Travis Finch, executive chef at Arum Restaurant, with FYN Group founder Peter Tempelhoff.
With a career spanning continents and cuisines, Travis Finch brings a modern, produce-led approach to the kitchen at Arum – a space dedicated to fire, flavour, and the rhythm of the farm.
Raised in Durban, Finch first trained under FYN Group founder Chef Peter Tempelhoff at Greenhouse, where his discipline, palate, and curiosity began to take shape. His path then led him through the high-energy kitchens of London (the one Star Michelin Chapter One and three star Michelin The Connaught), months of travel and cooking across South-East Asia and India, to Australia (Vue de Monde in Melbourne, holder of Three Hats from Good Food Australia), and into the exclusive world of private cheffing aboard luxury yachts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Each chapter has shaped Finch’s singular style: modern, produce-driven, and quietly rebellious – untethered from geographical labels, yet rooted in craft, place, precision, and fire.
“Arum is about capturing a sense of place – not through nostalgia, but through awareness,” says Finch. “What’s growing, what’s fermenting, what the fire can give today. What we can do with time. We’re not trying to replicate anywhere else – we’re cooking right here, right now.”
Arum will open within the historic Werf building, Boschendal Estate’s original 1812 cellar, and the chef will work closely with the estate’s gardeners, growers, and farmers. Over 40 species of fruits, herbs, roots, vegetables, and proteins will shape an ever-evolving menu. Whole-animal butchery, fermentation, preservation, and open-fire cooking will be central to the kitchen’s daily rhythm.
For Finch, the appointment marks a homecoming. After years abroad, he returns to the Cape with both a broader perspective and a deeper respect for place, process, and purpose.
“Travis brings an incredible mix of humility, technical rigour, and global insight to Arum,” says Peter Tempelhoff. “He understands fire. He understands flavour. And most importantly, he understands the importance of honouring the integrity of ingredients. I’ve watched him grow into a truly remarkable chef, and I couldn’t be prouder to be building this next chapter with him.”
Arum Restaurant opens later this summer at Boschendal Wine Estate.