Giorgio Nava

95 Keerom

95 Keerom Street
Gardens, Cape Town
Sud Africa
T. +27.(0)21.4220765
info@95keerom.com

Eclectic chef-entrepreneur, born in Milan but transferred to Cape Town a dozen years ago, Giorgio Nava is slowly but relentlessly conquering the territory. He began with the best Italian restaurant in town, 95 Keerom, and then opened another one, just opposite, Carne. A couple of years later, in Kloof Street, he opened Caffè Milano, a cute place for breakfast and lunch, and the Mozzarella Bar, which, as the name suggests, offers one of the most longed-for products among the Italians in South Africa. The chef divides himself tirelessly among all these places, to verify, personally, that everything is under control.

What characterizes this vigorous 47-year old is the continuous desire to put himself to the test and embark on new adventures. Just to give an idea of the character, at the end of 2011 he was in Antartica, cooking for 17 Russians, flying on a military plane. Putting his spirit of adventure aside, however, Giorgio Nava has given back prestige to Italian food in South Africa. Banned be the fusion kitchen, which, for him, and especially over there, it's a synonym of confusion. And banned be the Italian food imported to South Africa many years ago, that of the Sunday trattoria.

His is an Italian kitchen from the North, faithful to tradition but innovative with regards to cooking and presentation, with ingredients coming from his farm in Karoo and from his deep-sea fishing boat. The experiments with cattle have been a fundamental part of his evolution as a breeder and as a chef: he first imported some Chianina cattle, which didn't survive the South African sun, then he reached his objective with the Romagnola breed, and now his live performance with his beautiful meat are definitely worth mentioning, as the lucky people present last March in Ostend could verify. On November 20th 2011 Nava was awarded by Eatout (the most prestigious South African food magazine) the prize for the best Italian restaurant in South Africa.

 

Has participated in

Identità Milano


by

Giovanna Sartor

Born in Venice though she then lived in Milan, in January 2010 she moved to Cape Town. In love with South Africa, her dream is to produce Prosciutto San Daniele here, sooner or later