The first time I booked a table with Kobus van der Merwe, he’d just been named Rising Star in the 2014 Eat Out awards, South Africa’s homegrown restaurant accolades. I invited two friends to Oep v Koep with me, both avowed foodies. The day before, Kobus warned us of the road works. Instead of the 3.5-hour round trip from Cape Town, it would take five. For lunch. I recall nervously bickering with my husband as we drove to Paternoster, the West Coast fishing village where Kobus forages and cooks – what if the forager spiel was overhyped?