Building on their extensive experience in the hospitality industry, spanning over two decades, Cecilia and Nico Drotschie have achieved their long-held goal of restaurant ownership with the acquisition of JBay Bruco, a renowned restaurant located on Da Gama Road in Jeffreys Bay.
Cecilia who initially worked as a floor manager at the Sloan Avenue branch of The Gaucho Restaurant group in London from 2004 to 2006 went on to assist in training the front-of-house staff for the new Broadgate branch opening in 2006.
Cecilia and Nico met in 2007 when she returned to South Africa and the two then worked together on a catamaran in the Caribbean, with Nico as the captain and Cecilia as the chef between 2009 and 2012.
Nico said that while working on the catamaran, they met a businessman who offered them an opportunity to manage his private villa from 2014 to 2016 and then manage his private island in the British Virgin Islands named Little Thatch Island from 2016 to 2023.
“We stayed on the island alone for most of the time, with the owner and his friends and family visiting occasionally. Since the island could only be accessed by boat, additional staff travelled by boat from nearby areas when needed,” said Nico.
Cecilia further said that once their children began school, they too had to travel by boat to get to school, which was often difficult when the weather was less favourable.
With a desire to establish their own restaurant and having visited family in Jeffreys Bay multiple times, the couple was thrilled to hear that JBay Bruco, previously owned by Jayne Davies and Lucinda Erasmus, was for sale in 2023.
Finally, after much thought and planning, Cecilia and Nico moved to Jeffreys Bay earlier this year and officially took over the restaurant on October 1.
“It has been a lifelong dream of ours to do our own thing and open a restaurant,” said Nico.
He further said that he likes that the restaurant has different areas which cater for various demographics.
“The restaurant offers a different experience in each area. We have a bar, play area, smokers’ section, and inside and outside dining. We cater for the whole family,” said Nico.
“It is a very relaxed atmosphere with a happy beach town vibe.”
Cecilia said that they plan to keep the restaurant’s name and menu since it is loved by many; however, they hope to add their own “stamp” to their new place with a few minor changes, such as offering in-house desserts.
“People come to the restaurant for the large variety of good food and generous portions, the good vibes, and the welcoming, homey experience. We want to keep the heart, soul, and essence of the restaurant as is; however, the guests can look forward to a few new menu items,” said Cecilia.
As the December holiday period approaches, she said that she is looking forward to the “holiday buzz” and the arrival of more visitors.
Looking to the future, Cecilia said that they plan to host various themed events and many new exciting activities.
According to their various social media pages, JBay Bruco is an artisan family eatery, a hang-out place with good vibes, craft beer on tap, and a play area for children. It also mentions that the restaurant offers wood-fired pizza, home-made burgers, and all sorts of yummy food.
Some of the current specials include 25 per cent off pizza on Tuesdays and 50 per cent off burgers on Thursdays.
Operating hours are:
. Monday – closed out of season
. Tuesday to Friday – 11:00 to 21:00
. Saturday – 09:00 to 21:00
. Sunday – 09:00 to 15:00
