LIZETTE’S KITCHEN
What do you get when you throw together a beautiful and talented fine dining chef, a business entrepreneur and adventure sports enthusiast, and a grand old lady steeped in local history? You get a quirky but harmonious blend of the traditional and the exotic, of laid-back comfort and cuttingedge style, and a tempting spread of unique and inspirational cuisine. In short, you get Lizette’s Kitchen. The unique quality of this local restaurant starts with the building in which it is housed, situated at no. 20, 8th Street, Voëlklip. More than a hundred years old, this residential property was built during the first years of the 20th century by the Bishop family. A photograph dated around 1910, shows the thatched residence situated on the main (dirt) road from Hermanus at the point where it crossed the Mossel River via a low-level bridge. After a short incline, the road swept past the house towards the sea to link up with 10th Street, which was then the only road to Stanford.
During the mid-1960s, when a new bridge was constructed over the Mossel River, the current traffic circle was built immediately in front of the house which greatly diminished its appeal as a domestic dwelling. Subsequent owners included the Van Niekerks and the Louw family, but the house gradually fell into disrepair. By the time Scott Soothill and Lizette Crabtree arrived in Hermanus in December 2011, there were several tenants either living in the house or running small businesses from the premises. It was in a derelict state and had been on the market for five years, but they immediately saw the potential. The pair had met in Vietnam where Lizette worked as a chef and later as manager of a string of Australian owned hotels and restaurants for nine years. During her second year in Vietnam, she met Scott, who hails from the UK, in a sleepy fishing village on the south coast which later became a worldclass destination for water sports. Scott, who
is a kite-surfing enthusiast (see The Hermanus News, 23 February 2016 issue), went on to develop various businesses in adventure tourism in Vietnam. Lizette and Scott had been on the look-out for a new business venture all over the world, including Asia and Australia, when a holiday in Hermanus got them thinking that this might just be the spot. “Coming from a developing country and having the necessary entrepreneurial skills, we could recognise the phenomenal growth potential of Hermanus,” says Scott with enthusiasm. “We have everything needed to make this a world-class destination right on our doorstep.” When they saw the house at no. 20, 8th Street, they realised that it presented the opportunity for a long-term investment. “The location was great for a restaurant,” says Scott. “We had everything here – wonderful ambience and character, a sense of history, more than enough floor space, the outside area and garden, ample parking space, close proximity to the most popular beaches and a beautiful view…” With the purchase concluded, Scott set about designing the interior and overseeing the renovations while Lizette got cracking with the development of the menu. “It was important for us to retain the soul of the property,” says Scott. Many of the originals features such as wooden beams and floorboards were retained while others were recycled and put to new use. “Everything in this restaurant has a story to it,” adds Lizette. “I just love it when our customers tell us about their memories of the house. Someone once mentioned that they knew the doctor who was one of the previous owners.” During the renovation process, Lizette and Scott were grateful for the support they received from the Hermanus Heritage & Aesthetics Committee and once they’d opened for business the whole committee was invited to lunch. “We feel more like the custodians of this special building than its owners,” says Lizette.
Lizette Crabtree and Scott Soothill welcoming bar lounge. The menu presents a feast of original and innovative dishes, from interesting breakfasts to gourmet burgers; fresh and light meals to hearty comfort dishes. There is nothing commonplace about the food and everything comes with a surprising twist, including Lizette’s signature dishes which include Asian style tempra fish, scented squid and tabbouleh and Bun Cha, a North Vietnamese street food dish of pork prepared three ways. Lizette says she enjoys guiding diners by explaining the menu to them and encouraging them to enjoy their food in the “sharing style” she grew accustomed to while living in Vietnam. Lizette’s Kitchen is open 7 days a week from 09:00 – 22:00. Call 028 314 0308 to book. - Hedda Mittner
The menu of Lizette’s Kitchen reflects Asian influences, especially Lizette’s love of Vietnamese cuisine, but she emphasises that it is not an Asian restaurant per se. “Hermanus has become very cosmopolitan and our menu has grown along with our clientele,” she says. “We have the swallows from Europe and the UK, the holiday crowds from Gauteng, the hip young weekenders from Cape Town, the retired executives, the beach bums and families. We cater for all of them.” The restaurant offers different dining spaces both inside and outside, and a most
The garage across the road from Lizette’s Kitchen also dates back to the early decades of the previous century when the Bishop family were granted the licence to build and operate the first service station in what was then officially named the Mossel River Township, on the corner of Main Road and 9th Avenue. The ancestors of this old Hermanus family, Willie and Nellie Bishop, came from the Caledon district in the 1890s and lived at De Mondhuis, near the Klein River estuary. The next generation went into the dairy business and supplied fresh milk throughout Hermanus. Requiring transport to deliver the milk, they also started a transport business, initially with ox wagons and then gradually motorising until, today, huge trucks belonging to Bishop’s Transport are
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seen all over Hermanus. Three generations of Bishops have been Mayors of Hermanus: Bill (1963-1965), John (1986-1987) and Jimmy (1992-1993). Sometime in the 1930s the Bishops sold the house at 20 8th Street to the Daneel family. Dr. Pieter Michiel Daneel (c1880-1964) practised in Hermanus for many years. He travelled each day from this house to his consulting rooms in Harbour Road, in one of the original fisherman’s cottages belonging to the Du Toit family. These premises were later renovated as The Book Cottage and now house the Lembu Art Gallery. Source: Dr Robin Lee, Hermanus History Society Dr. Pieter Michiel Daneel
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+27 (0)28 341 0209 info@kiwinet.co.za • www.kiwinet.co.za 34 Daneel Street STANFORD 7210
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