A Table in the Corner Podcast Por Russel Wasserfall Media arte de portada

A Table in the Corner

A Table in the Corner

De: Russel Wasserfall Media
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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.

© 2025 Russel Wasserfall Media
Arte Ciencias Sociales Comida y Vino Escritos y Comentarios sobre Viajes
Episodios
  • S2-10. Mertia - Matt vd Bergh
    Dec 29 2025

    In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Matt van den Bergh, 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
    Más Menos
    29 m
  • S2-09. Melting Pot - John van Zyl
    Dec 22 2025

    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
    Más Menos
    36 m
  • S2-08. Melfort - Tasmin Reed
    Dec 15 2025

    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
    Más Menos
    35 m
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