A Night with the King of the West Coast

The journey begins by driving out of Cape Town towards the West Coast. Along the way you can either get to know the nature of the region and explore the West Coast National Park, or go a little deeper into the heritage of the Khoisan people. The city gradually falls behind. The landscape grows drier. The roads emptier. And the rhythm slower.

The next stop is Paternoster. It is one of the most atmospheric fishing towns on the West Coast and an important part of the culture of the coloured community, who make up more than half the population of Cape Town. Here we are met by Dwayne, one of the most legendary local characters in the region. Dwayne cooks without recipes and without a menu decided in advance. He simply closes his eyes and pictures what the plate ought to look like today.

After lunch we head to Julian's farm. This is where the genuinely unpredictable part begins. The farm is so vast that everything you can see from the hilltop belongs to him. Julian is a pilot, a lawyer, a farmer and one of the most unusual people in the region. His family has owned this land for eight generations. The farm has kept a very particular atmosphere. Netflix and Hollywood crews come to film here, because places like this have almost vanished. While we explore the farm, Julian can tell stories for hours. Sometimes you simply drive around the property, drink wine or something soft, step into his own bar, and gradually start feeling the rhythm of the place. Nelson Mandela once had dinner here, which tells you how much Julian's family means to South Africa. Now it is your turn to dine here.

In the evening a five-course dinner is waiting in the old colonial hall. Real Afrikaner cooking. A long table. Stories. Julian asks that nobody takes out a phone at the table. Our relationship with Julian has long been about more than work. For him this is not about earning — he likes meeting people and giving them his time. Which is why we suggest bringing him a small gift from the part of the world you come from. It will make your experience far more alive and personal. After dinner you stay the night on the farm itself, in the colonial house from 1740. At night the silence here is close to absolute. Only the West Coast wind, and the feeling that time around you slowed down a few centuries ago.