You’re in for a mind-blowing treat and a refreshingly unpretentious vibe at The LivingRoom, writes Katrine Anker-Nilssen.
You immediately feel at home when you arrive at Summerhill Estate in Cowies Hill. This unique culinary retreat offers spectacular views of the sea and indigenous landscapes, and the warmth of its hosts – along with the sensational food – makes it a hidden gem indeed.
Head chef Johannes Richter was born in Germany but raised in Durban. He has had the privilege of training and gathering experience in some of the world’s best restaurants, and met his wife Johanna in Berlin in 2014 – where they fell in love while working in the same establishments. They married in 2016, moved to South Africa a year later, and today have four-year-old Oscar and one-year-old Helena. “We make sure there is a balance between work and family time. We don’t want to kill the creativity, we have such pride in what we do,” says Johannes.
The couple brings diverse skills and beautiful cuisine right to our doorstep. “We’ve had classical French training and have a nose to tail approach,” smiles Johanna. “We offer fine dining, but we want our guests to feel at home. We want you to sit down, relax and indulge.”
Johannes’s mom, Christine Richter, opened Summerhill Estate in 1997 with just five rooms. Today the boutique hotel offers 14 – each one named after famous South African jazz musicians who have played and stayed here over the years. “There is a personal connection between every musician – such as Sipho Gumede, Jabu Khanyile, Busi Mhlongo, Jimmy Dludlu and Winston Mankunku – and Christine,” explains Johanna – adding that her mother-in-law is a master of small talk. “She remembers everything about everyone, it’s pretty incredible.”
The LivingRoom restaurant opened in 2017, when Johanna and Johannes returned from Europe and joined Christine at Summerhill Estate – completing the family business. The restaurant only seats 25, which keeps it small and intimate. “Our inspiration was always to run and own a restaurant with high ambitions and a sustainable ethos, giving guests the chance to enjoy great food and wine as well as unpretentious vibes. Instilled with these ambitions, we fell in love with Durban’s cultural and culinary diversity, which gives our food its soul,” says Johanna. The food is in essence humble South African products with a French base of cooking, combined with Japanese techniques. “We offer exciting combinations of ingredients, and a balanced combination of textures and flavours. Seasonality is important, what grows together works together – such as winter truffles from Willowdale and KZN sardines.”
Of course, fine dining is not the same without fine wines. “We focus on small producers and wines,” says Johanna. “There is so much love, passion and effort in what we do, which we love to share with our likeminded suppliers. Additionally, the right wine can bring out the best of every dish, and the wrong wine can do the opposite. Most importantly, the person drinking the wine needs to enjoy it. With us having a broad selection of about 200 positions of wine, and also offering a non-alcoholic pairing, you will find your match.”
The LivingRoom strives to showcase our province’s culinary diversity from product to plate, and to be one of the country’s flagships regarding sustainability and community development. Apart from supporting produce from local farms, the Richters also grow and forage their own. “There is very little CO2 emissions attached to this, and no packaging. Freshness is always guaranteed,” says Johanna – adding that all their food waste goes to the chicken run, from there to the compost, and from there to the garden again to close the circle – ensuring that everything is reused.
Grateful that hard teamwork is paying off, Johanna loves having a positive impact on both their surroundings and staff. “It’s beautiful to see the upliftment, confidence and growth,” she says. Johannes agrees; “Our staff’s dedication has given them huge insight into the industry. There is big identification and pride attached to their work, which is so rewarding for us to see.”
The Eat Out Award in 2019 rated The LivingRoom number 13. “We underestimated the exposure that we got through this,” laughs Johanna – adding that Summerhill was the only KZN establishment in the Top 30. “See, Durban does do fine dining!”
The LivingRoom has seen huge organic growth in just a few years, and it’s easy to see why. When visiting you are gifted with a unique, authentic, tangible and sensory food experience where local produce is showcased in a different light – catering for every culture and hitting that nostalgic spot for many a local, again and again. “The menu is unpredictable, it all depends on what we have and what comes in,” says Johannes. “We have to be flexible and adjustable, allowing room for constant tweaks. That’s what cooking is all about.”