Roberto Gastaldi, National Perishables and Fish Buyer at Food Lover’s Market is a trained chef and foodie with a strong Italian heritage and a real passion for seafood – whether procuring it, cooking it, or eating it!
He talks about how he got his start in the industry when his love for working in the kitchen was ignited during his gap year in the UK back in the early 2000s. Originally enrolling at university to study international marketing management, Roberto quickly realised he preferred the creative side of the working world and headed off on a gap year to travel Europe and explore his options.
“I found a job at a pub in the UK and spent six months pulling double shifts to make enough money to travel the rest of Europe. During that time, I also spent many hours grafting in the pub’s bustling kitchen and couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it,” he says.
After spreading his wings and broadening his horizons, Roberto returned to South Africa and immediately informed his parents that he wanted to go to chef school. He enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch, which is internationally rated as the best chef training school in Africa and considered to be one of the top three in the world. Obtaining his two-year diploma, Roberto snapped up an offer to work at Ginja, which was one of the restaurants at which he completed his student practicals and one of the best in the country.
“I was at Ginja for three years and worked my way right up to sous-chef before I chose to make a career shift and join forces with my father who, at the time, was the most prominent franchise owner in the Fruit & Veg City group,” Roberto comments.
“My dad had decided to open up his first Food Lover’s Market and wanted me to get involved. I jumped at the chance and grew steadily in the business over the years, first looking after departments, then entire stores, and eventually regions. I’m now in a fish buyer role, specialising in the procurement of fresh fish and frozen perishables.”
When asked if he misses being a chef, Roberto says he definitely does, although he feels privileged to still embrace his passion with a few tweaks – such as listening to customers differently.
“As a chef, people come to the restaurant looking forward to trying whatever unique concoctions you decide to offer them. On the other hand, when people come into a store, they’re usually looking for something specific. I’ve had to adjust to this change in demand coming from a chef’s background into the retail space,” he explains.
Roberto also notes how there has been a big shift in South African consumer behaviour over the past few years, particularly when it comes to choosing their source of protein. He highlights how Saffas are realising that seafood is a much healthier alternative to red meat, and discovering that there are various price points out there.
“The beauty is that seafood covers a number of markets. There’s a huge amount of farmed fish, such as tilapia, that is an affordable form of protein for those shopping on a budget – often cheaper than most meat!” he says.
Unfortunately, according to Roberto, a significant number of South Africans are still intimidated by the prospect of buying and cooking fresh fish. His advice to these individuals is that a fish doesn’t lie.
“Make sure you’re selecting good fish at the counter by looking for clear eyes, pink gills, and flesh that is firm to the touch.”
When it comes to cooking up your ‘catch’, Roberto insists that less is always more.
“Good fish should hold its own. Keep everything simple. For example, you could dust a beautiful East Coast sole in flour and fry it in olive oil and butter before removing and popping some capers, lemon zest, parsley, and white wine into the pan. Let it all reduce and pour over your fish for a stunning dish. When cooking salmon, sear skin-side down until crispy before flipping over, seasoning with salt and pepper and serving with a side of homemade lemon mayo.”
Along with motivating South African consumers to experiment more with fresh fish in the kitchen, Roberto speaks passionately about who has influenced him in his life and over the course of his career. He expresses gratitude to his mom and dad, in particular, for being his long-standing supporters, inspiring his love for food, and teaching him the value of hard work.
“Aside from my parents, I’ve also been really observant and always taken snippets and snapshots from everyone with whom I’ve come into contact – both the good and the bad. For instance, I was placed at three different restaurants to complete my practicals in chef school. At Ginja, I learnt all about flavours, boldness, and bringing the best out of products. At another restaurant in Paarl run by Germans, I was taught about kitchen efficiency and operations. The remaining restaurant wasn’t a good experience and taught me how NOT to operate a kitchen. All learning experiences and all crucial in shaping me into the person and professional that I am today!” he concludes.
