In this episode of A Table in the Corner, Russel sits down with Philippa and Graham Oldfield, the partners behind Bao Down, one of Cape Town’s most beloved independent restaurants. The conversation traces their parallel routes through chef school, hotels, yachts and serious kitchens, before converging in a small, hard working room in Vredehoek Avenue that would quietly build a cult following.
Philippa and Graham talk about learning discipline under pressure, the influence of Liam Tomlin’s kitchens, and why Bao Down was never conceived as a trend-driven project but as a tightly run, repeatable place built on flavour, consistency and trust. They unpack the thinking behind bao as a format, ingredient sourcing, cost control and portioning, and how a simple menu can still demand precision night after night.
The discussion also moves into growth, parenthood and sustainability, from scaling up to the Green Point space to building a long standing team and stepping back from the floor without losing standards. This is a grounded, honest conversation about running a restaurant for the long haul, balancing ambition with family life, and why some rooms earn loyalty by doing a few things properly rather than everything at once.
You can view the Bao Down menu here
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Thumbnail image supplied by the restaurant.
