About Freda

Freda Appelbaum is an unusual woman. Some see her as unconventional- even a little odd, many consider her eccentric, a small number regard her fierce independence and intolerance as rude, but - almost none who know her would dispute the unparalleled contribution she has made to the culture of South African dining. She has little time for those diners who "fail to respect food and develop the art of taste," and adores those "who know or love their food."

Freda has received countless accolades from the likes of statesmen such as Nelson Mandela, politicians such as Jeff Radebe, entertainers such as Quincy Jones, business people such as Cyril Ramaphosa, philanthropists such as Nancy Rockerfeller, and conservationists such as Sir Richard Attenborough.

Her favourite accolade, however, comes from that wonderful, now deceased gourmet, actor and linguist Sir Peter Ustinov who acknowledged her Foie Gras and Escalope of Veal Magyare as “amongst the very very best in the world”, and on whom declaring his "tongue entirely seduced and [his…] stomach captivated," elicited tears in Freda's eyes.

When the other fabulous international gourmet and food critic Clement Freud proclaimed her restaurant "the best gem on the continent and a gem almost unparalleled elsewhere", Freda blushed.

So, despite her toughness, her age (70+) and her eccentricity, she is human. As Bill Gates put it after dining at Le Canard: Freda Appelbaum is “a wonderful, creative and consummate professional".

Freda's Chaine Des Rotisseurs Certificate	Freda's Chaine Des Rotisseurs

Freda has been made a member of the Chaine Des Rotisseurs. She is also one of very few women in the world to have been made a Disciple of Escoffier. Freda is a mother of three children and grandmother of four, who loves travel, political debate and dare I say it "a good old argument."