chef and co-owner of Dusk Restaurant, Callan Austin. Join the conversation…

Interview with chef Callan Austin

After graduating from the Institute of Culinary Arts, Callan was chef de partie at Le coin Français in Franschhoek, where worked closely with his mentor and business partner, Darren Badenhorst. Austin has racked up an impressive resume, having appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef South Africa, and having won the Social Responsibility award at the 2019-2021 San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition, hosted in Milan.

After landing back at home, Austin sought a change of scenery and traded Wineland views to work as Junior Sous Chef at seascape attraction, Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic. Fast-forward years later – he and Badenhorst started an events company specialising in unique dining experiences. The disruptive duo then dawned on a new venture, Dusk, a restaurant where time eludes diners and flavours defy boundaries.

Dusk Restaurant co-owners: Darren Badenhorst (right), Callan Austin (left)

The Stellenbosch-based restaurant uses experimental fermentation methods and whole-process cooking to highlight sustainable eating and hyper-seasonal ingredients.

At Dusk, the curtains draw close and dining room lights are dimmed, heightening senses and allowing patrons to focus purely on the food and the dining experience. After just three months of service, the restaurant won the Retail Capital Best New Restaurant title at the 2022 Eat Out Awards. Following positive reviews from the public, the pair opened another establishment, Nocturne, earlier this week – Austin shares what visitors can expect.

How has your upbringing impacted your style of cooking?

I grew up in the small coastal town of Jeffreys Bay where I spent my formative years surrounded by the ocean and Mother Nature. That lifestyle quite seamlessly integrates into cooking and is part of the reason I wanted to become a chef.

Best and most challenging part of your career journey?

The best part of my journey thus far has been the opportunity to freely create, and in turn, has also made it the most challenging part too! The pressure to continuously push the envelope is intense, as every chef knows.

You won the Social Responsibility Award at the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Comp. Why are sustainability awards as important as other accolades?

I don’t think chefs should be focusing on winning any awards, to be honest. To be awarded should come as the cherry on top of having a financially successful restaurant with a carousel of new and returning guests who appreciate and admire the work you’re doing. Thinking sustainably should be a prerequisite for every chef nowadays. The infrastructure to operate a sustainable restaurant is mostly there so there are few excuses, however, we should all be working towards creating an even more ethical and sustainable model.

How do you create dishes that tell a story?

My favourite saying is ‘change the way you look at things, and what you’re looking at will change’, and it’s a concept I apply to all aspects of my life. When you view objects or situations objectively, you’re able to extract so much more from them. We apply that philosophy to everything we do at Dusk, and it’s what allows us to create freely and tell those stories.

You experiment with special ingredients and whole-process cooking at Dusk. Why take this unique approach to cooking?

I felt like the fine dining scene in South Africa had started to stagnate a bit, with many restaurants using the same suppliers for everything and having few differences in their menus as the seasons changed. I’ve always been a creative, food is just the medium I choose to express myself in.

There were about 3 months leading up to the opening of Dusk; we spent a lot of time researching and connecting with suppliers in and around our immediate area. We have established some fantastic relationships with forward-thinking farmers and producers that are responsible for some incredible produce and that level of quality and excellence really shows in our menu.

Regarding the whole process cooking, it just makes sense. When you’re sourcing directly from farmers and hunters, they don’t fabricate anything for you, so it’s really up to the chefs to figure out ways to utilise the entire animal, and through that mindset, we have discovered some fascinating techniques and dishes.

Restaurants are high-stress environments, staffers often bear the brunt of this, mentally. How does Dusk seek to change this narrative with its psychological approach?

We wanted to create a platform for our staff to reflect on everyday problems they face not only at work but in life. The world we live in has become a fast-paced rat race with so many overwhelming decisions to make. Seeing and talking to a professional about these feelings is the quickest way to overcome emotions and redirect yourself onto the right track for a more balanced and happy life. At Dusk, we offer free in-house counselling for all of our staff, no matter their needs. The programme has been built in collaboration with a fantastic mental health company, Headroom, and is something we will be taking outside of our restaurant group to help others in the industry.

On top of that, we have reduced the number of working hours significantly and have created a workspace that encourages growth, mistakes and a team-driven mentality through initiatives like our weekly wastage competition, team-building outings and training.

What advice would you give aspiring chefs?

I’ll say it again, change the way you look at things and what you’re looking at will change.

We can’t wait to visit Nocturne. What can guests expect?

Guests can expect a signature drinks menu that has as much thought put into it as the tasting menu at Dusk. The space is opulent, sophisticated and verrrry sexy, if I do say so myself! A seasonal small plates menu and a snack pairing for our signature cocktail menu will be available.

To make a reservation at Dusk Restaurant, email or call  021 023 4100 | Dinner: Tues-Sat: 18h00–20h00 | Location: 43 Plein Street, Stellenbosch

Nocturne: Tues-Sat: 16h00-late | 43 Plein Street, Stellenbosch | Contact Dusk for bookings

duskrestaurant.co.za | Instagram