Jacques Van Der Merwe

Area: Solihull, United Kingdom

Jacques is a self taught and slightly unconventional chef who focuses on bringing something unique to the table. Starting out in a friend’s health food catering business he quickly realised just how much he enjoys cooking and within 6 months he opened the doors to his very own bistro. His concept was to serve a seasonal menu whereby every single ingredient was locally sourced and every dish on the menu was completely made by hand in house by he and his small team of chefs. Jacques’ food philosophy is simple: simplicity, technique and flavour. Food is art and dining should always be an experience! This humble approach to honest cooking earned his first restaurant a place in the top 4 restaurants in South Africa in 2016’s Restaurant Week Spring edition. After adding a new little member of the family, a recent move to Birmingham with his family means that Jacques is here to passionately shake things up a bit and bring a whole new flavour to the already bustling Birmingham food scene. With a vast knowledge in wine and spirits Jacques specialises in paired menus of all kinds: from coffee to brandies and even craft beer pairing menus. Jacques has a deep love for dessert and it shows in the way he merges old favourites and modern technique.