Test Kitchen Fledgelings: Winter Special Review
R390 for a great value fine dining experience in Woodstock
TTK Fledgelings was founded with a simple goal: to offer those with no access to formal chef’s or guest service training – but boundless passion and determination – the opportunity to carve out a career in the hospitality.
Written by Shawn Godfrey (The Roasted Dad)
I tried out Test Kitchen Fledgelings’s winter special in Woodstock recently. I have been to “TK Fledgelings” many times, and this is a spot that has treated me well over the years.
Their current winter promotion, Street Food Fiesta, runs from 4 May until 31 October. At R195 (2 bites) or R390 (2 bites, one plate) per person, it is great value for money. Getting a fine dining-quality multi-course menu under four hundred rand from a culinary team of this standard in Cape Town is rare.
The Concept: Fine Dining with a Purpose
What makes Test Kitchen Fledgelings unique in Cape Town’s culinary landscape is the story behind it. When Luke Dale Roberts closed The Test Kitchen in late 2021, he reimagined the historic Woodstock space for social impact. Alongside Head Chef Nathan Clarke (who started out as a sculler at The Test Kitchen before rising through the ranks), the concept focuses on hiring individuals with no formal hospitality experience, giving them full-time employment and hands-on, in-service training.
Whether working behind the line or hosting out on the floor, these "fledgelings" learn their craft at the coalface of a professional kitchen. The ethos isn't about looking for existing skills, but finding raw drive and providing the mentorship to let people spread their wings.
Service That Sets the Bar
Much like my experiences reviewing spots like Terrarium at the V&A Waterfront or Little Fox in Constantia, hospitality plays a massive role in the experience of the evening. At Test Kitchen Fledgelings, we were not disappointed. It has been a long time since I have encountered service quite that attentive, engaged, and prompt. I asked Toufeeq for his name, because I wanted to make sure I could name him in this restaurant review.
Service was excellent; Toufeeq knows what good looks like.
My favourite dish of the evening: the Tuna Tartare.
A Street Food Fiesta
For their current winter special, Street Food Fiesta, you can either order à la carte, or go with “a quick bite” (any 2 dishes for R195), “the fiesta three” (2 bites, 1 plate for R390), or “the full table”, which includes 2 bites, 2 plates and 1 big plate. It is designed for two and priced at R795 - and what we went for.
We started off with Amagwinya, which is traditional vetkoek style bread, served as a warm, comforting starter bite. I love vetkoek, and my vetkoek recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my website. Fledgeling’s version is a guest favourite, so we were told. They pair their golden vetkoek with another Cape Cuisine staple: a smoked snoek paté. This was a nice accompaniment.
This was followed by the Oysters, a fine dining classic, served with Nam Jim, pickled carrots and daikon. Back to elevated street food: the Chicken Taco featuring charred chicken, fresh garnishes, in a crispy taco shell. It is not easy to present a taco fine dining style, but the fledgelings pulled it off. Balanced on a solid wooden bace and topped with fresh coriander and saffron threads, it was a piece of art.
Up next: Beef Tartare. Beautifully balanced with a vibrant Bloody Mary dressing, tangy gherkins and capers, a rich smoked garlic aïoli, and a perfectly crispy sourdough croûte served on the side. My favourite dish of the evening though, was the Tuna Tartare. The fresh tuna was paired with avocado & yuzu mousse, nori, and togarashi seasoning. To die for! Up next, the large plates. Firstly, the Sticky Baby Pork, which was covered in a sticky Gochujang glaze and paired with a crisp celeriac, apple & orange remoulade. And last but not least - a street food staple, with a fine dining twist - the TTK Beef Burger. It came in a soft Japanese milk bun, stacked with cheddar cheese, pickled cucumber, red onion, and a generous lash of truffle mayo. The patty itself was cooked well, remaining juicy inside, and my favourite condiment truffle mayo topped it off
The verdict
Test Kitchen Fledgelings delivers a compelling offering with this winter special. Serving foodtruck staples elevated isn’t an easy task, but the team pulled it off. And it wasn’t just the back of house that impressed; the quality of service from Toufeeq made for a memorable night. Knowing that your bill directly supports an active mentorship program makes the experience even more rewarding. At R795 for two, the value proposition is tough to beat anywhere in the city right now.
Booking Information for Test Kitchen Fledgelings
If you want to experience the Street Food Fiesta special before it ends on 31 October, here are the essential details:
Address: The Old Biscuit Mill, 373–375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday for dinner (18:00 – 20:30 last orders); Thursday to Saturday for lunch (12:00 – 14:00)
Special Details: Street Food Fiesta runs until 31 October (R195-390/person or R795 for a couple).
Bookings: Book online via Dineplan or through the TTK Fledgelings website
Contact: 021 447 2337 / hello@ttkf.co.za
Terrarium is situated within the Queen Victoria Hotel, in the the Queen Victoria Hotel in the historic Portswood Ridge precinct, a short walk away from the hustle and bustle of the V&A Waterfront.
More restaurant reviews:
If you are looking to map out your own culinary exploration across Cape Town and the wider Western Cape, check out a few of my other recent reviews:
Dinner at Journey (Urchin): Chef Marcus Gericke has taken over Urchin restaurant which is located inside the Hyatt Regency in the Cape Town CBD. The restaurant itself has an interesting backstory…
Dinner at Terrarium: An intimate, sustainable fine dining space at the V&A Waterfront where Chris Erasmus experiments with playful optical illusions and deep, local flavours.
Little Fox in Constantia: A quiet suburban escape nestled in the winelands, perfect for disconnecting over an accessible multi-course menu.
Eleven Restaurant in Franschhoek: Ryan Shell's South African-inspired culinary gem located right on the bustling main strip of the valley.
Spookfontein in Hermanus: Striking architecture meets incredible hillside views, making it a fantastic stop for lunch while exploring the Hemel-en-Aarde valley.
La Colombe in Constantia: My thoughts on Constantia's world-renowned institution and how they continue to push boundaries on the global stage.
About Shawn Godfrey
Photo credit: Niki M Photography
Shawn Godfrey is an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw his business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep him sane. To keep track of his recipes, and encourage friends and families to join him, he starts his instagram account The Roasted Dad.
Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim Shawn (encouraged by his wife Lianne) enters MasterChef South Africa. It is a crazy time of life: running a 200 people business and struggling to keep it profitable, two small children with a third on the way, and about to move into a new house. But when Shawn gets selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, he decides to go all in. Leaving his 7-month-pregnant wife to look after their then three and one-year-old children, he battles it out and comes back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in his pocket.
It all started with an Instagram account, but The Roasted Dad is so much more now. Shawn has stayed his entrepreneurial self and whilst he hosts Private Dinner Parties and Cook-with-Me Demos, does Restaurant Take-Overs, he still runs the lighting company and several other businesses.
On his blog, Shawn shares Restaurant Reviews and Accommodation Reviews, and gives an insight into the wild and wonderful life he leads together with his wife Lianne, and their three children Aiden (8), Olivia (6) and Harvey (4).
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