I first met Dion Vengatass in Chef Rudi Liebenberg's kitchen at the Mount Nelson Hotel. He barely looked up from his prep, just kept chopping and sorting at pace. He was the solid, do-it-all chef running all the sections that needed to operate smoothly while the complexities of the pastry section and fine dining were building a reputation for the hotel's cuisine. When Covid ripped the heart out of the hospitality industry, Chef Dion was retrenched. Never one to let anything get him down, he started Violet by Vengatass named for the grandmother who had taught him to cook. From delivering meals in lockdown, he took his broad hotel kitchen experience and a winning streak on international culinary contests, and became one of Cape Town's most sought-after private chefs. Chef Dion now works in Cape Town and abroad for top-notch clients. He's appeared on TV as a contestant on Ultimate Braaimaster, a guest chef on morning shows and a judge on a new reality cooking program. I managed to catch up with him days before he headed of for another 3 month stretch in a fabulous estate kitchen in the UK. www.rwm2012.com On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited Title music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

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