Callan Austin is a busy fellow! The creative force behind restaurants like the critically acclaimed fine-dining Dusk and Opa', the new Greek-inspired pop-up at the Time Out Market, is launching Plenitude later this month in a new culinary chapter for Stellenbosch boutique hotel Majeka House.
Set to be a relaxed yet refined neighbourhood eatery, The Living Journey Collection is backing Callan as the hotel's culinary specialist to reignite Majeka House's food and beverage offering.
Austin, a Stellenbosch resident, has built a reputation for his sustainability-driven culinary approach and with this new role, he will oversee the creative direction of Plenitude alongside long-time colleague Chef Orlando Reid, formerly part of the senior kitchen brigade at Dusk, who will lead day-to-day operations.
“Plenitude means ‘abundance’, and that’s exactly the spirit we want to bring back to Majeka House - generous, delicious, personality-driven fare in a space where locals and travellers can linger,” says Austin. “We’re not creating a hotel restaurant. We’re creating a restaurant that just happens to be in a hotel - one that the neighbourhood will claim as their own.”
The restaurant collaboration forms part of a broader refresh of Majeka House, overseen by The Living Journey Collection’s founders, Friedrich and Lorraine Schaefer.
While the hotel’s bold interiors remain intact, the restaurant space is being reimagined to feel more intimate and contemporary - from new tableware and stemware to modernised seating, creating a softer and more relaxed ambience.
“Working with Friedrich, Lorraine and the Majeka House team has offered me an exciting new chapter in my culinary journey. The opportunity to lead Plenitude gives me the scope to cook beyond fine dining - to cook as I would for family and friends at home,” adds Austin.
Plenitude will open with two menus: an à la carte offering available between 12 pm and 4 pm, and an evening menu paired with local estate wines.
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Lunch will feature perennial favourites, including Summer Tomato Salad, Thai Seared Tuna, Chicken Prego, and Lamb Rib Flatbread. Dinner will be more elevated with the menu including Gnocchi Mushroom, Prawn and Mussel Pomodoro, and North African Spiced Cauliflower. Desserts include a Lemon and Raspberry Posset, as well as a selection of local Cape Winelands cheeses. Breakfast is also served daily and is available to both hotel guests and visitors.
The team will also look to revitalise its Kitchen Garden focus with a daily harvest of herbs and vegetables, keeping with Austin's sustainable dining approach.