Prue Leith — Chef, Author, Restaurateur, Business Owner

Right, it's been, what an evening it's been so far. We've had people from global, local investment in, we've had people from brainlining. Now, hopefully I get to kick back and relax. I'll tell you about why I'm gonna do that in a bit. Those of you who've been WhatsApp-ing and SMS-ing earlier on, it looks like the lines we're down 'cause I just got a ton of messages through. I will try and pass those messages on to the relevant people so that they will get all of those. The guys from Goble and Local Investments will be back in the next two weeks. They're gonna be coming back right now though. It is my pleasure to welcome on the line all the way from the fairest of the Cape, the one, the only. She is a chef, she's an author, she's a restaurateur.

She's been on TV shows.

Just, I don't know, I think she's amazing. Welcome to you, Prue Leith. - Thank you, Dave, and I like that introduction. (laughing) - I was trying to get everything in all at once, and let's be honest, there's a lot, okay? So I didn't get all of it in. But you've got the Prue Leith Chefs Academy that's in Centurion. People will know you from, well, I certainly got to know you and developed a little bit of a TV crush on you from your days of the great British menu. - Yeah, I was always very amused, because whenever I came to South Africa, somebody would tell me how wonderful I was on the great British menu or something. It would turn out that they were watching something that had been filmed five years before, because I don't know why, but you always had it. And when the Queen turned 80, which was the very first great British menu we ever did was her birthday party, and the chefs had to compete to do the Queen's dinner. And then they'd say, "Oh, I love the Queen's dinner." And I think, this is in 10 years later, I would think she was talking about her 90th birthday. (laughing) And she was, they were, they were still watching me, and then they'd look at me and say, "You look a-glowed." (laughing) Because I was 10 years old.

(laughing) Anyway, I did that for 11 years, and now I do the great British menu instead. - Yeah, I've got to say this, because we never ever ask a lady her age, but I don't believe for a single second that you're looking old. And I think, considering everything that you've managed to do in your life, you're looking damn fine for it. - Well, you have to now tell your listeners that I'm in fact going to be 80 next week. So I said, "Where better to celebrate my 80th birthday "than in my home run?" So, and I'll be here for a week. I'm yet to be 80, and you know, but you said that I've done a lot of things in my life, but it's true, I have, but then you see, I have lived a very long time, so I've had lots of time to do this. - No, it's not that bad. I'm catching up with you quite quickly, but I mean, let me just see if-- - You sound about Puffy, how old are you? (laughing) - Oh, you say the sweetest things. - Come on, come on, David, tell us. - 52. - But that's a baby. - Yes. - It could be my son. - Yes, yes, it could be, in which case I would have eaten very well over the last few years. But Puffy, you've seriously had an amazing life. I mean, something that I only learned recently is that I thought, yeah, you've published a cookbook or two, but you've done 13?

- 14 now. - Oh, with the new one. - My latest one, which is going to be out next, next week or the week after, is The Vegetarian Kitchen. And it's really funny because everybody thinks I've jumped on some kind of vegetarian bandwagon. Actually, I'm a tremendous carnivore. I like nothing better than a fry. But the truth is that I've always loved vegetarian. I mean, I'm just greedy, I love everything. And I wrote a vegetarian cookbook about 20 years ago. And my publisher said, I actually wanted to call it The Vegetarian Kitchen. And the publisher said, oh, God, you can't put the word vegetarian in the title. We'll never sell a single copy. So we had to call it the contemporary cooking, contemporary cooking, you know. And it didn't do particularly well. But now I have managed to finally use that title. And so I now got The Vegetarian Kitchen. But it's, and it'll be out next week. - I think that's fantastic. The question I need to ask you though, is as a committed carnivore myself, would I find something of interest in the vegetarian kitchen? - No question. I mean, everybody thinks carnivores live on meat. Well, it's true they love meat. We all do. I mean, I love meat. But I think that if you look at the diet you eat, you probably eat porridge for breakfast.

You probably eat a salad with your fry, whatever. And it's just making that side dishes more interesting so that they're not just boring lettuce or over-boiled veg, which is of English speciality. So, you know, I think that, I mean, I hope they would absolutely love it. And I don't like the idea of advertising something of a vegetarian, 'cause it sounds as if it's too worthy. Well, I want people to just think these are delicious dishes. They are much cheaper than meat. By and large veg is cheaper than meat. And especially if you're feeding everyday food and children and you're a bit strapped for cash. It's crazy not to look at veg during food because you have a bit of herbs and spices in it or a really good sauce or a bit of avocado or pomegranate seeds or fizzled up onions or something a bit interesting in it. And suddenly it's a very fresh, lively, delicious thing to eat. So I'm for carnivores. I'm thinking of it as, for the moment, thinking of it as a side dish and quite quickly to become, you know, that's a really nice main course. - Well, you do know, I mean, obviously, with your South African roots, you do know that very much in South Africa, chicken is considered a vegetable.

So, you know. (laughing) - Well, like curtsy rules, I mean. Actually, my memories of South African chicken are sort of chicken puree, puree and things. And they were always wonderfully favored. The chicken actually has some flavor. You're eating it now, unless you buy a really good organic chicken that hasn't been bred to death and overstuffed with antibiotics and fed so much stuff that it grows so fast that it can't even stand up, which is unbelievably cruel. And the result is a chicken taste of nothing, absolutely nothing. And you know what is terrifying, David? It's the fact that the mass of people in England have got so used to supermarket food where the food is very, very cheap. Because England and the US have the cheapest food in the world. They spend less on food than anybody else. And they've got used to factory food. And so they've got used to grand, no-taste food. And so it's an absolute pleasure to, you know, I mean, today I was in the waterfront in the table and I was eating stuff that I just bought. It's like street food in a kind of food market. And the flavor of the chicken was fantastic. I mean, I know what they do to it, but I think it's just a proper old chicken like I used to remember.

- Yeah, yeah, very much so. Well, one of the things that we've started doing very recently is growing our own veggies and growing them organically. And that is also one of the things, because I got to the stage where I was like, tomatoes do not taste like tomatoes anymore. They just, they've got no taste. - But as soon as you grow your own, they taste amazing. I know we just forget that how absolutely, how very punchy vegetarian food can be. But it does need decent veg to begin with. I buy everything comes from a food where I live in the middle of the cosmos. There's a pub which started having, 'cause they couldn't make enough money by spending beer. So they started a farm shop on the land there and behind the pub. And they have the most wonderful and it's all organic and it's all, and for about a quarter of the price of the stuff you pay, what you pay for in the supermarket, we get food that tastes like it tasted when I was a child in South Africa.

I mean, we just have to make a fuss and then try to eat good. I mean, it is the same argument about food. I mean, about meat, I think for the sake of the planet, we all do need to eat a bit less meat, but we don't need to enjoy it less. Let's just eat less meat, but better quality meat. Have it three times a week, not twice a day. - I would absolutely agree with you there. Prue, we're just gonna take a quick break and when we come back, we'll continue chatting with you because I wanna talk about,

dare I say and call it the Cookery School? 'Cause it's not, it's the Chef's Academy. - Yeah, in Centurion. - In Centurion. So I'd like to, when we come back, tell a little bit about that. - No, I love to talk about that. I'm so proud of that, I'd love to talk about that. - And about some of the fantastic chefs that have trained there. I mean, if I'm not mistaken, what is the lady's name? Chantel, Chantel Dartmoor. She was trained at your place, wasn't she? - She was, she was. I don't know any of the students as well as obviously-- - The South Africans, really. - Yeah, but it has a wonderful reputation. And the thing that I actually love is if I go into a very famous restaurant like the Test Kitchen or something, which I haven't done for a few years, but the last time I went in there, they said to me, come into the kitchen and we've got a surprise for you. And I went to the kitchen and the chefs all turned round, not all of them, but the Southern turned round. And they all were wearing the Chefs Academy jackets. - Yeah, oh, lovely. - And on the back was written culinary excellence, whatever, and so on the back. And they were so proud of the fact that they'd been to Leith. It was just lovely.

- Fantastic. - So I love it when I go around and people say, "Oh, you're to Leith, as in to Leith to Chefs Academy." - Yes, yes. That's me. - Stunning stuff. Prude, don't go anywhere. We'll be back chatting to you in just a bit. My special guest on the line with me, Prude Leith. So Prude, I'm still trying to get through all the things that you have done and continue to do in your life. And I'm still celebrating your 80th birthday under advisement 'cause I don't believe that's possible. Good gracious me. Talk to me a little bit about the Chefs Academy and when did that start? Is it a passion? It seems to be a passion of yours. - It's very interesting 'cause I'd had a Chefs school in London for a very long time. And many of the ex-students from that school who were now successful Chefs or cooks elsewhere would come to me and say, "Can we open a Leith school in Hong Kong or in America or somewhere?" And I always said no because I just thought, well, I won't be able to control it. I won't be able to make sure that they don't just do the wrong thing. And then these guys arrived at a bunch of hoteliers led by Tiny Barnetson. And he arrived at my office in London and he said, "Could we do something in South Africa?" And I thought absolutely brilliant.

I'd love to do something in my home country. And I knew it was badly needed because it was just very difficult to train young people for the trade, because a lot of people didn't want to do it and so on. So I wanted to do it, but I said,

that they were a professional body. And they said, "Look, we will pay for you to come up to South Africa every year. You will control the curriculum. We will develop it together." And they were just so wonderful. And so we did it. And to be honest, I am so proud of it because I think it's the absolute model for a Chefs school because it has a lot of academic teaching. So you understand nutrition and theory and all this. But it also has an amazing amount of practical, nice skills and all the things you'd expect in a cookery school. And it has a restaurant, which is a very good restaurant. And one of the best ones, Top Ten in Gauteng. And the students run the restaurant. So they get practical experience. And it all happens in 18 months. You get the whole course, which in England takes three years. So it's pretty damn good. They work jolly hard. I have to say, you do six months as a beginner, six months intermediate, six months as a senior. And you don't get a lot of time off. And you work trade hours because one of the things I was really keen for students to understand is this is not playing at cooking. If you want to do the Chefs course, you have to understand that Chefs work on social hours.

They work at weekends and it's not a technique. - It's a long, long hours. - That's all from the sheep and the goats. And the fact is we have wonderful students. - But have you noticed this? Because you do travel a lot. But for me, over the last couple of years, there's the sense that South African cookery is coming into its own. That we as South Africans are going, this is who we are. This is our food. These are our products. And it's something that we're starting to become very proud of. - And so you should, and so you should. I mean, when I think what South African food was like when I left, it was a rather sort of poor imitation of British food, which is rather stodgy, full of pies, rather heavy. Even on Christmas day, we ate 30 and Christmas pudding. And it was unsuitable for the country. And now, people are so proud of what South Africa produces. And especially on things like the good old fashioned South African fry has become really famous. I forget what it's called, but there's a restaurant in London now, which is just a fry. But it's a fry with amazing marinades and fantastic salads and really beautiful looking. And I think one of the things that's led the way is South African wine, because in the last, I suppose, 40 years while I've been in the trade, when I first opened my restaurant in '69, I used to sell South African wine.

And quite a lot of people, my customers, were really indignant about that because it was still the days of apartheid. And they said, "Why aren't you boycotting South African wine? Never mind promoting it." And I said, "Look, you know, you've got to talk to people if you want to convince them." And this is the most wonderful wine and we should be promoting it. And I think, you know, South Africa, cheeses have got so much more interesting. And at the moment, I'm living at the top of the Cake Grace Hotel, which I tell you was a pretty brilliant luxury to have, it's an absolute pleasure. And you go into the local food market across in the waterfront, and the food there is as good as you'll get anywhere in the world. It is just amazing. Wonderful. It's not all indigenous South Africa, but it's just take any flavor they like and put it together. And it's wonderful. Now, Prue, you said you're here to celebrate your 80th birthday next week, also the launch of your book, Vegetarian Kitchen. Are any South Africans going to get a chance to see you anywhere? Or is this literally a flying visitor? You know, I think they might be thoroughly sick of me. Because I am going to spend the next three days in Cape Town doing absolutely nothing but, you know, doing cookery demonstrations, and book signings, and chats, and radio, and stuff.

You are the first person I've spoken to, though, I must say. You're my guinea pig. Good. Well, let's hope you set the bar fairly high. But I'm going to do a lot of that. And then I'm going to-- and then I'm going to the house for a week, and I'm going to do it all over again. And of course, I love it because I'm such a negatives. I just love the attention. Well, I sincerely hope that when you're in Jobig, I do get a chance to at least meet you and say hello, because I would love to do that. But now, you know, every time I look around, it's like, this is not enough for Prue Leith. Because amongst other things, you've got a spectacle range and a greeting card range. And I believe your spectacle frames are now available in South Africa as well? They are. They are. And I'm told they're selling quite well. But I should discover more when I get to Janice. And we launched them about six months ago. And they're very colored. I mean, I'm mad about color. And because I won't tell you a lot, people often write to me and say, where do you get your sticks? So I think this is my moment, because I'm such a promotional woman. And I've been in business one way and another all my life. So we now have a Prue Leith range.

If you do go Prue Leith classes, I'll tell you where to get them. And then I've now bought a necklace range. And it breaks my heart, because in South Africa, you are so good at necklaces. You know, African necklaces are wonderful. I can't help buying Ethiopian necklaces. African necklaces, one way or another, are fantastic, from Mediterranean countries who take a good hope. They are wonderful necklaces. However, I'm in competition with you. And you don't sell my necklaces. So I can't even go hiking, but I can wear them everywhere I go. We'll keep a lookout for you. I have to tell you, though, that one of the things that I have discovered is that wherever you go-- and I think it's because you are that approachable. And I think the Prue Leith you see on TV or here on the radio is probably the Prue Leith that you are in real life. But somebody that's helping you out with your PR in South Africa, her and I have actually become firm friends. So she's a bit of a stalker. So she's listening to the show. And when I was talking to you about the great British menu, on my WhatsApp line in capital letters came through, the TV show is the great British bake-off. That's true. The current TV show is the great British bake-off.

Then I corrected her. You and I were nattering about the great British menus. Yes, exactly. It's very convenient, but I'm now on the great British. And today, walking around the waterfront of the Cape, I get stopped for people to take selfies. And I love it because I just think it's fantastic that they even know who I am. And they are mostly watching the great British bake-off, which is on Netflix as well as on some channel. And they are just so-- it's amazing. And to me, it's amazing. I mean, we're in Japan, or America, or all over the place. Because of Netflix, people recognize me. I think that's brilliant. We're running out of time, but thank you so much. I know you've had a very, very hectic schedule so far. And it promises to continue to be hectic. So thank you for taking the time out and having a chat to us. Jenny's probably going to send me a message just now going, you did it again on Radio David. You should not have mentioned my name. But I promise you, she is the most amazing, amazing-- I've got all the time in the world for her. And thank you for agreeing to do this. Thank you so much. Thank you very, very much. I hope I'll meet you, Janice. We certainly would be looking forward to that.

All the best. And the book, once again, please look for it in all bookstores. It's called The Vegetarian Kitchen. Please download a total of 14 books now. Her memoir, Relish, is absolutely brilliant. We didn't even get a chance to talk about that or about any of the other novels. But hopefully, we'll get you on another time where we can have a more in-depth chat. Lovely. Thanks, David, very, very much. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Prue. Thank you. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. There we go. What a lovely lady to speak to. Prue Leith, the d'Oyenne of British cookery. And she's going to be here. Look at-- keep an eye out. Next week, she's going to be in Joburg, book signings, et cetera, et cetera. Who knows? Maybe you'll get to meet the lovely lady yourself. Speaking of the lovely ladies, up next, Kay is going to be taking you through until whatever o'clock in the morning. So there you go. Depends how she feels tonight. I'm Appanade. I'll catch you again next Monday. Have yourselves a fantastic evening, he says, after quietly nearly choking. And one more thing before I go. Thank you for listening.