Page 12 - Waterfall City Issue 2 February 2024

Waterfall City News

MEET THE CHEF

KEEGAN MAISTRY

Executive Chef at the Courtyard Hotel

A s the Executive Chef for Q. What is your cooking

The Protea Restaurant
style?
and The Highline Tapas
A: French contemporary and fusion-
Lounge at the Courtyard
Hotel in Waterfall City, Keegan inspired dishes.
strives for excellence and has a high Q. What is your inspiration
respect for food and the kitchen. for new recipes/dishes?
A: Seasonal produce, new trends and
Q. Name & Surname kitchen team brainstorming ideas.
A: Keegan Maistry
Q. What is your favourite
Q. Restaurant name & cuisine dish to prepare on your
served current menu? Why?
A: The Protea Restaurant – A: Smoked tandoori chicken thighs
contemporary casual dining. with a spicy butter chicken sauce and
The Highline – tapas lounge. lentil salad. I love the different depths
of flavour and key elements of smoky,
Q. When did you decide to spicy, sweet and fresh. A chef’s dream
become a chef and why? is to achieve all those taste profiles on
A: The kitchen found me in the early one plate.
2000s while watching my mother
prepare delicious meals and trying to Q. What is your favourite
assist her. Q. Do you have any home-cooked meal?
accolades? A: A spicy lamb chop chutney.
Q. Did you study? If so, A: I cooked for the Prince and Princess
where? of Monaco, attained second place in Q. In your opinion, what
A: I studied at the ICESA Hotel School the National Burger Challenge and is the most underrated
in Durban and hold a National diploma have catered for many celebrities in ingredient? Why?
NQF5. South Africa and abroad. A: The humble tomato, because
of its versatility. It can be sweet or
savoury, used as a thickening agent,
a salad, bruschetta or garnish. It can
be confit, fried, dried or hydrated. The
applications are endless!

Q. If you could cook with
only three ingredients, what
would they be?
A: Lard, a protein and seasoning.

Q. What is one kitchen tool
or appliance you cannot
function without?
A: It’s every chef’s answer: my beloved
chef’s knife.

The Smoked tandoori chicken thighs with a spicy butter chicken sauce and lentil salad is Chef Keegan’s
favourite dish to prepare on The Protea Restaurant’s menu.

10 Waterfall City Issue 2 2024