When you think of Louisvale Wines, do you also dream of the delicious delicacies cooked up by our stellar culinary team? If you haven’t had a chance yet to sample the delectable morsels on offer at our vineyard home, it’s time to drop by and enjoy! Today we take a closer look at Kristie du Toit, our Executive Chef at Louisvale Wines, and the passion that motivates her stunning culinary creations. 

A long-term love affair

Kirstie’s love of cooking stems from a childhood in Mossel Bay, baking pastries, rusks and biscuits with her Granny (Ouma) in their barn-converted-bakery. While formalising that love with studies through TCA, she worked at Mon Plaisir, making her way up to Sous Chef.

From there, she became Chef de Partie, and then again Sous Chef, culinary artist and kitchen manager, at Granny Mouse Country House in Kwazulu Natal. Despite this career success, her heart belonged to the Western Cape, so when the opportunity to transfer her talents to the Louisvale Wine Farm kitchen, she leapt at the chance. 

According to Kirstie, she has never looked back.

Founding a kitchen, and the heart of the farm

Not that an easy task lay ahead of her. She founded the kitchen from scratch, using minimal equipment and training staff as she went. Yet the results speak for themselves, in every delicious dish that leaves the kitchen. 

When not creating culinary delicacies, Kristie loves to explore her beautiful Cape home, roaming far and wide with her supportive husband and daughter. This also enables her to seek out new Cape-Dutch inspired recipes, handed down as family secrets throughout a generation of South African cooks. 

Looking ahead

With a (hopefully) positive 2021 now fully in swing, it’s Kristie’s hope she can get the Louisvale name on everyone’s lips. She’s also fully focused on getting a brand new project- The Deli @ Louisvale- running smoothly. The Louisvale farm provides a dazzling array of vegetables and herbs, creating the perfect opportunity for delicious deli-style meals. She’s also working on a unique wine-pairing menu to celebrate the core of the Louisvale Wines. Her hope is to create a perfectly paired set of complimentary wines and dishes fully celebrating these amazing flavours. 

 

Keen to know more about Kristie’s fascinating career? Why not swing by Food @ Louisvale and sample her succulent creations for yourself?