Up until recently, I had never experienced fine-dining before. Perhaps it was because I felt intimidated by the idea of eating pretty, dainty and totally obscure-looking dishes made up of ingredients that I can barely pronounce. This theory of mine changed very quickly after spending an evening having my tastebuds transported and blown away at The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate in Pinetown.

Coffee was the first thing on my mind for a quick pick-me-up which was promptly delivered to my room before I headed downstairs to the courtyard to have a chat with the husband-and-wife team, Johannes and Johanna Richter–founders of the multiple award-winning TheLivingRoom, the on-site restaurant at Summerhill Guest Estate.

“This was my childhood home”, executive chef Johannes said as he looked around his familiar surroundings. That explained why I felt the “welcome home” sense when I walked through the doors. Summerhill Guest Estate was started in 1997 by Christine Richter after she moved her young family from Germany to Cowie’s Hill. She blended her background in corporate and travel and opened BnB with just five rooms. Over the last three decades, the Estate has expanded to much more than just a BnB–with 14 rooms and are in the process of adding additional suites on the property. Summerhill is the ideal escape from the bustle of the city-it’s quiet, tranquil, homely and surrounded by lush park-like gardens–call it your home away from home.

In between sips of his cappuccino, Johannes went on to tell me that in 2010 he felt a burning desire to pursue his real purpose and took up an apprenticeship in the Black Forest region in Germany, where he was classically trained in French cuisine and exposed to Japanese cooking techniques, to Michelin Star standards, which is where his culinary career began. After he completed his training, Johannes and Johanna were both placed at a top Berlin restaurant, they met, and their love story was set in motion–call it divine intervention, if you will. In 2017, the couple returned to South Africa, got married and set about joining Christine in the family business and opening The LivingRoom.

“We’ve spent a lot of time abroad dining at prestigious restaurants, and we wanted to bring an unpretentious fine dining experience that isan authentic impression of Durban and what we asa city have to offer”, Johannes explained. Despite the doubts and raised eyebrows that they received from a few hesitant folks, they went against many odds and are now in their 5th year of hosting guests at their restaurant. It’s clear that they have been firmly placed on the food map of South Africa after being awarded the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year in November 2022. “It’s a massive motivation for the team. Everyone sacrifices a large portion of their lives for us and for the cause of what we do. It’s truly a recognition of their hard work”,Johannes proudly explained, “Our team should be so proud of what they have achieved and what they are achieving”.

Their tasting menu changes based on the available produce, with a general full rotation every two months. “There’s no real system behind the rotation-if we get something in that is special,like now it’s porcini season, so we adapt our menus to give seasonal ingredients a platform toshine”, Johannes explains. The LivingRoom team have built up a loyal base of returning customers who love to return each menu rotation. “One of our guests phoned us one day to profusely apologize for missing a menu rotation and to tell us that he still loves us”, Johannachuckles. “We are incredibly grateful for support from our guests who keep returning to enjoy our food”, Johannes continued. Johanna explained that one of her favourite things to see is the excitement on the guests’ faces when they taste something in their dishes that sparks nostalgia from their childhood.

After a quick tour of the grounds, the vegetable garden and the additional suites that were currently under construction, I returned to my beautiful suite to relax and freshen up for dinner. I was so excited about my first fine dining experience

We enjoyed a quick drink on the leather couches before we were seated beside the fireplace in the dining room and served a greetings board which was just the beginning of our LivingRoom dining experience. We enjoyed their 7-course tasting menu paired with some of the most exquisite boutique champagnes and wines, hand selected by Johanna, a well-versed sommelier.Johanna has a true love for wine and takes pride in having over 200 different wines on her wine list.

I don’t want to give too much away, but just to give you an idea of how extraordinary the dishes were, the first course was ordinary carrots with dahl miso and mint, which was probably one of my favourite dishes of the night. A beautiful bowl with miso-glazed and marinated carrots, with a roast carrot puree, a miso vinaigrette, miso caramelized macadamia nuts in the centre,topped with fresh mint, mint gel, miso mayonnaise and delicately sliced pickled carrot, finished off with a carrot and butter sauce with effortless mint oil drops which was gently poured anddolloped on the dish in front of us. Jess enjoyed the 3 weeks dry aged Midland’s Wagyu with 2-year-old salted crushed sardines, tomato shoyu, caramelised onion crunch and olive oil, while I divulged in the vegetarian alternatives which were just spectacular. All I could think of was how each ingredient had its moment to shine in every single dish that was presented to us; from the humble carrot to the seasonal porcini mushrooms, down to the curried full-of-flavour beans.When we arrived at our destination: dessert, I took a spoonful of the warm porridge with popcorn crunch and my eyes welled with tears as I was instantly transported back to my youth,growing up in the Eastern Cape thinking of my fondest memories of my childhood nanny Vivian who would lovingly make Maltabella for my sister and me. I sat silently reminiscing as I savoured each spoon. That’s the nostalgia Johannes was talking about I thought.