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East Coast meets West Coast at The LivingRoom’s dinner table
I went to The LivingRoom expecting an interesting dinner. I didn’t expect to leave thinking quite so fondly about carrot soup.
There was stiff competition, too. Wagyu paired with a 2014 Kanonkop Pinotage, trout with amasi, and dessert that refused to be overshadowed. But that carrot dish? I would happily return for a bowl.
This review covers the East Coast meets West Coast collaboration dinner held on 10 October 2026, rather than The LivingRoom’s regular tasting menu.
The occasion was the East Coast meets West Coast dinner at The LivingRoom at Summerhill in Cowies Hill. Sebastian Stehr, chef at Beyond restaurant at Buitenverwachting wine estate in Constantia, Cape Town, joined The LivingRoom’s Johannes Richter in the kitchen. Johanna Richter and visiting sommelier Jennifer Hugé took care of the beverage pairings.
During the introductions, Richter explained how conversations about edible plants and indigenous herbs had brought the chefs together. About a year earlier, they had cooked at Beyond, taking a little of the East Coast to the Cape. Now it was Durban’s turn to host.
We also heard a lovely story about Summerhill’s history. Musicians staying at the guesthouse would spot the grand piano and begin playing. Others would hear them, fetch their instruments from their rooms, and an impromptu private concert would follow. It was a charming introduction to a place with a history of bringing people together.
A refreshing start
The welcome cocktail made a persuasive first impression. Sugar Baron rum, pineapple and pandan got the evening going, and I spotted guests returning for second and third helpings.
Then came the spring-flower sorbet, a refreshing opening that set us up beautifully for what followed.
Richter explained that nasturtium flowers, Cape honeysuckle and indigenous sages had gone into the sorbet. A vinaigrette brought in more garden herbs, including rose geranium and different basil varieties. Introduced as a little appetite teaser celebrating spring, it gave us an early sense of the kitchens’ interest in what grows around them.
The LivingRoom’s carrot dish with root spices and coconut followed, and I was completely won over.
There was so much pleasure in that soup. I kept going back for another spoonful, wishing the portion would somehow replenish itself. With several courses still ahead, asking for a full bowl probably wasn’t sensible. I wanted one anyway.
The vermouth, an aromatised fortified wine, was another favourite. Its explanation brought in Chardonnay as the wine component and acacia honey for a touch of sweetness. Already, the drinks were becoming an experience of their own.
Permission to get stuck in
The LivingRoom’s mabele, leek and macadamia was another highlight.
The explanation took us through mabele, or sorghum, served as both a flatbread and a cracker. Leek preparations, roasted macadamia and house-made shoyu, a Japanese-style soy sauce, gave us different combinations to try. We were encouraged to explore them ourselves.
“Every chip needs a dip,” came the instruction.
That little invitation suited the dish. There was plenty to discover, but we could get on with enjoying it. And I did.
Stehr’s spring salad of tomatoes and garden succulents brought a different kind of surprise. He had spoken about the West Coast ingredients his team was cultivating in Beyond’s indigenous garden, and here they were on the plate.
The explanation identified spekboom and baby sun rose among the succulents, with milk kefir curd at the centre and a smoked-tomato dashi, a savoury broth, poured over at the table.
The curd rounded out the greens wonderfully. It was a beautiful-looking dish whose ingredients made sense together when eaten, and one of the courses I most enjoyed.
The pairing here was a sparkling sake, a Japanese alcoholic drink brewed from rice. It wasn’t to my taste, but I enjoyed hearing Hugé explain its story. Those explanations were part of the evening's pleasure, giving us something to take away even when a pairing wasn’t a personal favourite.
The trout and amasi, however, needed very little persuasion.
Who knew trout and fermented milk would make such a good pair? Richter’s Bushmans River trout, served with amasi and garden herbs, came with a delicious 2025 Savage White. Both the dish and the wine were a pleasure, and together they made this another standout.
One miss, then the winner
Stehr’s Salvia africana, cauliflower, chicken and Karoo truffle was my let-down.
The explanation revealed several preparations, including cauliflower trimmings, chicken stock, eggs, confit cauliflower, purée and a chicken sauce, with sage running through the dish and black truffle added at the table.
For my palate, there was too much happening. I struggled to pick out the chicken flavour, while a slippery, mushroom-like texture dominated the mouthful. I appreciated hearing how it had been made, but I couldn’t find the same enjoyment in eating it.
Then came the Wagyu.
Served with kapokbos, fingerling potato, tulbaghia and indigenous greens, Beyond’s Wagyu Denver was paired with a 2014 Kanonkop Pinotage.
This was the winner for me. The Wagyu and wine together were the combination I wanted to linger over.
Heaven? Honestly, yes.
Dessert holds its own
Dessert also stole the show. The LivingRoom’s citrus, pelargonium and Jersey cream led into Beyond’s sweet treats, giving us plenty to enjoy right through to the end. After that Wagyu, holding my attention was quite an achievement.
The evening gave us a chance to follow two kitchens’ ideas through a single meal, with the explanations helping us understand what had gone into each course. The drinks deserved their share of the attention, too.
I didn’t love every plate or every glass. But I left with very definite favourites: the trout and amasi, the greens with that curd, the mabele, and Wagyu with Kanonkop.
And, against some formidable competition, a carrot soup I’m still thinking about.