Chef Dion Vengatass
 
Tuesday 11 October
 
Chef Dion Vengatass has been busy since we last saw him. He’s returned from a stint in the UK, working with the likes of Pierre Koffmann. And he’s found himself a new lady friend!
 
Speaking about his time in London, he says, “It was brilliant! I was in the countryside in London, so lots of fields and not a lot of hustle and bustle. I had a lot of time for introspection, meditation, and self-healing.”
 
“Because you’re in a new country, you don’t know anyone else – you might as well get to know yourself a bit better,” he says.
 
Working with Pierre Koffmann was a dream come true for Dion. “I couldn’t even believe it. I spent the entire day with him, getting this personal tutorial on how to make this classic French soup.”
 
During his time abroad, Chef Dion got to work with many new ingredients and “hone down on” new skills. He learnt to simplify and to keep his cooking more subtle.
 
On the topic of his new partner, Dion gushes, “What can I say, I’m in love. It just creeps up on you…” They’ve had a mutual friend for years, but funnily enough met randomly one evening.
 
“The first time I met her I just said ‘look here, I’m taking you out for dinner. You’re coming to my place and I’m cooking dinner for you.’ And we’ve been together for 6 months or so,” he tells Palesa.
 
Dion’s plans for the rest of 2022 and early 2023 including looking for more gigs abroad, “because it brings more experience and a different view in the industry”. He also plans to work locally while he’s in Cape Town.
 
Follow Dion on social media:
@dion.vengatass / Dion Vengatass