And while townships like Khayelitsha and Gugulethu remain a stark testament to the lasting impact of institutionalized inequality, Cape Town's distinct amalgam of Africans, Afrikaaners, Anglophones and CapeMalays has produced what may be the continent's most vibrant ethnic melting pot.
Riffel cooks simple, fresh South African food, using local ingredients prepared in a style strongly influenced by his Cape Malay background. (The Cape Malay community comprises ethnic Malays who began to emigrate to Cape Town more than 200 years ago.) "The food Reuben cooks is the food I knew growing up in the region, " says Ntezo.