When a world-famous chef like Jamie Oliver compliments your cooking, you know you’re doing something right… and a small Cape Town restaurant has just earned that honour.
Western Cape, South Africa (25 June 2025) – Every now and then, something delightful happens that gives us that warm, fuzzy feeling… and this one’s cooked to perfection.
Jamie Oliver, yes that Jamie Oliver, just gave a nod of approval to one of Cape Town’s most exciting culinary gems: Belly of the Beast.
The globally renowned chef is currently in the Mother City (we’re not sure what he’s up to exactly, but we hope he’s soaking up every bite of it), and one of his stops included the much-loved, proudly local 30-seater restaurant tucked away in the heart of town.
If you know Belly of the Beast, you know that it’s not your average dining experience. There’s no menu to choose from. Just trust. Trust the chefs, the ingredients and the carefully curated journey they’ve designed for each sitting. Both lunch and dinner. The result is a food adventure you won’t forget.
So when Jamie popped in, the team were understandably a little starstruck.
They took to Instagram to share the moment:
“Growing up, we loved watching Jamie Oliver racing around town on his red scooter, cooking for his friends and making food feel fun and approachable.
He made such a big impact on how we saw cooking back then. So it was very cool, and a bit surreal, to have him eating at Belly of the Beast today.
A true gentleman and an all-round lekker guy. Thanks for joining us, for the kind words, and for sharing your passion, we’re all big fans!”
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The joy didn’t stop there. Jamie (or his team, either way, it’s from his account) responded to the post with a short but sweet message:
“Wonderful meal and team thank you so much”
That’s right. One of the world’s most recognisable chefs has just given a heartfelt thumbs-up to a local spot that puts heart, soul and creativity into every single plate.
But this isn’t the first time Jamie has shown love for Cape Town’s food scene either. Last year, we reported on his visit to The Test Kitchen Fledglings, a local upliftment programme that fuses fine dining with purpose, empowering individuals through culinary training. He lit up the kitchen with his presence and reminded everyone why food with heart always wins.
For Belly of the Beast, which champions seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and a nose-to-tail cooking philosophy, this kind of appreciation is massive. And for the rest of us, it’s just another reminder of the magic that lives right here in Cape Town… in tiny dining rooms in Harrington Street with big flavours and even bigger dreams, to local organisations making a difference in Woodstock and even to some of our favourites in Loop Street. There really is something “wonderful” about the Cape Town foodie scene.
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