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. 4d ago

    S02-41. Vadivelu - Tim Wyatt-Gunning

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, brought to you with the kind collaboration of Kirston Foods, I chat to Tim Wyatt-Gunning, co-founder of Vadivelu, the contemporary South African Indian restaurant on Cape Town's Kloof Street. With a background in banking, telecommunications and technology, Tim's move into hospitality was unexpected. Together with his brother-in-law, chef Jason Moodley, he's helping to tell a new chapter in the story of South African Indian cuisine, rooted in family recipes but unafraid to reinterpret tradition.  We explore the evolution of Durban curry, why Jason describes their food as authentically South African rather than authentically Indian, and how dishes like crayfish curry, crab curry and even a crayfish bunny chow reflect the creativity that has always been part of this country's Indian food culture. Tim also explains why the restaurant's constantly changing specials board has become one of its greatest strengths.  Our conversation ranges beyond the food to the realities of opening and growing a successful independent restaurant. Tim reflects on what he brought from the corporate world, why hospitality is built on relationships as much as recipes, and the importance of creating a restaurant people want to return to again and again. We also discuss ‘Shy Elephant’, Vadivelu's house Indian lager, the role of regular customers in building a business, and why generosity remains at the heart of great hospitality.  www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S02-41. Vadivelu - Tim Wyatt-Gunning

  2. Jul 10

    S2-40. Pizza Sessions - Pizzasaurus

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I chat to Brad Berman, the founder of Pizzasaurus, a vegan pizzeria on Cape Town's Harrington Street that sees every pizza served as a small moment of activism. For Brad, plant-based cooking isn't about sacrifice or preaching. It's about proving that food can be indulgent, deeply satisfying and a little kinder to the planet at the same time. We explore how he set out to reinvent one of the world's most beloved comfort foods, developing his own fermented vegan cheeses, slow-proofed doughs and house-made sauces while partnering with specialist producers to create convincing plant-based alternatives to traditional pizza toppings. Brad explains why he believes great vegan food should stand on its own merits, rather than being judged as a substitute for something else. Our conversation also touches on the realities of running a niche restaurant, the changing fortunes of vegan dining in South Africa and why Harrington Street has become one of Cape Town's most exciting food precincts. Along the way we discuss food systems, sustainability and whether one great slice of pizza might just change a few minds. As always, Pizza Sessions is brought to you by Banhoek Chilli Oil: The perfect way to finish every slice. Whether you’re vegan, vegan-curious or simply love a good pizza, this is a fascinating conversation about food, hospitality and challenging assumptions, one slice at a time. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S2-40. Pizza Sessions - Pizzasaurus

  3. Jul 7

    S2-39. East City Grill + Yakiniku - Jaycee Ferreira

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I sit down with chef Jaycee Ferreira of East City Grill & Yakiniku in Cape Town’s growing Harrington Street precinct. We explore why so many chefs are drawn to Japan, and how a trip to Tokyo opened JayCee’s eyes to a side of Japanese food culture far beyond sushi. We talk about his journey into hospitality, the challenge of combining a steakhouse and a traditional yakiniku experience under one roof, and the farm-to-fork philosophy behind the restaurant’s own Wagyu beef programme. Along the way, we discuss umami, nose-to-tail cooking, restaurant precincts, and why Japanese cuisine continues to inspire chefs around the world. A thoughtful conversation about food, culture, craft and finding new ways to tell familiar stories through cooking.  www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S2-39. East City Grill + Yakiniku - Jaycee Ferreira

  4. Jul 2

    S2-38. Pizza Sessions 02 - Ferdinando's

    Born in San Pellegrino Terme and arriving in Cape Town with his South African partner in 2011, Diego Milesi talks about building Ferdinando’s from a tiny pop-up operation in the Cape Quarter into a loud, chaotic, deeply loved community institution in Observatory. This conversation goes far beyond toppings and dough. We get into the roots of Neapolitan pizza, the obsession with fermentation and hydration, the difference between traditional and contemporary Napoli styles, and why Diego still believes pizza is fundamentally poor people’s food: something made to bring people together rather than impress them. We also talk about the culture around Ferdinando’s itself. The music, the cocktails, the packed tables, the sense of belonging and the restaurant’s long-running association with Pasta Kitchen, a community project legacy of Diego’s late partner Kimon, which feeds and connects with vulnerable people living on the streets around Observatory. Along the way there are debates about banana on pizza, artisanal mozzarella, South African ingredients, Italian food purism and why Diego believes the atmosphere around a pizza can matter as much as the pizza itself. Pizza Sessions is sponsored by Banhoek Chilli Oil and will also be launching as a video series on the A Table in the Corner YouTube channel. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S2-38. Pizza Sessions 02 - Ferdinando's

  5. Jun 30

    S02-37. Zuney Burger - Henning Klopper

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I sit down with Henning Klopper, co-founder of Zuney Burger, to explore how a small farm-to-fork burger business from the Eastern Cape grew into one of Cape Town's most talked-about restaurant brands, and my absolute favourite burger. Fresh off recognition from Time Out as one of the world's best burger restaurants and a place on the 101 World's Best Burgers list, Henning reflects on the attention with characteristic humility, insisting there's still plenty to learn.  Our conversation goes well beyond burgers. We talk about building a business around the family's Wagyu cattle, respecting every stage of the value chain, why consistency matters more than perfection, and the realities of growing from a single shop to multiple locations without compromising quality. Henning also shares insights into restaurant economics, central production kitchens, equipment, sourcing and why telling customers the truth about your ingredients is always the best strategy.  It's an honest conversation about craftsmanship, hospitality and entrepreneurship, and about building a restaurant brand that grows by staying true to its values rather than chasing trends. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S02-37. Zuney Burger - Henning Klopper

  6. Jun 25

    S2-36. Pizza Sessions 01 - Pizza Shed

    Welcome to my audio podcast companion to The Pizza Sessions - a Banhoek Chilli Oil partner series where we explore the people, ingredients and craftsmanship behind some of Cape Town's best pizzas. In this episode I chat to James Williams and Tando Bavuma of Pizza Shed. The two friends built a backyard COVID project into one of the city's most-loved pizzerias, and we talk about their approach to quality ingredients and what goes into creating the perfect slice. Watch the full episode now on YouTube https://youtu.be/Zgg-8e1ags4  and stay tuned as we continue our search for our favourite pizza. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S2-36. Pizza Sessions 01 - Pizza Shed

  7. Jun 23

    S2-35. Taquerias & Tequila - Nic Haarhoff

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I sit down with restaurateur and entrepreneur Nic Haarhoff, best known as the founder of El Burro and the fun-and-funky trimmed down taquerias in Greenpont and Tamboerskloof. He’s an operator I admire, and predictably our chat soon digs deeper than tacos and tequila.  Nic reflects on the evolution of Cape Town’s restaurant scene over the past fifteen years, from the boom years of packed dining rooms and waiting lists to the far more complex trading environment operators face today. We talk about why he scaled down from a large, high-volume restaurant model to the smaller, more focused taquerias, and how simplicity, flexibility and controlling costs have become essential survival tools in modern hospitality.  Along the way, we explore some of the pressures reshaping the city’s food landscape: rising property costs, the impact of Airbnb on neighbourhood economies, seasonal tourism, restaurant oversupply and the challenge of staying afloat during increasingly difficult winters. Nic offers a thoughtful operator’s perspective on what has changed, what still works and where Cape Town may be heading.  We also discuss his parallel business, Groundswell Brands, which imports and distributes tequila, spirits and cocktail products, and how diversification beyond restaurants has become part of his long-term strategy.  This is an honest, practical conversation about hospitality, business and adaptation from someone who has spent almost two decades navigating Cape Town’s ever-changing restaurant landscape.  www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S2-35. Taquerias & Tequila - Nic Haarhoff

  8. Jun 16

    S2-34. CW Beau Constantia - Liam Tomlin

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I sit down with chef and restaurateur Liam Tomlin. It was supposed to be a chat about the milestone ten years of Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia, but we leapt into meatier matters. I also discovered that Thali is ten this year too, having opened within weeks of Beau. What follows is less a conversation about individual restaurants and more a look at the extraordinary influence Liam has had on Cape Town’s dining landscape over the past two decades. From a tiny cookery school and deli in a house off Buitensingel Street, Chef’s Warehouse has grown into a group of nine restaurants spanning Cape Town, the Winelands and even Hamburg, Germany. Along the way, Liam has helped shape not only restaurants, but a generation of chefs.  We talk about the people who have passed through his kitchens, including chefs such as John van Zyl, Jason Kosmas, Ivor Jones and many others who have gone on to lead some of South Africa’s most respected restaurants. Liam reflects on mentorship, partnership and why giving talented chefs room to grow has been central to the success of the Chef’s Warehouse group.  The conversation also explores the realities of running restaurants in 2026. We discuss rising costs, winter trading, the pressures facing hospitality businesses around the world and why maintaining quality has become more challenging than ever. Liam shares his thoughts on restaurant specials, staff retention, customer expectations and the constant balancing act required to keep great restaurants alive.  We also touched on his years in Australia, the evolution of Cape Town as a global food destination and his latest project: a boutique hotel that will add yet another chapter to an already remarkable career.  If you've ever wondered how Chef’s Warehouse became one of the defining restaurant groups in South Africa, or how a single chef’s influence can ripple through an entire dining scene, this is a conversation well worth hearing. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

    S2-34. CW Beau Constantia - Liam Tomlin
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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
    193
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Russel Wasserfall Media
  • Show Website
    A Table in the Corner

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