What was the inspiration behind Stephnie’s style and cuisine?

I have always been captivated by Italian culture and cuisine. At Stephnie’s, my goal was to recreate the charm of a European al fresco dining experience, which perfectly suits Pretoria’s moderate climate, and at the time, similar restaurants in Pretoria were few and far in between. After thoughtful consideration, we ended up with a restaurant whose interior style is a harmonious blend of classic Italian inspiration, where design thoughtfully balances intricate details with simplicity. The ornately patterned floor tiles draw the eye, while the decor gradually simplifies as it rises, creating a sense of calm and openness. The idea was to transport customers to another country as they sit down, only to surprise them with uniquely South African-inspired Italian dishes. 

When we opened the restaurant, I had a skilled Italian chef in the kitchen and we put a lot of time into the aesthetic appeal of our dishes. However, we quickly realised that presentation alone wasn’t enough; our local customers were interested in larger portions and dishes they could more easily relate to. Over the years, we’ve adapted our menu and expanded the diversity of our offerings. Today, we proudly boast an extensive menu inspired by flavours from around the world, where our French-inspired ‘On Fire Chateaubriand,’ Italian panna cotta, and South African dishes like bobotie or pap-and-kaiings all feel equally at home.

What led to the opening of Stephnie’s Restaurant?

One of my regular customers, Louis van der Watt, approached me with the idea of opening a café like Monaco Eatery in one of their new developments. I saw the building plans for Lynnwood Bridge and immediately knew that I wanted the space next to the Atterbury Theatre, where Stephnie’s remains to this day. The space, however, was allocated for a restaurant. At the time the only experience I had in operating and managing a restaurant, was what I had learned at Monaco, which, at the time, was smaller than it is today. The opportunity, however, outweighed the challenges and we decided to approach it head-on.

What were the biggest challenges you have faced over the years at Stephnie’s?

It’s no surprise that, over the years, we’ve faced many challenges, as operating a restaurant is full of unexpected twists. Within weeks of opening, and with a host of catering clients already lined up, our head chef resigned without notice. I remember standing in Stephnie’s kitchen, chopping what felt like thousands of carrots, thinking that if we could just get through one catering job at a time, we would eventually prevail. We initially aimed to replicate European fine dining cuisine and presentation, but we quickly learned that South African diners weren’t satisfied with the portion sizes and wanted more variety (and meat) on the menu. This prompted us to adapt, eventually adding a unique South African twist to our dishes.

By learning from our experiences, I’ve come to understand that success in business is directly linked to your ability to work with people—whether it’s listening to clients’ demands or understanding what motivates your staff. This realisation has allowed me to optimise kitchen productivity through incentivisation, enhance service quality by cultivating a happy work environment, and build a menu based on customer feedback that satisfies everyone who visits us.

In the beginning, our biggest challenge was securing financing to open the restaurant, as we entered the industry without any credibility. This resulted in a loan with a steep interest rate, and it wasn’t until a few years later, after achieving some success, that we were able to substitute it with an improved rate. The greatest challenge was overcoming the initial financial friction and staying afloat. Additionally, and what I consider the greatest challenge in any business, particularly in the restaurant industry, was finding and choosing the right people. After years of trial and error, I’m very happy with the staff at both Monaco and Stephnie’s because I feel we all share the same vision.

Initially, I was quite steadfast about table settings and decorations, but we’ve reached a point where my management team often has better suggestions. I can now rest assured knowing that they have complete control of operations, in the kitchen and front-of-house, even when I’m not there.

As a little girl, did you ever dream or think that you would one day become a restaurant owner?

To be honest, not at all. Growing up, we were strongly encouraged to succeed, and from an early age, we were taught to fend for ourselves. At school, I enjoyed music, drama, and the performing arts. My big dream was to become a radio announcer, and while this never materialised, I did get a taste of it when I had the opportunity to feature on Met ‘n Huppel in die Stap with Riaan Cruywagen. 

What I do today is a culmination of my interests over the years, and while I could never have known whether certain ideas would work out, looking back, I can see how everything aligned. I have always loved working with and catering for people, and this industry allows me to combine many of my interests on a daily basis.

What do you consider your biggest achievement?

My two beautiful daughters. Anike, the firstborn, is the owner and founder of a very successful creative studio — The Jar (who created both Stephnie’s and Monaco’s brands), while Suné is en-route to becoming a Chartered Accountant and moving to Cyprus at the end of the year to pursue her career. Although being a mom and an entrepreneur came with numerous challenges over the years, they have always supported me and have grown up to be strong, independent and self-sufficient women. I vividly remember running late one afternoon to picking them up after practice. I called them and told them that I was in the car and moments away, to which Suné replied: “Mom, I can hear your heels in the parking lot, I know you’re running to the car!”. 

I am also proud to have been married to Johan for more than 30 years. I think that in itself can be considered an achievement nowadays (wink). But in all seriousness, as my partner, he has stood by me during tumultuous times—times when I thought we were going to lose everything, including the house and even the dogs. He was a pillar on which I could lean in the toughest moments and remains my biggest supporter to this day.

What advice would you offer someone who wants to start a business in South Africa?

Well, firstly, wanting to start a business simply isn’t enough. You have to come up with a detailed business plan, be realistic about your targets, timelines and deliverables and then follow that plan religiously. A business cannot exist without structure, dedication and discipline. My husband, Johan, is brilliant at structuring business plans and has helped me a lot in this regard. 

Secondly, as mentioned earlier, running a business is and always will be, a people-centered operation. No matter what your product or service offering, you need other people, and understanding how people communicate, think and work is essential to managing a successful business. In the restaurant industry, customer feedback is of utmost importance, as user opinions will ultimately influence the popularity and status of your restaurant, and I find great resolve in understanding and delivering customer satisfaction. Furthermore, understanding people and what makes them tick, is important for cultivating a happy and healthy work environment, which ultimately translates to better productivity, sales and representation on the floor. 

Lastly, commitment to your cause is crucial. There will undoubtedly be multiple ups and downs throughout your business journey, but it’s essential to remain confident in your idea. A pivotal moment in Stephnie’s history nearly led us to shut our doors, as our numbers were not adding up. I remember sitting down with Centre Management and a potential new restaurant owner who would be replacing Stephnie’s. Listening to them discuss possible renovations and changes they planned to implement lit a fire under me. Afterwards, I told my husband that I needed just four more months to turn things around. This motivated us to scrutinise every aspect of the business, identify gaps, and make necessary fixes. Miraculously, at the end of those four months, we managed to turn the situation around. Thomas, the owner of 1855, our neighbouring restaurant, was immensely helpful during this period, providing invaluable business and management advice. Don’t give up when times get tough; especially in the beginning, business and success don’t always come quickly.

How do you manage to balance the demands of running two successful restaurants, maintaining a thriving family life, and managing personal responsibilities?

It hasn’t always been easy, but seeing as both of my daughters have been strong and independent from an early age and, despite the ups and down, both Monaco and Stephnie’s have grown to be successful in their own ways, we have developed somewhat of a sustainable rhythm. 

At times, we were juggling sports events, academics, catering jobs, and the full-time management of two restaurants while Johan maintained his own business. One of our biggest bonuses was (and still is) having Anna, who worked for us at home and played an integral role in helping raise Anike and Suné. I often tell people that I don’t think I would have made it without her. As a family, we have always been driven to succeed in all our endeavours, and through persistence and hard work, we have reached a point where we can finally balance our work and personal lives.

If you could go back to the start, say to the time of your matric year, knowing everything you know now, would you follow the same path? And what advice would you give to a young Stephnie?

Looking back, I would tell a young Stephnie not to be so hard on herself, as I always put immense pressure on myself in the pursuit of independence. However, everything I am today is a result of pushing myself when necessary, so it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. As I mentioned, I never imagined I would become a restaurant owner, but seizing opportunities as they arose has led me to learn and experience things I never thought possible. Along the way, I’ve met many wonderful people who have supported me in my journey. One of those is Francois van Niekerk (Atterbury Property), who had a significant influence on our lives and warned me at the outset about the ambitious idea we were embarking on. It was a very rewarding day when he congratulated me a few years ago on the success of Stephnie’s.

Were you to sell everything today and start over, with everything you have learned, would you take on the restaurant industry again? If not, what would you pursue?

While probably easier said than done, I think if I maybe landed in a small town, yes, I would like to open another coffee shop, because it’s an industry I understand and enjoy, albeit challenging from time to time. But I think I would more likely find myself in the consulting industry. I would love to be in a position where I can teach others what I know. Maybe work with other restaurants over a period of time and help them to establish where they could improve their service or product. But for now, I am very content with the way things are and excited about what the next few years will bring.

Aside from being a dynamic businesswoman, mother, and wife, who is Stephnie Stander when she’s at home?

For the most part I find myself researching the latest topics and new ideas in my field, whether through articles or online talks and videos. But, if I really get the chance to unwind, I enjoy kicking back with a light hearted boy-meets-girl romance movie. Obviously, I also enjoy hosting friends and family at home and take great pleasure in making food and decorating my home for others to enjoy, especially over Christmas time. Although it takes a lot of effort, I also try to keep active. Johan and I go jogging together and we actually finished the Two Oceans half marathon earlier this year. It helps me to clear my mind, but also acts as great bonding time for us throughout the week.