A French love affair with restaurateur Natasha Maciel
Think of your favourite restaurant. Now think what it is about this place that makes you go back there again and again? Chances are it has nothing to do with the tenderness of the fillet or the outstanding coffee, but the moments that you’re able to share with friends and family – moments of pure connection.
As a restauranteur, Natasha Maciel excels in creating places where such connections take place. Of course, it helps that her food is consistently fabulous – but, from her perspective, the real success of Pronto, the Italian eatery she grew into a Craighall icon – lies in the fact that it’s a deep-seated part of the community. “I’ve served kids who come in to eat with their parents, then served the same ‘kids’ as they sit opposite their dates, wearing a tie and paying with their new credit cards,” she says.
There’s no doubt that her latest brainchild, Liberté French Food & Wine, is sure to enjoy the same level of popularity. This time, though, it’s not just about serving up delicious dishes … Natasha’s latest venture, which opened in November last year, is a tribute to freedom. “I was going through a difficult time in my life, and I thought about what it means to be able to release ourselves from toxic situations – and how that creates the truest sense of freedom,” she says. That explains the quote you’ll find proudly emblazoned on Liberté’s wall. “I have the freedom to create the future I want”. It’s also a celebration of femininity and, more specifically, a salute to all the women who have helped and held Natasha during difficult times.
Natasha says that the idea for her second eatery came about after a conversation with another of Joburg’s high-flying restaurateurs, who floated the idea of opening a new space together. “I had a real glow after the discussion. It was such an ego boost! But then I thought to myself: Why try make someone else’s dreams come true? What about your own dreams?” Liberté is therefore about Natasha getting real, showing vulnerability and backing herself.
Opening the restaurant is a big step for someone whose roots are in publishing, rather than hospitality. True, Natasha grew Pronto from a 38-seater into a restaurant accommodating 120, with deli and décor sections added after Covid necessitated a review of operations (a canny move which saw the restaurant used as a pivoting success case study by renowned futurist Dion Chang); but her background was DTP and then media sales.
She loved the restaurant business as soon as she tried it – and mostly because of that sense of community. Natasha explains that her childhood involved several moves as her parents sought the best treatment for her mother’s cancer, since medical resources in her Malawi home were scarce. “I felt very unsettled, which is why I really value the home that Pronto gave me. I remember feeling very intimidated when I first arrived in Joburg – and now, thanks to the restaurant, these people are my tribe.”
Natasha has made a concerted effort to ensure the restaurant feels as much as a home to those who work there – no small feat, considering there are 79 of them. Natasha experiences a deep satisfaction knowing that she provides a safe harbour for them – which is why her restauranting style is very different from the pressure-driven, always-on, Gordon-Ramsay-invective-laden culture that makes most kitchens a breeding ground for stress. Her insistence on creating a more relaxed atmosphere stems from her own experiences as a mother – with two children, it’s impossible for her to be at the restaurant around the clock. “It’s simply unreasonable,” she states. “I trust my people to help run the business – and yes, they will make mistakes, and yes, that will be painful – but that’s how we learn.”
Natasha believes that her outlook is typical of female entrepreneurs whom, she says, tend to focus on creating meaning and purpose rather than simply looking for material success. It’s also informed the way she does business. For example, at Pronto, you’ll be able to find goodies produced by small companies who typically don’t have a voice in larger retail chains, as well as handmade, small batch-frozen foods intended to help busy moms carve out a little more time in the day.
It’s probably because she treats the world with grace that grace is returned to her. She laughs when she admits that, despite a few inevitable teething problems, Liberté has been fully booked for months. “It’s a baby – of course we’re going to make mistakes. But I created something from my head and my heart, making something beautiful out of a challenge, and now I’d love people to share their ideas so that I can make it even better. That’s what I love about entrepreneurship – it’s about being adaptable. And when you can adapt, you can survive – and ultimately, thrive.”
You can find both restaurants at The Colony Shopping Centre, 345 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park.
Details: Liberterestaurant.com; 010-824-5791 and prontoitalianrestaurant.co.za; 011-447-4346. Follow @liberte.joburg and @pronotitalianrestaurant on social media.
How to be a heart-centred entrepreneur
Liberté is a reflection of everything Natasha loves – her passion for all things French and, of course, food that is truly merveilleux. But it’s also a celebration of all that Natasha holds dear as an entrepreneur. Here are her ingredients for getting it right:
• Intention. There are a lot of agendas in this world. You need to know what yours is before you take your first step on any journey. My own intention is not to focus on money alone but to achieve balance, purpose and meaning.
• Gratitude: If you lead people, you need to uplift them – and you can only do this if you see the good in what they do. Note, though, that this doesn’t mean pushing for perfection!
• Letting go: Let go of concepts like perfection, because they’re tyrannical.
• Text: LISA WITEPSKI • Photographer: NICOLE MOORE. • Details: nicolemoorephotography.co.za • Make-up: MAKEUP BY RYNO, 071-688-0242. • Hair:THE PETER’S HAIR STUDIO.Details: thepetershairstudio.co.za • Location: LIBERTÉ. Details: Liberterestaurant.com
