Chef Dario D’Angeli
YUM – Restaurant of the Year

There are no frills here. Dario’s philosophy is simple: “You come here to enjoy yourself. You are not in a gallery or museum. We serve fine food and we want you to enjoy yourself, enjoy the wine and most of all, enjoy the company,” he says. The result of this simple philosophy is a singular focus on creating exceptional dishes. Each plate that leaves Yum’s kitchen is an artistic masterpiece sure to send the taste buds into sensory overload.

Experimenting with food and creating new and different dishes is Dario’s obsession. During his travels to various countries he samples the weird and wonderful foods on offer, and he does not hesitate to introduce these to the South African market. Adamant that one must experiment with various foods and foreign tastes, he challenges all his chefs during their weekly brainstorming session to create new fusions of taste. Encouraging them to use the various flavours of our South African culture as inspiration has resulted in decadent dishes such as chocolate vetkoek and steak covered with ice cream! Yum!

Dario’s favourite ingredient is foie gras – foie gras paté, foie gras ice cream, foie gras, foie gras, foie gras… The one ingredient he cannot do without is salt. No wonder that his new project – a popular restaurant in White River – is named Salt. A 70-seater restaurant set in picturesque White River, his latest restaurant caters for both the locals and the tourists in the area. Fine dining in the country.

It comes as no surprise that Dario has received numerous fantastic reviews, both locally and internationally, from The New York Times and The Travel Pages in the UK, amongst others. As a result of his international acclaim, Dario hosts large numbers of international guests visiting South Africa.

Back in high school, Dario had his sights set on becoming a doctor or a lawyer, but dreams are dreams, and what was medicine and law’s loss became cuisine’s gain. “I was working and socialising way too much during my final year at school. At the time I was managing Milk & Honey in Hillbrow, and I actually fell asleep during my final Science exam,” he says with a chuckle.

After school Dario had a few odd jobs here and there, later working as a trainee manager in a small pizzeria. During this time of searching and learning, his memories from his childhood, when he used to peek into the kitchens of the country clubs his father managed, admiring the head chefs, not only sustained him, but raised his ambition and interest in becoming a chef. A few opportunities and learning curves later, Dario got his opportunity to shine during a strike at the Riviera International Hotel in the 1980s.

The word “Eurocentric” got Dario his next step up the chef’s ladder. He used this word to describe a Norwood restaurant’s menu during a job interview, and the owner was so impressed that he gave Dario the job. Finally he had an opportunity to experiment and develop his style. It was here that he met his sous chef and mentor, Ben Magana. Ben played a crucial role in Dario’s career. When Yum got the first of its 28 seats in 1999, Ben was there in the kitchen, right beside Dario.

They worked side by side towards the success of Yum, and what has become a 100-seater, world-acclaimed restaurant, with 9 chefs and 2 kitchens. And last year Yum was named Restaurant of the Year Winner. Sadly, Dario experienced a tragic loss when Ben died in a car accident in 2005, the voice of the man who was always beside him silenced.

A Yum recipe book and interactive CD was launched at the same time as the re-opening of the revamped Yum in 2003. This book and CD, which became a success story of its own, can still be bought at any major bookstore. Dario also did a series of cooking programmes on M-Net, along with several celebrities, in which they experimented with various food styles.

A humble man, Dario is not fazed by his success. He lives his passion, but admits that he sometimes, when busy with mundane chores, still daydreams of being a racing driver! “The best wine and best food, is the food and wine you like,” says Dario, reiterating his motto. So, either it’s Yum, or it’s not.