Sam Small-Shaw is a Durban restaurateur who has run Surf Rider for the last eight years and is well known to patrons and foodies around the city.
“Crazy Sam” is also known as The Queen of South Beach. Sam, together with owner Jason Caradas and fellow foodie Brendan Newport, started the popular eatery. We asked Sam five questions:
| Q: What is your biggest food influence and why? A: Jason and Brendan. Brendan and I have worked together for over 20 years. We talk about food all the time. We brainstorm ideas and talk about food for hours. It’s ridiculous. Jason is also a huge influence. We sit down every week and talk about food trends. He’s brilliant at that. He gives me carte blanche to go crazy and that fuels my creativity. |
Q: What first sparked your interest in the business?
A: Every day is different. I like the pressure, the customers and that it is fast. I get bored quickly. We have to think on our feet and solve problems. The point is to make good food and to make customers happy. That is the most gratifying thing. I live to feed people.
| Q: What is your favourite menu item at Surf Riders? A: I love everything. You know we started a dog menu because people love their furballs. We treat them like VIPs. It is the same with kids, they get fed first. Happy children mean happy parents. I try and think out the box. Foodies like specials, so we change the menu all the time. Cyclists want smoothies. Our menu is very diverse – there’s something for everyone. |
Q: How has Surf Riders changed the local vibe?
A: Kids surf, dads come for a beer. Moms for a coffee. We are diverse. We’ve created a family oriented, positive place at South Beach. People want a fantastic experience. We also have good community outreach – we give the homeless people porridge and coffee. We look out for them and they look out for us.
| Q: What’s the secret ingredient at Surf Riders? A: The staff. They have been with us for eight years. We’ve trained them up. They are fantastic. Our people eat out themselves and we’ve had the most amazing growth journey. We stick together, and the positivity is amazing. Not one person was laid off during Covid. If you can work at Surf Riders, you can work anywhere. We are about improving one another and growing. |