The Greenhouse has always been a favourite for Joburg diners seeking sun-drenched lunches, leafy corners and the gentle luxury of a long, unhurried meal. But under the leadership of newly appointed head chef Leigh-Ann Knipe, the restaurant is entering a sophisticated new era, one that marries freshness with finesse, comfort with curiosity, and South African seasonality with global
sensibility.
Knipe, whose culinary résumé includes acclaimed kitchens such as Overture, Mosaic, Ethos and Proud Mary, steps into her role with both confidence and humility. Her vision is deceptively simple: to create food that is honest, ingredient-driven and quietly refined. Yet, the execution is anything but ordinary.
One of her priorities was to reimagine how guests interact with the menu. Instead of rigid courses, The Greenhouse now invites diners to explore, mix a salad with a small pasta, pair sushi with grilled wings, or linger over two or three light dishes in true “slow luxury” style.
“We wanted something playful,” she says. “Food that feels good. Food you can enjoy with friends or during a relaxed corporate lunch, nothing heavy, nothing overwhelming.”
Knipe’s calm precision is rooted in years spent learning from some of South Africa’s most demanding and creative chefs. From them, she distilled a philosophy built on structure, discipline and the courage to try combinations that shouldn’t work but somehow do.
She laughs as she describes her favourite experiment: a sumac-rubbed chicken served with roasted corn cream and charred peaches. What began as a passing idea turned into a signature dish that now anchors the lunch menu.
“We kept adding elements of garlic, herbs, stock made from sweetcorn, until it felt complete. It’s the perfect balance of comfort and surprise.”
If there is one non-negotiable in Knipe’s kitchen, it’s seasonality. Summer inspires her most: berries, peaches, buffalo tomatoes, citrus, aromatic basil and wild rocket with its peppery bite.
Nothing is added for looks alone. Each leaf, each drizzle, each curl of zest has purpose.
“Honest but refined means you recognise everything on the plate,” she says. “The chicken tastes like chicken, the pasta tastes like pasta, but each one has depth. We don’t need 10 things on the plate. We need intention.”
Under Knipe, lunch is no longer a quick stop between meetings; it’s an experience. The Greenhouse leans into the global trend of unhurried daytime dining: dishes that are fresh, bright and energizing, accompanied by lighter music and an atmosphere of ease. “Lunch should lift you, not weigh you down,” she explains. “Dinner can be hearty. Lunch must be refreshing.”
With its glass façade, cascading greenery and the natural glow of Gauteng sunshine, The Greenhouse feels almost like a conservatory. Knipe uses that to her advantage.
“We want guests to taste the space,” she says. “The freshness, the brightness, the greenery it all has to translate onto the plate.”
Knipe leads with a modern, intuitive style, one that values trust over hierarchy. Her sushi chef, pastry chef and senior cooks are treated as creative partners rather than subordinates. “It’s not about me telling everyone what to do,” she insists. “It’s about what we can build
together.”
Asked to describe the flavour of this new chapter, she pauses thoughtfully before answering: “Bright, herbaceous citrus. Something fresh that lingers.”
And while many diners may flock to the restaurant for sushi or the grilled meats, Knipe believes the most underrated item on the menu is the pasta, made fresh, treated with reverence, and built from whatever the local suppliers bring in at their seasonal peak.
Outside the kitchen, she draws inspiration from travel, nature and the global chefs she follows online, not to copy, but to reimagine through a distinctly South African lens.
With her ingredient-first philosophy, collaborative spirit and effortlessly modern approach, Leigh-Ann Knipe is steering The Greenhouse into a deliciously confident future.
It’s fresh without being fussy, refined without the pretence, the kind of dining that makes you want to stay a little longer, order one more dish, and return again tomorrow.
