A Table in the Corner

Russel Wasserfall Media
  • 5.0 (1)
  • FOOD
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A Table in the Corner is the space where Russel Wasserfall chats to people in the food industry about their passion and their take on the business of eating. Russel has worked in the media and food space for over 3 decades. He's run bars, restaurants and a confectionery factory, written for dozens of food and travel publications and made a bunch of cookbooks. His show is about the nitty-gritty of the food trade in all its forms. Top chefs, food artisans, proprietors, bakers, farmers, foragers, cheesemakers, writers, photographers, bloggers... you name it. If they’re involved in the food industry, you will meet them with Russel at A Table in the Corner. 

  1. S2-14. Bao Down - Philippa & Graham Oldfield

    4D AGO

    S2-14. Bao Down - Philippa & Graham Oldfield

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Philippa and Graham Oldfield, the partners behind Bao Down, one of Cape Town’s most beloved independent restaurants. The conversation traces their parallel routes through chef school, hotels, yachts and serious kitchens, before converging in a small, hard working room in Vredehoek Avenue that would quietly build a cult following. Philippa and Graham talk about learning discipline under pressure, the influence of Liam Tomlin’s kitchens, and why Bao Down was never conceived as a trend-driven project but as a tightly run, repeatable place built on flavour, consistency and trust. They unpack the thinking behind bao as a format, ingredient sourcing, cost control and portioning, and how a simple menu can still demand precision night after night. The discussion also moves into growth, parenthood and sustainability, from scaling up to the Green Point space to building a long standing team and stepping back from the floor without losing standards. This is a grounded, honest conversation about running a restaurant for the long haul, balancing ambition with family life, and why some rooms earn loyalty by doing a few things properly rather than everything at once. You can view the Bao Down menu here Get a fair price with HeadsUp Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Thumbnail image supplied by the restaurant.  www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    34 min
  2. S2-13. Toevlug - Drikus Brink

    JAN 27

    S2-13. Toevlug - Drikus Brink

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Drikus Brink, chef/proprietor of Toevlug, to trace a quietly serious cooking life shaped by farms, butcheries and long service beside Bertus Basson. Brink talks through his early years growing up around meat and trade, cooking boerewors rolls as a teenager, studying in Pretoria and arriving at Overture, to spend nearly a decade in Basson’s kitchens. The conversation moves through volume cooking, technique, pressure and instinct, from one man hot sections to breakfast services that teach humility fast. Brink reflects on what he absorbed from Basson’s way of working: discipline over decoration, technique over theatre, and the confidence to change a dish mid service if it makes sense. We talk about building restaurants as businesses, growing sideways through bakeries, farm shops and events, and why Toevlug was designed as a place people can return to often rather than conquer once. This is a grounded discussion about fundamentals, mentorship and staying in your lane, told by a chef who understands that good food, properly cooked, is still the point. For more on the Bertus Basson group of restaurants, click here Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    34 min
  3. S2-12. Wiggle Room - Lester & Fish

    JAN 19

    S2-12. Wiggle Room - Lester & Fish

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down at the counter of The Wiggle Room on Bree Street with co-founders Lester Riffel and chef Ismael ‘Fish’ Amos to explore one of Cape Town’s most provocative new dining concepts. Built around a 12-seat counter, The Wiggle Room throws out menus, consistency and convention in favour of freedom, creativity and connection. Lester and Fish speak candidly about their unconventional paths through hospitality, the ideas born during smoke breaks outside fine dining kitchens, and the decision to run against the grain with ever-changing menus, illustrated cards, wild ingredients and boundary-pushing drink pairings. This is a conversation about risk, trust, collaboration and why dining can be as much about music, conversation and surprise as it is about food. A raw, energetic look at how Cape Town’s restaurant culture continues to evolve. For more on The Wiggle Room, click here Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    32 min
  4. S2-11. Salon - Carla Schulze

    JAN 14

    S2-11. Salon - Carla Schulze

    In this week’s episode, Russel sits down with Carla Schulze, executive chef of Salon which is part of the Test Kitchen family of restaurants. Carla reflects on her journey from studying under Jackie Cameron in KwaZulu Natal to becoming a key creative force alongside Luke Dale Roberts. The conversation explores mentorship, discipline, seasonality and the pressure of running a destination tasting menu restaurant in Cape Town. Carla speaks openly about creativity versus expectation, evolving menus, interactive dining experiences, no shows and the emotional toll they take on kitchens. This is an honest, generous discussion about leadership, resilience and what it means to cook with intention while shaping one of the city’s most refined dining rooms. For more on Salon, click here Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    36 min
  5. S2-10. Mertia - Matt van den Berg

    12/29/2025

    S2-10. Mertia - Matt van den Berg

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Matt van den Berg, head chef at Mertia in Stellenbosch and one of the most quietly respected chefs in the Western Cape. Matt reflects on his unconventional path into cooking, from a BCom degree and life on yachts to training at Silwood and working in some of South Africa’s most demanding kitchens, including The Test Kitchen and La Colombe. He speaks candidly about discipline, long hours, kitchen culture, and the pressure of stepping out from established restaurant groups to find his own voice. The conversation explores Mertia’s evolving tasting menu, technical cooking, the challenge of simplicity, and what it means to build systems, teams and confidence in a small, highly focused restaurant. An honest, thoughtful discussion about ambition, self doubt, creativity and the realities of modern chef life in South Africa. For more on Mertia, click here Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Chat to Mischa or Sash of Socially Unacceptable here  www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    29 min
  6. S2-09. Melting Pot - John van Zyl

    12/22/2025

    S2-09. Melting Pot - John van Zyl

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I sat down with John van Zyl, chef and co owner of Melting Pot, one of Cape Town’s most talked about contemporary restaurants. John reflects on his unconventional journey into food, from music and travel to working closely with Liam Tomlin, and how those years shaped his disciplined, process-driven approach to cooking. The conversation traces the evolution of Melting Pot from pop up dinners to permanent restaurants, exploring the freedom and pressure of cooking across cultures, the realities of running a growing team, and the tension between creativity and consistency. John speaks candidly about street food, technique, slow cooking, menu fatigue, and what it really takes to build a restaurant that feels alive, generous and grounded in experience. A rich, honest look at modern Cape Town cooking through the lens of one of its most curious and interesting chefs. For more on Melting Pot, click here Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Chat to Mischa or Sash of Socially Unacceptable here  www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    36 min
  7. S2-08. Melfort - Tasmin Reed

    12/15/2025

    S2-08. Melfort - Tasmin Reed

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Tasmin Reid, the young, fiercely thoughtful chef behind Melfort, a seasonal farm to fork restaurant on Marianne Estate near Stellenbosch. Tasmin shares her journey from Silwood Kitchen to working with Ryan Cole at Salsify, her plans for Australia, and how an unexpected autoimmune diagnosis reshaped both her life and her style of cooking. Now the owner of a popular winelands restaurant, she speaks openly about healing through food, foraging, running pop ups on farms, building a kitchen team in the middle of nowhere and creating a menu that is as nourishing as it is delicious. This is a powerful conversation about resilience, seasonal cooking, youthful ambition and what it really takes to open a restaurant on your own terms. More about Melfort Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Chat to Mischa or Sash of Socially Unacceptable here  www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    35 min
  8. S2-07. TTK Fledgelings - Nathan Clarke

    12/10/2025

    S2-07. TTK Fledgelings - Nathan Clarke

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Chef Nathan Clark, head chef of Test Kitchen Fledgelings. Apologies in advance - the sound quality is not the best, as I had a few technical challenges, but Nathan's story is incredible.  He shares his remarkable journey from scullery to running the kitchen, rising through the ranks of the Test Kitchen group over 13 years. He speaks openly about learning under Luke Dale Roberts and Jason Kosmas, mentoring young chefs through the Fledgelings programme, and the pressures of leading a busy service in one of the city’s most important training kitchens. The conversation explores how menus are developed, how teams are built from the ground up, and the dishes that guests refuse to let leave the menu. A grounded, humbling look at discipline, mentorship, resilience and what it really takes to grow inside a world class restaurant group. For more on TTK Fledgelings, click here Every booking is a first impression. Make a good one with Novel the contemporary restaurant booking system. Message me here with comments or guest suggestions. Treat yourself - order direct from Zuney Wagyu Get a fair price with HeadsUp Chat to Mischa or Sash of Socially Unacceptable here  www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    26 min
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About

A Table in the Corner is the space where Russel Wasserfall chats to people in the food industry about their passion and their take on the business of eating. Russel has worked in the media and food space for over 3 decades. He's run bars, restaurants and a confectionery factory, written for dozens of food and travel publications and made a bunch of cookbooks. His show is about the nitty-gritty of the food trade in all its forms. Top chefs, food artisans, proprietors, bakers, farmers, foragers, cheesemakers, writers, photographers, bloggers... you name it. If they’re involved in the food industry, you will meet them with Russel at A Table in the Corner. 

Information

  • Creator
    Russel Wasserfall Media
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    166
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Russel Wasserfall Media
  • Show Website
    A Table in the Corner

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