Riffel – already a regular on TV, radio and in print – will endorse the Robertsons Paste! range, with TV advertisements scheduled to go live in early 2011, plus promotions, cooking demonstrations, trade fair appearances, merchandising and more.
Robertsons Paste! is an innovative, next generation format of herbs and spices, freshly picked at its source and frozen. The unique cold pressed manufacturing process ensures the paste delivers an intense fresh flavour that is conveniently housed in a tub with an impressive shelf life. Robertsons Paste! has no artificial flavourings, colourants, preservatives or added MSG.
Celebrity ChefThis is the latest in a long line of achievements for the South African sensation, whose unique flair has earned him a reputation as one of South Africa’s leading chefs.
Says Riffel, “Many of my colleagues in the food industry and of course international chefs are sponsored by brands. Finding that natural fit involves a lot of behind the scenes work, because we have to be right for one another.
“I thoroughly investigated the offer when it came my way through Robertsons’ ad agency, because I couldn’t compromise my credibility by representing something I don’t believe in.”
In October 2010 Riffel made headlines when he set out to succeed UK celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – opening his first urban restaurant at Sol Kerzner’s plush One & Only hotel in Cape Town.
Chef endorsement of retail brands is growing worldwide and this campaign puts Riffel on a par with likes of Marco Pierre White, who endorses Knorr products in the UK.
Riffel grew up in Franschhoek as the middle child of a housewife and builder. His first foray into the hospitality industry came through occasional work as a barman and waiter, until he was asked to help out in the kitchen.
Over the next few years, life as a chef took him to different places - Ballito Bay, the Cape Town Waterfront, back home to Franschhoek and even to Cambridge in the UK.
His first opportunity to run his own kitchen came when he was in his early twenties. From there, he worked and established the Monneaux restaurant as one of the Top 10 restaurants in South Africa. He spent three years in total honing his skills at Monneaux before making a move to Cambridge. Once there, he joined up with some friends to open Bruno’s Brasserie, which saw the young chef add another host of rave reviews to his growing following.
The newly announced, high profile endorsement of Robertsons Paste! follows a long list of successful foodie pursuits in South Africa and abroad: the acclaimed Reuben’s Restaurant and Bar in Franschhoek and Robertsons; a string of awards and recognition including Eat Out Johnnie Walker Restaurant and Chef Of The Year and Unilever Chef of the Year; his spot on the IETA Restaurant Guide’s Top 100 and Top 10 lists; plus his first cook book launched in 2008 to huge praise, Reuben Cooks, food is time travel.
Fresh is BestRobertsons Marketing Director, Jason Livesey, said Riffel personified the Robertson’s Paste! brand, which encourages fresh tastes, creativity and meal inspiration. “Reuben has a great pedigree in the kitchen. People love him for his creative dishes and his restaurant menu changes daily according to which fresh ingredients are available. We believe that our union with him is a natural fit that will help Robertsons Paste! to address our consumer's desire for creativity and fresh taste, coupled with a fuss-free and easy-to-use product.”
The wet paste range represents a new direction for the Robertsons brand, which is well known locally for its established ranges of dry herbs, spices and seasonings.
Explains Livesey, “Robertsons will be looking to transform the herbs and spices market in much the same way that teabags overtook loose tea formats in the late 1970’s.”
Asked about his endorsement of Robertsons Paste! Riffel said it is always important for him to be selective about the brands he associates with, “because I have to be true to myself and believe in what I am doing.”
“Food is my life, so the prospect of working with this new and exciting technology was the overriding drawcard for me. I tried and tested the product in a variety of dishes before agreeing on the partnership and was very impressed with the flavour results,” he said.
Says Riffel, “My philosophy on cuisine is eclectic, but it’s all about simplicity, value for money and bringing out the natural flavours and perfect balance, so yes, this is a natural fit.”
Robertsons Paste! is available in several varieties including the fresh tastes of Basil, Italian Herbs, Ginger, Paprika and Mixed Peppercorn and will be sold at all major supermarkets and retailers nationwide. It retails for between R23.99 and R27.99 for a 120g tub.
With the quality of fresh herbs and the convenience of dry, Robertsons Paste! can be used at any stage of the cooking process as it releases flavour immediately. Unlike pesto’s Robertsons Paste! contains pure herbs and spices in a puree format with usage directions of 1 teaspoon per 100ml of sauce. It offers up to double the flavour of an equivalent amount of dry herbs and spices and is preserved using natural ingredients such as olive oil and vinegar.