In our new video series, we explore how the most meaningful meals happen when food becomes a bridge to something deeper – connection, community and the relationships that nourish us beyond the plate.  

After a morning spent foraging for ingredients for the day ahead at Seebamboes, their intimate dining spot on Harrington Street in Cape Town, Adél Hughes – head chef – and her wife Liebet Jooste – manager – settle down to enjoy the homemade breakfast buns they made before their drive out to the coast.  

This simple, but delicious meal of Woolworths snoek fishcakes, gem lettuce and Liebet’s “quickle” on Woolies’ Ultimate Burger Buns creates an opportunity for the couple to connect before a busy day at the restaurant – a moment to pause to simply be together. 

Watch below as Adél and Liebet take us along on their coastal adventure.  

 

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We chatted to the couple to learn more about the role food plays in their lives, outside of the restaurant kitchen.  

Q. The restaurant industry can be intense and demanding. How do you prioritise and maintain a meaningful relationship with each other, as well as with family and friends, outside of the restaurant kitchen? 

Adél: Planning is the most effective way to keep in touch with family and friends. We plan calls, trips or catch-ups with our family and friends on days we are off. We are obviously quite tired after the week, but if we’ve made plans to catch up with our loved ones (whether it’s in-person or just a call), it excites us and we get energised again. 

Liebet and I enjoy just spending time together before and after work. We try our best to then focus on our relationship and, of course, our dog, Max. 

Liebet: We take care to be mindful when we are not working to make sure we are really present. Our loved ones and the things we love doing have to take priority when we are off. This is something you have to be very proactive about, otherwise, before you know it, you never get to it. Max plays a big role in helping us keep perspective. She needs to walk and get out, and this gets us walking and outside too.  

Q. How does food play a role in caring for the ones you love? 

Adél: Often, it’s just easy cooking, but I love preparing meals for loved ones. My love language is definitely acts of service. 

Liebet: It’s an expression of love. I like sharing my creativity and the things I enjoy or find exciting, and when I do this, it’s an expression of love. I like growing things that we can eat and have certain things I like to make, like noodles (my ‘noodle time’) and ‘Liebie salads’. I also like feeding vegetables to Max.   

Q. When you sit down together for a meal, how is the meal about more than just the food you’re eating? 

Adél: It’s about being together and making a memorable moment. 

Liebet: It’s about being together and celebrating where we are together.