Freda Applebaum

Freda Appelbaum’s famous Le Canard Restaurant was the place to go for fine dining in Johannesburg. It was frequented and indeed loved by statesmen/women, royalty, diplomats, billionaires, entertainers, artists, conservationists, sports men and women, judges and discerning South African and international food lovers. At Le Canard, one could bump into Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa, Sonia Gandhi, Bill Gates, Richard Attenborough, Jane Goodall, Peter Ustinov, Richard Goldstone, Joshua Bell, English, Danish, Dutch and Saudi Arabian royalty and innumerable other well known celebrities.

 
The restaurant won numerous prestigious national and international awards. Moreover, Freda Appelbaum and Le Canard were recognized by the Chene des Rotisssiers and Mrs. Appelbaum was one of only a handful of women chefs in the world to be inducted into the Disciples of Escoffier. In 2013, (after 25 years) Mrs Appelbaum decided that, although heart breaking, it was economically wise to sell the property on which both her beloved restaurant and home resided.

It's Back

Yes, Le Canard is back, in 21st century form.

It’s called Le Canard at home and it offers 6-star dining. Freda Appelbaum and her team of chefs decided to recreate Le Canard in a virtual form. They have created the opportunity for people to enjoy unmatched Le Canard cuisine in the comfort of their own homes. Whilst many of Le Canard’s dishes are ideally suited to fine dining and celebrations, Le Canard at home also offers more casual everyday dishes.

 

Le Canard’s most popular dishes include Freda’s famous soups, including her amazing clarified Chicken Soup. This so called Jewish Penicillin is not only scrumptious but every dieters dream. The Lobster Bisque is heavenly, and the cold soups are wonderfully tasty, healthy and refreshing – ideal on warm summer days. Le Canard desserts are legendary! The Walnut Parfait, Tiramisu, and Crepe Suzettes while ideally suited to fancy dinner parties may, once experienced, become great dishes with which to seduce partners and bribe children!!! And the homemade ice cream is simply yummy.

 

The Indian Government selected two of its finest chefs to represent Indian Cuisine during India week in European capitals and, during 2011 and 2012, in Johannesburg. During their time in Johannesburg they cooked for dignitaries and guests at Le Canard. They loved the restaurant and gifted it with the recipes for their two most popular lamb dishes. Whereas Dawood’s Lamb Curry is gentle and seductive, Vikram's is tangy and lingers longer. Both are so good. Vikram and Dawood considered Le Canard’s own Mauritian Prawn and Chicken Curry to be “unbeatable.” It really is delicious.

 

Freda Appelbaum has specifically selected dishes from her Le Canard Restaurant menu that she knows delighted guests for years and years. Notably, however, most of the dishes available are now more carbohydrate conscious.

The Team

chef John Ndlovu
Chef Ndlovu began his career creating french dishes for Le Français french restaurant in Harare. He later gained valuable experience in Italian cuisine at St Elmo's in Cape Town. Chef Ndlovu joined Le Canard Restaurant in 2000 where he received preliminary and continued education with respect to classical and contemporary french cooking including flavour encapsulation and methods associated with culinary deconstruction .

 

Specialization:
Entrées

 

Favourite Dishes:
Duck with Fruit sauces & Lobtser Bisque

Godfrey Matsepe

Chef Matsepe has spent most on his adult life working in the kitchen of Le Canard Restaurant. Although he formally trained as a hospitality relations manager, Freda Appelbaum recognised his creativity as well as his intense curiosity with respect to international cuisine. She and her then leading European chef, Gert Bocker, inducted Godfrey Matsepe into the world of fine french and European cuisine. He has developed into a very fine chef.

 

Specialization:
Soup & Desserts

 

Favourite Dishes:
Pate de foie gras & Walnut Parfait

Frans Ditshego
Frans joined Le Canard Restaurant a few weeks before its opening 28 years ago. He had previously been employed as a waiter at Cock Robin Restaurant in Rivonia, Sandton. During his lengthy tenure at Le Canard, he super specialised in the art of silver service and trained also as a sommelier. He was also, as a result of his love of nature, very good visual perception and inherent creativity responsible for  Le Canard's highly admired floral arrangements.

 

Specialization:
Silver Service & Fine Dinning Aesthetics

 

Favourite Aesthetic:
Deconstructed floral work