If you think standing on a street corner, waving frantically and watching your Uber sail past is bad, that sinking feeling is nothing compared to seeing the Chefs delivery truck hurtle up the road – because even in this day and age of satellites in space watching your every move, the GPS still can’t tell them where the gate to your apartment complex is.

When you’ve been slaving over a hot laptop all day and are now ravenously hungry and looking so forward to a delicious meal with minimal effort, it’s even more tragic.

Friendly drivers with big smiles, winning attitudes and bearing your dinner in a white paper bag go a long way to fixing all this; the Google Maps fail is not their fault. I’m sure the neighbours got a giggle at the crazy lady running after the truck.

Chefs is a small restaurant in the Cape Town City Bowl with a particular edge in the market.

The dishes change daily, and you can place your order online ahead of time, or make your selection when you arrive. The presentation is canteen-chic, with the focus more on the chefs in the kitchen than the wait staff on the floor.

Back when it opened, chef-patron Jenny Ward said she didn’t want to do takeaway or deliveries because she felt it would affect the quality of the food. Now that Chefs is doing exactly that – through its own delivery service, Uber Eats, or collection – I asked her what had changed.

Jenny Ward at work in the Chefs kitchen. Photo: Supplied

“We never wanted to do a ‘hot’ takeaway product, which we believe compromises the food quality because of the way it changes in transit from our kitchen to a customer’s home,” she replies. “While different meals on our menu are available in ‘Ready-To-Eat’ and ‘Ready-To-Cook’ versions, we don’t deliver the food hot and some heating or very basic cooking is required to finish them.

“Food delivery has grown so much since we opened and our customers keep asking us to find new solutions to their culinary needs that balance efficiency, convenience, cost and quality. The recent addition of an ordering platform to our website, coupled with deliveries provided by a third-party supplier, allows us to service our customers’ needs better.”

It doesn’t matter how many quick and easy five-ingredient meals Jamie throws at us, we all know they’re never going to turn out the same as his, but we still want that quick fix in the kitchen, whether we’re single, a couple, or a family. We have options – packaged supermarket meals to heat and eat; quite a few recipe box delivery places; straightforward takeaways, or eating out. Each comes with its own pros and cons. Chefs offers something different, mainly that the hot elements are your responsibility, and the sides and condiments are already prepared.

With single-use plastics under an increasingly harsh spotlight, I had to ask about this. Previously, I’ve been appalled by the recipe box dishes, with every pinch of salt and single bay leaf in its own separate plastic packet. Another delivery service sends its containers all wrapped in about five metres of cling film to prevent leakage.

Chefs delivers a wide variety of dishes that are quick and easy to finish off at home, as well as daily specials. Photo: Supplied

“We have minimised our packaging to make it as efficient and eco-friendly as possible. As much of it as possible is recyclable and since the meals are being delivered almost-completed, you don’t get individual spices, condiments and elements in their own individual packages,” says Ward.

“Our portioning of food and planning also cuts down on food waste and further use of plastic. We are continuing to look for viable eco-friendly options, and encourage people to recycle.”

Over the course of a week, I tried and tested a selection of Chefs’ meals, both ready to eat and ready to cook. Almost everything is done online, other than accepting your delivery from The Guy, which appeals to my introvert nature and ever-increasing dislike of human interaction. Remember, I come from a time when we actually had to phone Mr Delivery (as it was back then) – the horror! – something which never went well on a hungover Sunday.

Signing up on the website is quick and easy, and the ordering process is smooth and painless. There are a whole lot of standard items that are always available, from nuts and biltong to cheeses and dips (great for building a spread for home entertaining, or for your own TV snacks), as well as several dishes that are updated regularly. You place your order with a click or two and select your delivery time within a 15-minute window (which was met every time bar the three minutes I chased the truck), even for some days hence. This is nice if you’re a control freak who wants to plan in advance but I learnt the hard way that it’s better to wait for the daily email – which arrives in the morning – with new specials. It meant I had sirloin steak and a whole lot of salads instead of a bento box full of sushi, which made me a little bit sad. I’m guessing I could have changed my order if I’d got there in time.

“People eat differently at home to the way they would in a restaurant, and we have designed the products to be budget- and family and sharing-friendly,” comments Ward. “We do our best to balance convenience and providing a restaurant-quality product in understanding that people don’t have a lot of time, but want quality food and are conscious of the provenance of the components of their meals.”

Salads (Caprese, top, and Caesar, above) are available in medium or large portions, great for lunches at your desk or as sides for your main meal. Photo: Supplied

My first order was the Greek lamb combo, which costs R300 for a two-person meal. Or one person with leftovers for the next day, don’t judge. It comprises “organic Karoo lamb shoulder slow-braised with herbs, buttermilk and confit garlic in CHEFS oregano pan jus and a side of smoky marinated aubergine salad.” The cooking time is as long as it takes a pot of water to boil plus the five to eight minutes the lamb spends in it. The meal includes four pita breads, tzatziki, chilli ginger salsa, and hummus. I loved every mouthful, and the aubergine salad was good enough for me to order it again later in the week.

Once you’ve placed your order and chosen the delivery time, you can relax until you get the SMS telling you the driver is on his way. His progress can be tracked online to ensure you never lose sight of your dinner.

Since the beginning, Ward has cooked almost all Chefs’ dishes in a wood-burning oven. “We have added a charcoal oven as well. Both cook at extremely high temperatures, which creates unique flavours,” she says. “We also use the whole heat cycle of the oven to cook flatbreads, vegetables and braised meats, which are used in both restaurant and delivery items.”

Wood and charcoal ovens bring a smoky char to meat and chicken dishes. Photo: Supplied

It’s because of this, my top favourite order was the lemon and herb roast chicken, a good-sized bird, beautifully charred, and finished off in my own oven for 15 minutes. The succulent fowl came with crunchy slaw and corn salsa. It cost R240 and could comfortably feed four (or one with leftovers, don’t judge). I’m a low-carb person so I passed on the corn; for now, the website advises basic dietaries like gluten and nuts, and Ward says in future she is looking at launching products that cater to lifestyle and eating preferences such as breakfast boxes and school lunches. Currently, you can order fillings and bread sufficient for four sarmies.

Make your own sandwiches with fresh sweet potato bread and your choice of toppings – rare roast beef and whipped mustard, mayonnaise; salmon gravlax; Brie and tomato chutney. Photo: Supplied

Order via www.chefscapetown.co.za

Delivery is available in the City Bowl, Atlantic Seaboard and Southern Suburbs for a small fee, and orders can also be collected directly from the CHEFS kitchen at 81 St. John’s Street, Gardens.

Alternatively, order via UberEats: Search for CHEFS, select your gourmet meal option from the Ready-to-Cook section and place your order. In-app notifications will keep you informed of your order’s progress and normal UberEats delivery charges apply. DM

Chefs is offering Daily Maverick Thank God It’s Food readers free delivery for one week, on orders of R150 or more. Delivery areas are in the Cape Town Southern Suburbs, CBD & Atlantic Seaboard only. Enter the code CHEFSDAILY at check-out on the site.