Chef Ransley Pietersen’s journey as a chef has been that of sacrifice and determination.

“Starting off straight out of high school I knew I had wanted to be a chef for many years through my secondary education but having no idea of the avenues that had to be followed – and the process of becoming a chef was the most daunting thing,” he says. “The fear of the unknown is what actually pushed me in the direction to discover more about what I at the time felt so passionate about.” 

Ransley managed to enroll into a bursary programme through Protea Hotels where he had completed one year of an orientation into hospitality and a “real hardcore experience”, where he got to see first-hand what it would take to work in the industry.

After my orientation year, I was accepted into the programme and managed to place in the top 18 young chefs within the Protea Hotel group through the ‘Buddying Chef of the year competition’.

“This achievement had opened a new door for me not just to enter the bursary programme but also to be placed at the flagship African Pride Hotel in Melrose Arch as a first-year trainee. After months of working at the establishment, I decided that it would be beneficial for me to attend a professional institution to further my studies rather than proceed with the in-service traineeship.”

Ransley then attended Prue Leith Culinary Institute where he furthered his studies. “I was placed at Overture Restaurant in Stellenbosch for the final phase of my studies, which played a massive role in moulding the chef I am today. Working within Chef Bertus Basson’s establishment, with Chef Adele Grewar at the helm, taught me discipline and instilled ethics within me to form a strong foundation of my career. I found a strong connection with South African-inspired food elevated to a fine-dining level. My love and passion for food and the service thereof was truly explored during my time at Overture.”

Ransley returned to Pretoria after his placement as it wasn’t feasible for him to stay on at Overture or Spice Route by Bertus Basson, which at the time was headed up by Chef Allistaire Lawrence who is currently the executive chef at Boschendal. 

“Upon arriving back in Pretoria, I was offered the great opportunity to be part of the opening team at Fermier under Chef Adriaan Maree. This is where my skills were honed, and I was pushed to my limits in terms of learning and execution,” Ransley explains. “Fermier has been an integral part of my development as a chef, a true art form in its own right in techniques and skills that I’ve learnt with a predominant focus on the ingredient’s true integrity. Clean flavours and allowing produce to shine was the art form that we followed in delivering unparalleled experiences daily.”

His next career move was working for Chef Shane Smit, who was the group executive chef for Jamie’s Italian when the franchise was brought to South Africa. He worked his way up the ladder and based on his background with cooking, he turned his attention to focus more on the business side of the culinary arts. During his time at Jamie’s Italian, he focused on the skills that he lacked in the spare time that he had. 

“Running a 400-seater restaurant on an international franchise level contributed to my portfolio in a very different sense and thus ultimately gave way to taking up the head chef position at Serengeti Estates where I essentially became the prodigy of Chef Shane Smit in building a multi-faceted Italian village with multiple food and beverage offerings. I was promoted to executive chef of the entire club running all food outlets for the remainder of my tenure at the club which lasted for approximately two years.”

He was then contacted by Chris Bentley, CEO of Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, with the offer to take up the executive chef position at the award-winning golf club. The scope was a blank canvas to create a dining experience focused and driven on family dining which is almost unheard of at an establishment of this nature, Ransley says. The opportunity to be the pioneer in putting together such a restaurant that catered to more than meets the eye, has so far been the pinnacle of his career. 

“Since inception, The Old Oak has been an amalgamation of my journey in the cauldron. Simmering away, patiently awaiting experiences of nuances of my time spent in different habitats. My determination and aspirations to always push the boundaries and challenge the norm has seen The Old Oak Restaurant achieve awards within the first five months of opening.” 

More recently, Ransley has partnered with The Cheff SA as their brand ambassador, showcasing very bespoke ingredients that can be easily incorporated into recipes for professional chefs and home cooks.

These nostalgic moments are scarred in the deep love I have for creating magical and memorable moments through dining experiences.

“I always remind myself that today holds the key to tomorrow’s opportunities and this has seen me branch out into consulting for top tier establishments and unlocking opportunities with the likes of Circle Senior Living, Home Suite Hotels, Aleit Events, IWC, The Whiskey Vault and Dan Nicholl.”

So what made Ransley want to become a chef?

“Growing up, good food was an essential part of my life. I remember the scents of fresh roti being made and the perfectly tempered spices that filled the air, the lingering smell of breyani as the lid opened for the first time after steaming whilst learning the ropes alongside my mother and grandmother. These nostalgic moments are scarred in the deep love I have for creating magical and memorable moments through dining experiences,” he says.

“For as long as I can remember I have always leaned toward understanding the art and science behind cooking. Food and dining have become more than just sustenance, it has become an act of love; an act of creativity that showcases skill and understanding that ultimately allows patrons to eat a piece of artwork that once existed in a moment of time. The romance behind that is truly what I live for.”

For Ransley, what he loves most about his profession is the ability to change lives.

“How does food change someone’s life you might ask? Well, I always believe that in order to be a great chef, one has to wear their heart on their sleeve. Yes, a very daunting feat to cast upon yourself but I truly believe that cooking is a love language that should be entered into with complete abandon or not at all. In the process you ultimately give of yourself to any person around you knowing full well that they may not understand or appreciate what you have created but the joy of changing one person’s perception is more rewarding than a thousand misinterpreted reviews.”

When it comes to the staff, which is the most important aspect of a successful restaurant, he says that he ensures that junior and senior management are agile and in line with the vision and goals of leading a team. “It Is vital that all tiers of management understand the importance of training and developing staff to a point where they can be the best versions of themselves. If we believe that leaving a legacy is the most rewarding part of life then we need to be agile leaders and encourage our people to be leaders of their own, writing their own story.”

Legacy was a factor in him consulting with Circle Senior Living, a way to work with mature tastes that have travelled and lived and ensure that retirees get the best out of their food journey in this stage of their lives where food is so crucial. 

I asked Ransley if he could have dinner with anyone – alive or no longer here – who it would be and what he would serve.

“If I could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, it would most definitely be my grandfather. He never really understood why I wanted to be a chef, coming from a blue-collar background his entire life, and eventually establishing a very successful glass merchant company he truly believed that his hard work meant that the generations to follow would have life much easier in providing a foundation that should raise the level of where we would start. He never really considered professional cookery or culinary arts as a true career,” Ransley notes.

“His passing has been my inspiration and motivation that one day if I could ever have a meal with him, it would be one of my own creations that would show how far I’ve come. I would serve a feast of meats prepared in different ways showing different cooking methods and techniques, but the star of the show would definitely be a wagyu flat iron steak with a pint of Amstel Lager. I think the conversation would be an interesting one…”

And what is his this accomplished chef’s favourite food-and-wine pairing?

“Definitely a Chef’s Table feature with Paul Cluver wines made by the infamous gilded wine maker Andries Burger. Contrary to popular pairings we decided that we would serve a 9/12 marble score wagyu flat iron steak dressed in ponzu with yuzu pearls to dance in harmony with the Seven Flags Chardonnay,” he says.

“Another stellar pairing we successfully pulled off was a very cool creation by Ruhan Duvenage, one of my best friends that has walked the majority of my career, during lockdown. We did a tea pairing that would see the substitute of whiskeys as he found that the mouthfeel replicated through tea was that of whiskey without the alcohol. The Rooibos Old Fashion was created to pair with Dry Aged Ribeye, Confit Onion & Demi-Glace with Porcini Dust.

“The final yet most exclusive pairing we have done as a team was providing a tasting for a private whiskey club called The Whiskey Vault. Featuring around 1300 rare whiskeys from all around the world. The line up that we focused on was that of Berry Bros & Rudd, an independent bottler of rare Single-Nordic casks from Scandinavia. A total of seven whiskeys in the collection ranging in different flavour profiles and nuances with a wide spectrum, each offering something very unique. We paired anything from vegan oysters to pork belly smoked in aniseed and vanilla pods and finished with a dark chocolate truffle filled with caramel made with duck fat and maldon salt.”