In November 2009, highly acclaimed Chef George Jardine and award-winning winemakers Gary and Kathy Jordan, joined forces to open a new restaurant on the grounds of Jordan Wine Estate in Stellenbosch.
The partnership brought together the Jordans, owners of one of the country’s best-known and respected wineries, with former South African Chef of the Year Jardine, who is eponymous in the restaurant scene in Cape Town.
Chef George Jardine, of The Jordan Restaurant, remained in the Top 20 South African Restaurants at the EatOut Awards since opening and left his guests coming back for more with his signature dishes of Chalmar sirloin, steamed Saldanha Bay mussels “en Papillote”, and of course, the infamous honey & poppyseed soufflé!
After 12 successful years at The Jordan Restaurant, George and Louise have decided to focus their energy on Restaurant Jardine in central Stellenbosch and explore other culinary projects.
After careful consideration and noting the experience of various chefs from around the country, Chef Marthinus Ferreira, of Dw eleven – 13 in Johannesburg, has been selected as Head Chef and management of The Jordan Restaurant, from mid-April 2022. The signature restaurant will trade under the name The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira.
Marthinus Ferreira – Marthinus has helped shape the South African food scene with his flair of food gastronomy inspired by his childhood favourites and influences from abroad and having worked with some of the world’s top chefs, including Chef Gordon Ramsey and Chef Heston Blumenthal. Trained at the Institute of Culinary Arts, South Africa’s leading school for world-class chefs, Marthinus received comprehensive and specialised training based on classic gastronomic principles, coupled with the ability to utilise innovative thinking and creative flair. Since 2001, Chef Ferreira has been working to refine his skills and to garner a deep and intimate *understanding of the culinary industry. He soon moved on to a position as Chef De Partie in 2002, working at La Colombe Restaurant until 2003 (one of the top 10 in South Africa at the time). Following this, he assumed the role of Head Chef at Circle Restaurant in Greenside where he received praise on his highly original menu from critics and co-workers alike. 2005 saw Marthinus heading off to the UK to discover a new world of cooking: he worked as Head Chef at the Riverside Brasserie, taking on the responsibilities of originating menus, training staff and developing the establishment as a whole.
Always keen on learning, with a drive to be the best, Marthinus worked as a chef in numerous establishments such as The Fat Duck, Hind’s Head under Chef Heston Blumenthal and the Boxwood Café with Gordon Ramsay. Having worked with the world’s top chefs abroad, he returned to South Africa to open his own establishment in Johannesburg where he made his name with experimental and lightly nostalgic fine-dining cuisine. DW Eleven -13, won numerous awards over the years, was voted “winner” in the Eat Out Top 10 Awards in the years 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Top Gourmet Guide Awards, Top
100 under 30 in Mail and Guardian, 41st in the world on French Algorithm in 2016. In 2018 he was one of the Jurors for Africa and Middle East at the San Pelligrino Young Chefs competition where he was also a Mentor for Vusi Ndlovu who was awarded as one of the Top 7 Chefs.
Over the years Chef Marthinus has done numerous celeb guest appearances, publications and TV shows, appearing on the Espresso show, as a Judge on Master chef, and head judge on The Ultimate Braai Master for the first two seasons.
In February 2022, wine estate owner, Gary Jordan announced that Marthinus would take over the reins of the newly revamped Stellenbosch Winelands Restaurant, The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira.
Since opening Marthinus has been recognized and awarded a numerous awards within the first year, the award of Best of Wine Tourism Restaurant, The Gourmet Guide award, Two Stars from The Eat Out Awards as well as a Luxe Global Award.
Images and story courtesy of Jordan Wines