My culinary career started when I was still a fashion editor, quite fortuitously. It all began when my home on the West Coast was chosen as the venue for a wedding. On the eve of the wedding, intuition told me to start prepping. Thankfully, I did, because the next day the chef arrived rather under the weather! At that stage, my cooking repertoire was very basic:  a good salad, a fillet and a few side dishes. But there I was cooking for 70-odd people!

The beauty of the setting, with the living room seamlessly extending onto the beach, caught the attention of friends, who would ask me to cook for them. Friends would bring friends, and soon I started a langtafel [long table] at my home on the dune every Sunday. Soon people started talking about my house as Duinhus, and that’s how my weekend lunches became known as Langtafel op die Duin [Long Table on the Dunes].

Each Sunday, I would set out tables, creating a welcoming space where guests shared meals with strangers. I specialised in seafood: oysters, mussels and fish on the braai. Meat as a main course and dessert, even though my repertoire, at the time, was limited to only five desserts. In fact, it still is!

Langtafel op die Duin became something of an institution. I think that people found the whole idea of someone opening their home to 45 or 50 strangers every Sunday, intriguing. I took such pleasure listening to the laughter and conversations, and I like to think, that for a few hours, I’ve brought magic into people’s lives. This is what food does: it binds people and lays a foundation for new friendships and joy. In my heart, I think that I was put on earth to bring moments of magic to people’s lives.

My culinary philosophy centres around freshness and food layering. I believe in using the freshest ingredients possible, and to prepare the food on the day that it’s served. It’s so important to me, that I don’t even own a freezer! I believe in the concept of layering, or adding ingredients sequentially, giving the flavours time to marry. I also love putting together a plate of food with a lot of surprises on it; even the subtle hint of a flavour can be a surprise.

These principles are reflected in this special DASH recipe set, along with an interesting combination of flavours and textures. I am excited to share a few vegan recipes from my upcoming cookbook, and, of course, as a seafood specialist, I invite you to try the recipe with the sardines, which sits close to my heart!