Radisson Red Johannesburg-Rosebank’s winter menu aims to tantalize tastebuds and keep patrons warm

Cooking-show judge and Radisson Red Johannesburg-Rosebank’s head chef Keegan Maistry curated a mouth-watering menu to keep patrons warm during this bitterly cold winter.

While warmth is the overriding theme, Maistry has taken the hotel’s modern, funky feel to heart, offering guests an unmistakable taste of his imagination. The Rosebank landmark has become synonymous with showcasing works by famous artists, an element that further motivates him to let his creative juices run free in the kitchen.

Read more: Le Petite Chef and Dinner Stories comes to Rosebank

Maistry, who was borne and bred in KwaZulu-Natal, explained that his passion for food was ignited in 2006. “My inspiration was drawn from the Indian community of Phoenix. I studied culinary and worked in Durban’s major hotels on the beach front and at the Oysterbox Hotel.”

He also ventured overseas where he worked with notable chefs in New York and Florida for a number of years, before coming back home.

Maistry applies some of the best techniques and ideas he adopted while sharing kitchens with the world’s finest culinary artists. “I’ve incorporated global trends, some local trends, good comfort-food, as well as something that I call a ‘Chef’s Playground’, which is where I get creative.”

Maistry is especially pleased that his ‘SeafoodSolo Act’, a boil of crabs, mussels, calamari, prawns, potatoes, eggs, and corn served in a plastic bag, is hitting the mark with the hotel’s winter clientele. “I spent five years in America, and this dish is massive over there, especially in the coastal regions. South Africa is so rich in seafood, how could you not enjoy it?”

He believes it is important to keep up with international trends at a hotel like the Radisson Red Johannesburg-Rosebank, which hosts many foreign visitors. “When you design a menu, you need to consider whether you are doing it for regular consumers, high-end guests, or someone who wants a simple meal.”

As much as he has drawn inspiration from what he has learnt abroad, he is proud of what South Africa, including his hometown of Durban, has to offer, insisting there is no better curry in the world than the coastal city’s signature lamb offering, and praising the game meats that are unique to the country.

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