Taste the change at Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City

Executive chef Natalie Schoonbee-Rozentvaig

Crispy calamari

A graduate of Cape Town’s prestigious Silwood School of Cookery, Schoonbee-Rozentvaig’s culinary foundation is rooted in a rustic and creative style that emphasises sustainability and authenticity. She has resort, lodge, restaurant, and hotel experience, and was appointed sous chef by age 20, head chef by 23, and executive chef by 25. She’s worked with some of the greatest local chefs, including Scott Kirton, Luke Dale-Roberts, Peter Tempelhoff and Neil Perry, and has had the pleasure of cooking for numerous celebrities.

She says of her culinary heritage, “I grew up traveling the world with my family due to the nomadic nature of my father’s work. At 30, I have seen more countries than years, and still enjoy travelling as much as I did as a child. As a result, I have travelled widely for my work,” she says. “My favourite cuisine will always be French; however, I can’t resist taking an eclectic mix of international cuisines and coming up with fusion dishes."

Tasked with refreshing the food and beverage direction of the group’s flagship hotel in Waterfall City in Midrand, Johannesburg, Schoonbee-Rozentvaig has launched an exciting new menu for the main restaurant, The Protea, located on the ground floor, and featuring a range of comfortable seating configurations and original protea flower wall sculpture and themed décor. The in-room dining menu is a shortened version of The Protea offering. Later this year, she will unveil her culinary vision for The Highline gourmet lounge on the ninth floor, known for spectacular views across the city.

“I turn to art and the artistry of cooking when it comes to personal expression, and try to keep dishes close to the source and sustainable, wholesome and nutrient-dense,” she explains. “However, some of my dishes are pure indulgence – there’s room for that too! – showcasing my favourite ingredients: butter, cream, cheese, and chocolate.”

Chicken quesadilla

Parma ham pasta with Easy red wine

Balance is at the heart of the hotel’s newly launched menus, with a delicious selection of health-conscious as well as indulgent options, hearty dishes and gourmet sides. Fine-dining is one element of the offering, well supported by flavourful, filling, and easy options such as pregos, burgers, quesadillas and enchiladas. Look out for:

• Calamari and chorizo, with succulent blooms and shoots, parsley, and lemon cheek

• Cauliflower and broccoli cheese, with burnt cauliflower, crumbed cauliflower, broccoli, Parmesan cheese sauce, black pepper, and herb oil

• Chicken quesadilla, with tortilla, chicken, mozzarella, jalapeno, sour cream, tomato salsa, guacamole, and coriander

• Crispy calamari, with squid ink aioli, biltong dust, garlic bread, lemon cheek, nasturtium leaves, and edible flowers

• Crispy prawn tower, with sushi rice, cucumber, radish, coriander, avocado, chilli, edamame, sriracha mayo, sesame-soy sriracha dressing, and sesame seeds

• Crumbed mushrooms, with Parmesan sauce, herb oil, lemon aioli, almonds, grapes, watercress, pickled shimeji, dehydrated mushrooms, sliced shiitake, and edible flowers

• Kingklip, with burnt cauliflower, vanilla-lemon-butter sauce, butternut, lemon cheek, and dehydrated lemon and lime

• Parma ham pasta, with Parmesan, pork and Parmesan crumble, rocket shoots, dehydrated mushrooms, and sliced shiitake

• Pork ribs, with pickled red onion, chives, mixed sesame seeds, served with fries

Schoonbee-Rozentvaig’s approach to cuisine goes beyond the food itself: “I believe food carries the energy of the people who prepare it and so I put a lot of effort into ensuring that my team members are in a good place,” says. “I’m a firm believer in oneness, and that you can’t discipline a person into being creative or loving – it just doesn’t work that way. Instead, I try to inspire passion, effort, and creativity in my team because that’s what I want to see in the food leaving the kitchen.”

Key to realising her vision has been investment in both equipment and people. The addition of a flame grill has elevated the flavour and texture of the restaurant’s steaks, while innovative staff training initiatives ensure her team’s growth.

Pork ribs on the pass

Prawn tower with Easy white wine

“We test the staff’s knowledge after training on the new menus and award prizes, like new knives, to the chefs with the highest scores. Our new commis chef, Faith has snapped up the prize three out of four times,” Schoonbee-Rozentvaig says with pride. “My senior sous chef, Angela Miyambo, and sous chef Evan Ntombela have made invaluable contributions to the menu, managing the team, and ordering and preparing what we needed for the menu launch.”

Schoonbee-Rozentvaig has words of affirmation and appreciation for each staff member, recognising that a kitchen brigade runs on teamwork, and each chef – from serious specialist to excellent all-rounder – plays a vital role in ensuring a top-notch guest experience.

“The food that arrives at your table has been on a long journey, from our local farmers and suppliers, to the kitchen team, and finally to our guests. Each step is under my control and according to my choice and, while everyone in the team takes their role seriously, I always encourage them to work with love.”

Time to get your tastebuds involved and book a meal at The Protea restaurant and The Highline gourmet lounge, which are open to resident and non-resident guests for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, call +27 10 025 3030.

Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City carries four-star Green Building Council SA certification and has 161 luxurious rooms in total (151 studio rooms, 6 junior suites and 4 executive suites), complemented by the elegant Club Lounge, spacious co-working spaces, three smart conference venues for up to 120 people, six-seater boardroom, fitness room and sparkling swimming pool. The general manager is Brendan Luttig. For more information and to book, go to: https://citylodgehotels.com/hotels/490/Courtyard-Hotel-Waterfall-City.