Michelin-starred chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen is bringing his celebrated French bistro concept home to South Africa this December, with Le Bistrot de JAN set to open in Cape Town. Possibly even bigger news is that the restaurant will be headed up by chef Giles Edwards.

Jan Hendrik says, “The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has always been one of those quintessentially Cape Town places, a setting straight out of a postcard where the city life meets the backdrop of the harbour and mountain. I can still remember the thrill of sipping my very first cognac there as a student, feeling both out of place and right at home all at once. The energy of that unique space has never really left me, so it feels surreal to officially announce that Le Bistrot de JAN is opening at the newly renovated InterContinental Table Bay Hotel in the V&A Waterfront this December.”

 

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Jan Hendrik, one of the first South African chefs to earn a Michelin star in France with his eponymous restaurant JAN in Nice, originally launched Le Bistrot de JAN as a more casual counterpart to his flagship restaurant. His new Cape Town eatery represents a second homecoming for the Mpumalanga-born chef whose Kalahari-based Klein JAN currently holds two Eat Out stars. Adding considerable weight to the new venture is the appointment of chef Giles Edwards as Executive chef. Giles brings impressive credentials, most notably as the mastermind behind Eat Out award-winning La Tête, the nose-to-tail restaurant that challenged local dining conventions when it opened in Bree Street in 2016. The restaurant sadly closed in 2021 during COVID.

Giles’ background includes formative experience at London’s legendary St John Restaurant under Fergus Henderson, where he honed the philosophy that made La Tête a trailblazer in sustainable dining.

With Table Mountain as its stunning backdrop, Le Bistrot de JAN is sure to bring Cape Town diners a delicious taste of Côte d’Azur bistro culture, with a distinct South African flair. It’s an exciting addition to Cape Town’s rapidly evolving dining scene, particularly as the city continues to cement its position as a serious global culinary destination.