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There’s certainly no shortage of fine food in the Franschhoek valley, but when it comes served with a jaw-dropping valley view then why wouldn’t you book a table?
La Petite Ferme has long been famous for its fabulous setting on the Franschhoek Pass, with the kitchen turning out plates of Cape country cuisine.
While the views remain as stunning as ever, the menu just got a serious polish, with the arrival of Richard Carstens as head chef. Carstens is no stranger to the Winelands: he arrives from Arkeste at Chamonix Wine Estate, where he earned the top-tier three-star accolade at the 2023 Eat Out Restaurant Awards. Before that he spent eight years at Tokara in Stellenbosch.
After settling into the La Petite Ferme – ‘the little farm’ – kitchens, Carstens has just unveiled his debut menu, and it’s got all the polish and produce-forward plates you could have hoped for. It’s a big step up from what was served before, with Carstens sticking to his much-loved approach to French cuisine.
“Modern French cuisine as I practise it, is not a departure from tradition, it is its natural evolution,” he says. “It builds on classical foundations but sheds the unnecessary, adding innovation and a singular focus on the ingredient, the season and the story of where the food comes from. At La Petite Ferme, that story is all around us.”
And for a taste of that approach look no further than his new autumn menu. Expect dishes such as bobotie-spiced beef tartare with yoghurt, pickled onion, macadamia, cured yolk and curry oil; crisp linefish with sushi rice, avocado and wasabi dressing; and butter-poached mussels with tomato, baby marrow and ginger-mussel sauce to start.
On mains there’s glazed linefish with Robuchon pommes and sauce vin blanc, red wine beef fillet with pommes Anna and black pepper velouté, chicken ballotine with polenta and mushrooms, and springbok loin with pear and sauce miroir.
Desserts include caramelised apple sorbet with brandy parfait, gorgonzola ice cream with walnuts and honeycomb, and a macaron with vanilla ice cream, black pepper, amasi sorbet and strawberries.
In short, French flair with a dash of Carstens’ Asian flavours, and a touch of the Cape. Nice.
The new La Petite Ferme menu offers a choice of two courses (R810) or a three-course (R910) experience, with pairings built around La Petite Ferme’s own wines. And, of course, those views come for free.
For Carstens, the setting was a large part of the draw for moving to La Petite Ferme.
“La Petite Ferme has a soul,” he says, “The views alone are enough to remind you why food matters, why gathering around a table with exceptional ingredients and exceptional wine is one of life's truly great pleasures. But it is the estate's history and integrity that truly drew me in. This is a place that has been crafted with love over four decades and I am deeply honoured to be the custodian of its kitchen at this exciting chapter in its story.”
Reservations to dine at La Petite Ferme are now open.
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