SEPTEMBER 2015

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THE LATEST TRENDS IN MENS TAILORING

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HARTFORD HOUSE

I always jump at the opportunity to head out

of smoggy Joburg and into the countryside, so
an impromptu invitation from general manager
Duncan Bruce to visit the 130-year-old Hartford
House, nestled among the rolling hills of the
KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, came as a welcome
surprise. The farmstead and the nearby Summerhill
Stud horse farm are owned by Mick and Cheryl
Goss, who have established it as a centre of
excellence for both horse breeding and hospitality,
but I am here to meet the young talent that has
been handed the apron in the kitchen.
Head chef Constantijn Hahndiek took over from
the renowned Jackie Cameron and has been in
residence at Hartford House for four months. Bruce
and Cheryl Goss visited him at La Petite Dauphine
Guest House in Franschhoek, where he was
cooking up a storm in the Caf Bon Bon kitchen.
Just a few tastes of his gastronomic magic was all it
took to convince them that they had to have him,
and the rest is history.
Hahndiek (or Tijn, as hes known by staff
around Hartford) took me on a tour of his new
kitchen garden on a chilly Saturday afternoon. He
proudly pointed out his beds of Chinese radishes
and miniature beetroot while lamenting the recent
black frost that all but eradicated his parsley and
peas. He smiled when I asked him how he got
started cooking. I wish I could say that I always
wanted to be a chef, that its what I dreamt of
doing. I had very little experience of food when I
was young. I remember tasting basil pesto for the
first time and my mouth just absolutely exploding.
I asked my friend what was in it, and she told me
herbs, olive oil and nuts. Hahndiek remembers
being astounded that something so simple and tasty
could be made by anyone. That was it. From that
moment I was hooked.
There is a very simple food ethos at Hartford
House. Fresh ingredients are sourced from
local producers in the immediate vicinity of the
farmstead, all of whom he has a close relationship
with. My food orders on a Monday take half the

52SEPTEMBER 2015

day. I have someone for pork, someone for chicken,

someone for duck, someone else for cheese and organic
stoneground flour.
Meals are held on the wide, terracotta-tiled stoep
that overlooks Hartford Houses gracious country
garden. Dinner can run up to five courses, with a chefs
surprise sometimes thrown in and an optional wine
pairing with each dish. He and Bruce interact with
guests throughout the evening to explain the processes
and tastes behind each dish and why certain wines
work best with each course. Hahndieks cooking style
lends itself to the theatrical, but its obvious that he
takes his work very seriously and is passionate about
creating chemistry on each plate that comes out of his
kitchen. Dinner on the final night ended with a dessert
of a fresh tulip filled with citrus cream, deep frozen in
liquid nitrogen and served at table.
From the moment you arrive, drive up the winding
road, passing the thoroughbreds lazily chomping hay
in the fields, until you pack your bags to leave, you
feel like an honoured guest. Im so glad such a talented
culinary artist has decided to make one of the most
beautiful spots in our country home.
Hlatikulu Rd, Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, 033 - 263
2713. Hartford.co.za MATTHEW MCCLURE