Getting to know Bellevue Cafe's, Guy Cluver

The Bellevue Cafe can be found in the heart of Kloof, tucked away behind the Delcairn Centre. The Café is a preferred dining spot amongst locals and visitors who enjoy the exquisite dishes, carefully blended coffees, and a quirky selection of fine wines handpicked by Bellevue's owner, Guy Cluver.

We caught up with Guy for a little chat about the man behind the much loved Bellevue Cafe.

Who is Guy Cluver?

I started my restaurant journey the day I finished school as a means to fund my university studies. My first job was as a waiter at the iconic Legends Musgrave Centre. I then joined the Woodcutters/Keg group and worked for Derryck Myers and Rob Mitchell, two men who I learned so much from. My university studies were less than stellar and I certainly wasn't cut out to work 9 to 5 in an office environment.

Why Bellevue Cafe?

By the time that I opened Bellevue Café, I had owned and run Stokers Arms, News Café Musgrave, John Dory's Gateway, Fresh Bagel Company, Butcher Boys, as well as Franki Bananaz Hillcrest.

The Café model appealed to me and I felt that there were big opportunities in coffee and the all-day business model made sense to me. The space was and still is completely unique with the terrace and al fresco dining opportunity.

My then partner in the business, Chris Black and I debated the name and settled on the very simple Bellevue Café due to the road in which we are situated.

Bellevue Cafe offers a selection of wines hand-picked by yourself, how did you gain this talent?

Probably by drinking too much wine!

I have a real passion for wine and firmly believe that we are spoilt for choice in South Africa. The quality of our local wine is unbelievable and the prices offer unbelievable value. We strive to offer unusual varieties at affordable prices that will encourage our guests to try something different. There's more to wine than Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot.

What is your favourite dish at the Bellevue Cafe?

My current obsession is our new sourdough pizza. We have recently installed an Italian pizza oven from a company called Pavessi in Modena. Chef Branden Huysamer keeps the specials board interesting and is very focussed on fresh, seasonal produce.

The joy of running a Café is that we do not need to stick to any particular food type and are able to offer, Greek, Mexican, Italian and Asian inspired dishes. This really keeps it interesting for our guests and us.

What have you learned about yourself being in the hospitality industry?

I am completely ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and this business is perfect for my personality. I love meeting and chatting to people and am so fortunate to have so many loyal guests who have eaten at Bellevue Café for the last ten years. A lot of these guests have become lifelong friends.

If not in the hospitality industry, what would you have been doing as a career?

I am really not sure but am certain that I would not be so fulfilled.

You are quite popular and loved by your customers, how do you keep a friendly smile even on the most stressful of days?

I genuinely love going to work every day and am fortunate to be surrounded by team members who have been with me since the first day. This is very rare these days and is a testament to the culture that we have created as a team. Our management team is very stable and we have very few bad days at Bellevue Café. The people that I work with definitely help to keep the smile on my face.

What core values do you live by?

Treat others as you would like to be treated. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and we never know what journey others have walked. As they say in the classics, "just be lekker!".

If you could offer a piece of advice to budding restaurateurs what would it be?

Be prepared to take chances, work harder than anyone else, stay humble and anything is possible.

What are your goals for the future?

To stay healthy, have fun and be grateful for every day.

If you are searching for a trendy café that's full of personality and buzzing with life in the Upper Highway Area, then Bellevue is where you should be. Check out the cafe's website or contact them for more information.