The Taster at Benguela on Main

General information

Experience fine dining in the Winelands. Benguela on Main in Somerset West has created a haven for gourmands; one that takes into account all aspects of dining out. Enjoy Executive Chef, Jean Delport’s, delicious interpretation of classical French and English dishes; relax in our elegant interior and be pampered by our friendly staff.

Taking this a step further our restaurant also boasts its own wine shop and a state of the art tasting room situated upstairs from the restaurant. Thus diners can expect an all round experience.

What to expect on the food front? Expect fine dining that is accessible to everyone. Chef Delport explains that diners can expect “flavours that explode and dishes that could be art”. His cuisine marries classic with modern contemporary, whilst retaining a South African influence.

Diners can choose between either the à la carte menu or the tasting menu. Ingredients will be fresh, local and seasonal, with the menu changing regularly.

Dishes will also be complemented by delicious wines selected by our sommelier. This is a gourmand’s dream, one that Chef Delport plans to realise here in Somerset West. “We want to develop food that matches the style of wine,” says Delport; “Wine and food, food and wine, it’s a match made in heaven!”.

Chef’s Profile:
Benguela on Main’s Executive Chef, Jean Delport, is on a culinary crusade. Jean’s training in classical French and English cooking has given him the confidence to become an innovator in the kitchen.

Jean trained at Zevenwacht Chef School, where he was awarded both the Patissier Award in 2007 and Best Overall Student Award in his second year in 2008. He has worked at top South African restaurants such as Rust en Vrede, Terroir, Cassia, Equus Dine at Cavalli and Killeen House Hotel in Ireland. He cites as his influences British Celebrity Chef, Marco Pierre White; Swiss Chef, Daniel Humm and local talent John Shuttleworth.
What can one expect from Jean’s kitchen? Food that uses only fresh seasonal local ingredients; creates dishes in which the ingredients are allowed to come into their own; serves classic dishes in inventive new ways; presents food that is so good – it does not need to be disguised. Put in a nutshell: fine dining that is accessible to everyone.
Jean presides over a kitchen that does not hold with a stalemate; menus are changed regularly, as are the dishes. Jean does not consider any dish to be perfect and says that trying to attain perfection is his quest. For this very reason he says that he does not have a signature dish.
He also understands the symbiosis between good food and good wine and is intent on showing how these interact and complement each other.