Stellenbosch’s Old Post Office on the corner of Bird and Plein street will soon welcome a new eatery called Post & Pepper; the brainchild of chef and owner Jess van Dyk and restaurant manager Dimitri Hadzigrigoriou, both formerly of Franschhoek’s Protégé restaurant.
Jess was previously Head Chef at Eat Out Restaurant of the Year in 2019, La Colombe, before taking the helm at Protégé and assisting with the expansion of the group into Franschhoek. Hadzigrigoriou joins the team and has honed his world-class service style at some of South Africa’s top restaurants: The Test Kitchen, Epice and Protégé.
Jess’s vision is to celebrate her own South African food heritage, mixed with global influences, in a casual space (the restaurant will be situated in the heart of the bustling university town).
“We want to offer everything that guests love about the ‘fine dining restaurant experience’, but without any of the stiffness,” says the chef. “Or the intimidating price tag!” adds Dimitri with a shy smile. Guests can look forward to reinvented classics from Jess’s childhood in the Northern Cape, such as koeksisters, lieslap or skaapstertjies on the braai.
Post & Pepper will be about family-style dining, with dishes that can be shared (or not!) depending on the occasion. “We prefer not to bind our patrons by any rules, they should feel comfortable and right at home” adds Jess. “Our first goal is to create delicious food. Our second goal is to turn our guests into regulars, and ultimately: friends.” Post & Pepper is due to open in mid-February 2022 for lunch and dinner.
