In The Kitchen With: Eugene Smith

Since opening in the inner-city suburb of Gardens in 2017, YARD has become something of a cult-classic in Cape Town, serving up an inspired range of pizzas with a side-order of character and charm.

That’s thanks to Eugene Smith, a chef who traces his passion for the kitchen back to a challenging childhood when muffin sales and food stalls helped to put food on his family’s table.

‘I’ve always had a passion for food, and food was definitely my saving grace,’ says Smith, born and bred in Cape Town, who spent 18 years running both the kitchens and front-of-house operations for one of the largest restaurant groups in South Africa.

But at YARD he lets his own personality shine through, and at YARD at Time Out Market Cape Town he combines a devotion to authenticity with a cheeky enthusiasm for breaking a few rules along the way. We pulled him away from YARD’s wood-fired ovens to ask…

How is YARD at Time Out Market Cape Town different from the Gardens original?

YARD in Gardens is all about nostalgia, whereas here at the Market it’s a bit more modern, more upmarket. The Market is also more refined than our Gardens location, and the menu here caters more to the number of international guests we see here at the Market. So we focus on things that people are likely to know, and enjoy, but balancing international and local flavours.

But at both we are all about authentic dough, hand-stretched bases, and doing things the proper Neapolitan way.

What first sparked your passion for pizza?

I’ve always loved cooking with fire, whether it’s a braai or lighting a pizza oven. The flames are very therapeutic, and there’s that Zen intimacy between you and your craft.

There was also a time after I opened – and lost –my first restaurant and Thursday night was pizza night in our household. One friend would bring cheese, another friend would bring wine. I’d go and shop for fresh tomatoes and make the sauce. With very little, you can create a meal and togetherness.

What’s special about the dough at YARD?

We have different recipes for each of our different doughs. The fermentation periods are also different. Our New Yorker, which we stretch to 50cm, is fermented for 12 hours, but the Neapolitan style is fermented for two days. Having that discipline for the dough, and not compromising, is what counts. It’s about understanding the science, but being able to adapt that authenticity to your own reality. At the end of the day, it’s your heart on the plate. Customers aren’t just buying pizza. They’re also buying your integrity, and your discipline in making the best product you can.

What’s the secret to the success of YARD?

Being authentic. We are always, always, authentic to the product and to ourselves.

Now it’s everywhere, but in 2017 Neapolitan-style dough wasn’t a big thing in Cape Town. If we’d stuck to the thin and crispy style – which is what everyone was doing – we wouldn’t have been able to achieve what we’ve done. But we stuck to our guns, we didn’t compromise, and we’ve perfected it.

Also, we prepare all of our ingredients. The red peppers are marinated. The artichokes are done our own way. We caramelise the onions ourselves. There’s our own touch on every product.

Does that also go for the chicken wings?

Absolutely. We make the hot buffalo sauce for the Hot Buffalo wings ourselves. And again, it’s all about authenticity. There are no shortcuts. We spent some time in Mozambique, tasting their sauces, and perfecting it.

What is the most popular YARD pizza at Time Out Market Cape Town?

The pepperoni is definitely the most popular, because it’s authentic. Our pepperoni is just like that you’d enjoy in New York. We get American guests giving us a high-five when they order the pepperoni and they find it’s just like at home!

And your personal favourite?

The Juicy Chick… it makes me remember those Thursday night pizzas with my family and friends. The Juicy Chick that’s on the menu here comes from those early days.

Anything for vegetarians?

Our Autumno – with Mozzarella, Italian herbs, mushrooms, red onions, and baby spinach – is amazing. The secret ingredient is the cracked black pepper that we add midway through baking.