We are pleased to introduce you to Chef Rôtisseur Michelle de Jager who qualified at the François Ferreira Culinary Academy.

She says, “I went from a career in sales, administration and reception to a career as a Chef. I get my love of cooking from my parents who are very good chefs.” Michelle's parents, Willem and Heidi de Jager, own ReedValley which is about 500m off the N2 highway on the way to Cape Town.

From 2018-2019 she worked as a Commis Chef at The Café Gannet in Mossel Bay, Western Cape. Here she rotated between the cold kitchen, hot kitchen, breakfast buffet, sushi bar and ice cream parlour.

In January 2020 she opened her own restaurant called The Succulent on ReedValley Wine Farm. It showcases fresh local produce with a fusion of modern cuisine and classical French technique.

The Succulent is a living restaurant which has a capacity of 70 patrons in an appealing, rustic, country setting. For an authentic, local and juicy experience. Michelle’s food philosophy is simple: keep it fresh and local - think free-range chicken and freshly caught fish from Mossel Bay. Many of the ingredients used are also grown on the ReedValley farm and in its very own hydroponics system. Furthermore, you can even buy local ingredients in the Deli.

An award-winning chef and regional competitions’ winner Michelle is a Chef Rôtisseur member of the Chaîne. Having won the 2020 Final in her local Bailliage of Outeniqua, she was in Third Place in the Bailliage of South Africa’s National Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition later that same year.

Llewellyn Buckley-Marais
Bailli Délégué

The Succulent
at ReedValley
6500 Mossel Bay

Tel: +27 (0)44 698 1022
Web: reedvalley.com/the-succulent