SMITTEN WITH FRANSCHHOEK’S NEW RESTAURANT CO-OWNED BY IMRAAN VAGAR AND CHEF CHRIS SMIT

Meet a couple whose restaurant in Franschhoek is a celebration of simple, timeless cuisine.

Television personality and producer, Imraan Vagar, and chef and cooking show host, Chris Smit, are partners in both life and business that have successfully managed to build their personal dream of time together.

Their latest collaboration is Smitten, the Franschhoek-based restaurant that’s all about savouring tasty yet unpretentious food in a beautiful setting. In the words of the owners, it’s a “space that reflects how they eat and prepare their food at home”. 

“Smitten actually started as a pop-up restaurant at the Franschhoek Village Market. We wanted to use the market to test the market, pun intended, to see if people were into what we were producing,” shares Imraan, Co-creator of Smitten.  He adds, “There are plenty of restaurants in Franschhoek that present the beautiful foams and haute cuisine but if you want a regular meal, that isn’t too low-brow but sophisticated enough to make it feel special, that’s what we aim to achieve.”

“We also wanted to share our love and passion for food with the locals,” says Co-creator Chris Smit.

On arrival you’re welcomed by a bar canopy that beautifully curves into the ceiling and creates the illusion of floating wine bottles overhead. Based at The Yard, 38 Huguenot Road, Smitten is decorated by fabulous textures and colour combinations of green, ivories, greys and gold. 

The unique Deli, Bistro, Bakery & Bar Concept’s menu consists of Chris and Imraan’s favourite recipes, many of which are inspired by their families. Amongst the popular choices are their curries, fresh breads baked by Chris himself, and his super delicious cakes. Smitten also stocks a variety of products made by local artisans, including their own bespoke chutneys, marmalades and pickles. 

Yes, we’re all on our own journey to strike the perfect balance to determine our success but we can’t help but feel inspired by how Chris and Imraan, who with love and a vision crafted together, are co-creating so beautifully and taking the time to make the most of every moment.

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