The Big Bottle Festival

Now in its third year, the Big Bottle Festival is the Western Cape’s grandest annual wine tasting extravaganza and celebrates South Africa’s finest “Big Bottle” masterpieces during a weekend-long festival. 

Unique in concept and execution, the event brings together South Africa’s foremost winemakers and chefs de cuisine and it all happens next weekend 23rd to 25th August 2013.

The renowned five-star Cellars-Hohenort Hotel will once again be the backdrop for this sophisticated weekend of fine wine and culinary delights coming together with the sumptuous Gourmand Five-Course Dinner Experience prepared and presented by renowned sommelier and wine consultant Jörg Pfützner and award-winning chef Peter Tempelhoff on Friday evening as well as a Rare Champagne Tasting.

Spearheaded by Tempelhoff, from the Liz McGrath’s collection of hotels, the third annual Big Bottle Festival will showcase a panoply of culinary stars such as Edgar Osojnik head chef at Buitenverwachting, Harald Bresselschmidt celebrated chef from Aubergine Restaurant, Roland Gorgosilich of Bosman's Restaurant at the Grand Roche Hotel in Paarl, Gregory Czarnecki renowned for his work at the Waterkloof Estate and Brad Ball, Executive Chef of the world class Bistro Sixteen82 amongst others.

The five courses will be accompanied by exclusively selected wines from classic international regions such as Bordeaux with the tasting of an iconic 1983 Chateau Gruaud-Larose as well new cult wine Ladredo from re-emerging regions like Ribeira Sacra.

Other wines which will be served on the evening include the 2011 Soalheiro Alvarinho Dócil, 2003 Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs from England, 1994 Quinta de Bágeiras from Portugal, 2006 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Tradition Kremstal from Austria, 1983 Chateau Gruaud Larose from Bordeaux France and 1998 Niepoort Colheita Port most of which will be served from rare Magnums, Imperials and Methuselah.

In keeping with the connoisseur element the Champagne Tasting will centre around extremely rare champagnes not easily found locally with eight notable 2002 vintage cuvees from Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer Cristal, Jacques Selosse Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru Brut Millesime and Egly-Ouriet Pere et Fils Brut Grand Cru. As an offering of some of the best Champagne vintages of the last 10 years, the tasting will be presented by Hendrik Snyman, one of the most knowledgeable and entertaining Champagne importers and MCC producers in South Africa.

The Big Bottle walk-about and tasting on Saturday and Sunday the 24th and 25th  August allows food and
wine lovers to experience the various wines from a select group of farms. Sunday kicks off with a 3-course Champagne Breakfast. Focusing on the few wineries and estates in South Africa who are able to bottle wines in large bottle formats. All wines will be poured from big bottles during the Walk-About.

These wine farms bottle in large formats, usually only for special occasions and limited releases, to showcase outstanding vintages either to mark a winery’s anniversary or for charitable purposes. These magnificent bottles are synonymous with celebration, extravagance, enjoyment and invoke a feeling of delightful, social decadence.

Some forty of SA’s top wine producers and importers are serving their best wines at this not to be missed event. Participation is strictly by invitation only with estates including Bouchard Finlayson, Hamilton-Russell, Iona, Delaire Graff Estate, Buitenverwachting, Neil Ellis, Jordan, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Tokara and Klein Constantia.

Tickets for the Big Bottle Festival are available through Webtickets (webtickets.co.za) with the Walk-Around Day Pass priced at R400 (this includes food and wine), the Gourmand Dinner Experience priced at R1,980 and the 2002 Prestige Champagne Tasting priced at R2,300 per person.

Special hotel packages have been arranged or guests traveling to the Festival.

Single Options - One person all inclusive

• Walk-about-ticket & 1 night accommodation in Luxury Room R2950.00
• Gourmand Dinner, walk-about-ticket & one night accommodation in Luxury room R4999.00
• Prestige champagne tasting, walk-about-ticket & one night accommodation in Luxury room R5500.00
• Dinner, prestige champagne tasting, walk-about-ticket & one night accommodation in Luxury Room R7900.00
• The Full Monty Big Bottle Festival Weekend - Gourmand Dinner, prestige Champagne tasting, 2 night accommodation Luxury Double with Verandah and walk-about tasting R9999.00

Double Options - Two persons all inclusive

• Walk-about-tickets for two & one night luxury room R3999.00
• Gourmand dinner for 2, walk-about-tickets & one night luxury room R8299.00
• Champagne tasting for two, walk-about-tickets & one night accommodation R8900.00
• Gourmand dinner, champagne tasting, walk-about-tickets for 2 & one night accommodation R13750.00
• The Full Monty Big Bottle Festival Weekend - Gourmand Dinner, prestige Champagne tasting, walk-about tasting and 2 night Luxury Double room with Verandah. R14999.00

For more information please visit the Big Bottle Festival website: www.bigbottle.co.za, follow them on Facebook Facebook.com/BigBottleFestival or follow them on Twitter: @BigBottleSA 

 

Stellar Cuisine at Shimmy Beach Club

STELLAR SHIMMY CUISINE

From the kitchen of Chef Seelan Sundoo

On the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Cape Town, from the kitchen of celebrated culinary master, Seelan Sundoo, Shimmy Beach Club’s menu presents a stellar array of gastronomic offerings set to delight the most discerning of pallets.

With a fun dining approach to food and a wide selection of fresh seafood, tender steaks and high quality meat options, as well as mouthwatering sushi and gourmet, wood-fired pizzas, Shimmy not only caters for groups of friends with eclectic tastes but is also the perfect venue for an intimate lunch or sumptuous dinner for two. 

Over the years, Seelan Sundoo’s name has become synonymous with quality dining in Cape Town, having learnt how to cook in his mother’s kitchen and then perfecting his craft in some of the city’s most renowned restaurants.

Using fresh, locally produced and organic ingredients, the dishes on Shimmy Beach Club’s menu are comfortable yet sophisticated and create the perfect balance between simple & and elaborate with Seelan’s signature dose of Italian, French and Asian influences expertly combined with the flavours of the Cape.

“We decided to offer a large menu with a lot of different choices to accommodate all tastes, making Shimmy Beach Club a venue where you can try something new each time and enjoy long lunches as well as lavish dinners with friends,” says chef Seelan Sundoo.

In turn, Shimmy offers the freshest and most decadent seafood including extraordinary platters, oysters, langoustines, giant tiger prawns, a variety of line-fish and Seelan’s storied prawn curry. Fresh combinations of ginger, chilli, lemon, coconut cream and garlic flawlessly compliment the flavours of the seafood.

Selecting only the highest grade cuts of dry-aged beef, a refrigeration process which leaves the meat incredibly tender and concentrates the flavour of the beef, Shimmy’s steaks are grilled to perfection and served with a choice of thoughtfully combined herbs, truffle mayo, chimichurri, tagliata or a delectable smokey black pepper sauce.

For patrons looking for something out of the ordinary, Shimmy offers a variety of exotic dishes including duck ravioli with a delicately-balanced orange and ginger sauce, a perlemoen starter, delicious salads and top cuts of veal or springbok, flawlessly complimented by sides of sweet potato chips or fresh organic vegetables.

A highlight at Shimmy is the phenomenal sushi from the hands of master sushi chef, Yasuhiro Yoshimura who has spearheaded sushi at some of South Africa’s top sushi restaurants. A personal friend of Nobu Matsuhisa and consultant to Sol Kerzner’s restaurants, Yoshimura ensures that each order of sushi is expertly prepared using top quality ingredients.

Meanwhile, the wood-fired pizza oven cooks thin crusted gourmet pizzas to perfection and the small plate menu offers a collection of hamburgers and light meals.

For the calorie-conscious, Shimmy Beach Club has put together their “Skinny Liscious” menu which is available between 17h00 and 19h30 daily. The menu combines elements of the existing menu but allows patrons to stay within their calorie “budget” by stating how many calories are contained in each meal. Along with the sushi and pizza menu, the dishes on the “Skinny Liscious” menu can be ordered from the luxury of one of the Shimmy Beach Loungers.

Shimmy also caters for the younger generation with a set “Kids” menu and dedicated children’s play area complete with child minders, ensuring that everyone is catered for. In addition, Shimmy Beach Club also offers decadent desserts with hints of luxuriant chocolate, fresh cream, fruit and hints of spice as the ideal conclusion to any meal.

The panache does not however end on the plate, as located in the working harbour of the V&A Waterfront, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Shimmy Beach Club offers a fusion of fun, elegant dining and beach chic.

“We have created Shimmy as a venue with an emphasis on fun dining – combining playful elements with the more traditional and elegant,” says chef Seelan Sundoo. “All in all, we cater for everyone and encourage people to come to Shimmy to enjoy themselves, relax and eat delicious, well constructed food.”

Influenced by some of the world’s most glamorous and fabulous entertainment venues, along with a spectacular location, private beach and expansive outside deck, Shimmy Beach Club is Cape Town’s newest, premier dining and lifestyle destination.

Shimmy Beach Club is located in South Arm Road, V&A Harbour Waterfront, Cape Town

www.facebook.com/ShimmyBeachClub

Nearly 20,000 seats in 40 Restaurants for Cape Town’s first Restaurant Week

Cape Town’s first Restaurant Week, which will run from 22 to 29 September, will have nearly 20,000 seats available in 40 of the area’s finest restaurants. Participating restaurants include the Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson, The Round House Restaurant, Pigalle, The Duchess of Wisbeach, Roca Restaurant at Dieu Donne Estate and Haute Cabrière, in Franschhoek. A complete list of participating restaurants in the greater Cape Town area can be viewed at www.restaurantweek.co.za.

Restaurant Week has been a success around the world and was brought to South Africa by DiningCity.com, the world’s leading online, real time, restaurant reservation and review service. This will become a biannual event, expanding soon from Cape Town to include Johannesburg and Durban.

“South Africa has world-class restaurants and I wanted to let everyone in on this secret!” said Tertius van Oosthuyzen of DiningCity. “Plus, it’s about time we had a powerful, trusted platform like DiningCity to help us browse our favourite local spots, do real time restaurant bookings and to get people around the world to notice all the good food being served here. This is a global platform, one of the most recognizable in the world for fine dining.”

The Restaurant Week concept is simple: guests can enjoy a three course lunch or dinner created by the top chefs at the finest restaurants for R125 or R200, respectively. Restaurants enjoying a DiningCity star will cost an extra R50.

“The idea is to give diners that extra incentive, that little push, they need to try the restaurants they’ve always wanted to visit, but were held back for some reason,” said Tertius. “Restaurant Week diners can browse our website to find the restaurant of their dreams, see if a table is available at the time they want, then make their booking in real time. It’s all about access.” It is easy to book online on www.restaurantweek.co.za and all last minute spots will be in a news feed on the site and at www.twitter.com/RSeats

Tertius is on a mission to tell the world about what our local restaurants have to offer. “South African restaurants are really special in their own way, because of the amazing way they blend ingredients and influences. And as for location and ambience, I don’t think anything can compare to the restaurants we have in the Wine Region. That is beyond added value.”

The timing is particularly good with Cape Townians just venturing out of hibernation said Tertius. “Restaurant Weeks are about high quality dining experiences at a great price and there’s something a little bit celebratory about the whole thing too. It’s really an event for the whole city!”

Cape Town’s First Restaurant Week with DiningCity SA

Cape Town’s first Restaurant Week, which will run from 22 to 29 September, was launched with a bang at the Mount Nelson Hotel last Thursday. 

Restaurateurs, celebrity chefs, food bloggers and the media shared Pongracz, oysters and macaroons, whilst listening to an opening address by Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism. “We are the culinary mecca of Africa,” said Mariette, “and we support projects such as this, which help us compete with some of the world’s best culinary destinations.”

As DiningCity SA, the main sponsor behind the event, also launched its on-line, real time restaurant review and reservation service, Mariette emphasized how important it was to be digitally connected. ”Armed with Smart Phones and iPads, today’s travelers are ‘Digital Nomads’”, exploring a hyper-connected world where, “if we do not get on board, we run the risk of becoming irrelevant and obsolete.”

Restaurant Week, an event which has previously only happened in Europe and Asia, will give diners a chance to enjoy specially created menus at the top restaurants, for a fixed price that is much lower than the normal price. The concept is simple: guests can enjoy a three course lunch or dinner at the top restaurants for R125 or R200, respectively. Restaurants enjoying a DiningCity star will cost an extra R50.

Guests at the launch also saw a demonstration of how easy it is to book online for restaurant week with DiningCity’s website www.restaurantweek.co.za. Bookings are real-time and all last minute spots will be in a news feed on the site and at www.twitter.com/RSeats

“In other locations, such as Amsterdam and Singapore, restaurants have been booked out within the first week that the reservation site was open,” said Tertius van Oosthuyzen, CEO of DiningCity SA. Participating restaurants include the Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson, The Round House Restaurant, Pigalle, The Duchess of Wisbeach, Roca Restaurant at Dieu Donne Estate and Haute Cabrière, in Franschhoek. A complete list of participating restaurants in the greater Cape Town area can be viewed at www.restaurantweek.co.za.

DiningCity Restaurant Week, Cape Town is the brainchild of ​​the world’s leading online restaurant guide www.DiningCity.com. The company was founded in 1998 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and is currently active in Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Italy and Spain and outside Europe in cities like New York, Singapore, Dubai and Shanghai and Beijing. On the South African website, www.DiningCity.co.za, visitors can select restaurants on price, cuisine, location and atmosphere. Information about the restaurants will be presented by means of photos, menus and videos. Online real-time reservation is possible and the combination of interactive features and fun activities in restaurants, makes the DiningCity.co.za site a distinctive restaurant area. For additional information see: www.DiningCity.co.za

Partners

Cape Town Tourism, Diners Club, Pongracz, San Pellegrino and Oyster King

BURRATA Modern Flair for Italian Dining

Fittingly named after the fresh Italian Mozzarella cheese, BURRATA is the latest addition to the urban-chic-cool of the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock. 

 

 This fresh and dynamic new restaurant is the latest venture of Neil Grant the renowned ex-sommelier of the award-winning Rust en Vrede Estate and offers an exciting take on contemporary Italian cuisine. Neil set out on his own last year, wanting to utilise his years of expertise in the fine dining restaurant and wine business.

He found the perfect partner in pizza fanatic, Barry Engelbrecht, and together they have brought to life a new restaurant concept that combines diverse, yet relaxed top quality food paired with a sophisticated fine wine menu that offers an eclectic selection of wines from South Africa, Italy and France.



Appointed BURRATA Head Chef, Annemarie Steenkamp, spent 5 years at the world renowned Le Quartier Français gaining her skills and becoming sous chef in both the Tasting Room and The Common Room restaurants. Her exceptional fine dining experiences are set to elevate this new restaurant to another level. Food lovers are sure to be delighted in experiencing top quality Italian fusion food in a modern and social environment.

BURRATA’s specialty is no doubt the Southern Italian Neapolitan style pizzas they offer. The authentic Neapolitan cooking techniques are unique to South Africa, making BURRATA the first restaurant to import the finest Caputo Pizzeria double zero flour and Neapolitan tomatoes from Italy.

Certified by the ‘Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana,’ business partner Barry has infused his passion for the traditional pizza making style into the BURATTA pizzeria team, teaching them every step of the age old technique. The dough is prepared by hand and fermented for two to five days to break down the starch, resulting in a light and airy base, that’s easier to digest and full of flavour. The unique wood-fired oven, imported from Naples, allows the pizzas to be cooked to perfection at an extremely hot 480 degrees Celsius and in less than 90 seconds. Served slightly charred at the edges in the true tradition, the base is crispy on the outside with a soft moist centre.

The focus is very much on ‘less is more’ at BURRATA, using simply the freshest top quality ingredients available. You won’t find a Hawaiian ham & pineapple at BURRATA, but rather a small selection of specially selected combinations chosen for their complimentary and unique flavours.

Even the basic BURRATA Margherita is a heavenly delight, with its Italian tomato sauce, basil leaves and fresh Mozzarella finished with a dash of olive oil, it transports you immediately to the hustle and bustle of Naples.

The rest of the menu will be sure not to disappoint, Head Chef Annemarie Steenkamp has ensured every dish is a modern take on Italian cuisine. Highlights include the pappardelle slow cooked short rib, served with roasted red pepper and crispy onion, and the chicken polpette with cannellini beans and tomato ragu.

Every detail of the BURRATA restaurant has been carefully thought out and exudes absolute quality, from the imported thin-stem Italian glassware to the engaging décor inspired by Neil’s travels to San Francisco, Italy, and beyond. The restaurant’s unique yet warm and welcoming interior was designed by In House, and the intriguing ‘wine bottle’ inspired light fittings were especially commissioned by industrial designer, Ryan Matcheet. A state of the art glass wine cellar at the entrance adds the finishing touch, while the imported fire-engine-red pizza oven offers an open plan kitchen for guests to gather around.

Niel and Annamarie

About the Old Biscuit Mill

Claimed to become Cape Town’s answer to New York’s ‘meat packing district’ The Old Biscuit Mill on the outskirts of the city is an industrial restoration breathing life back into a dilapidated and forgotten district. With additional food and wine evenings offered from time to time, BURRATA will be adding some serious charm to what Luke Dale Roberts has already brought to the Old Biscuit Mill with his restaurants The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club. BURRATA’S unique combination of passionate industry specialists, exceptional standards of food and relaxed modern surroundings will no doubt make it a firm favourite for food loving Capetonians.
For more information visit www.burrata.co.za,  for bookings and information email info@burrata.co.za or call them on 021 447 6505.

Reuben’s Culinary Weekends in the Franschhoek Valley

Food doesn’t have to be fancy and extravagant to be delicious. If you have a really good peach or apricot, you want to retain that taste, so you should do as little as possible to it. Too much messing about with food makes it lose its identity, its essence. It shows a lack of respect for the items you’re cooking. I believe in looking for new ways to do things, but simplicity is always the key.”

– Reuben Riffel Chef de Cuisine

With a passion for creating fine yet uncomplicated cuisine and a laid back setting to match, you’re invited to experience Reuben’s. The menu offers staunch favourites as well as specials that are updated daily to take advantage of the finest ingredients on the market. With Restraurants located in Roberston and The One & Only Cape Town . The premier venue is in Franschhoek, the heart of South Africa’s winelands, its wine list is the envy of any connoisseur. Reuben’s restaurant and bar combines all the ingredients for the perfect get together.

Cook with the masterchef.

If you’ re a culinary enthusiast, enjoy being wined & dined and want to cook with Chef Reuben Riffel , go ahead and treat a group of friends, family or colleagues. Everyone will be treated as a VIP and no expense is spared. These courses are well planned for the master chefs among us and for anyone wanting to get away from microwave meals. Sign up for Culinary Weekends in the Franschhoek valley.

Meet the New Executive Chef at Reuben’s at The Robertson Small Hotel

A gourmet gem of the Breede River Valley takes pride in lending culinary bliss to this 5-star boutique hotel in the eponymous town of Robertson. Reuben’s at The Robertson sizzles with a newly appointed Executive Chef, Emile Fortuin. Protégé of South Africa’s best-known culinary success stories, Reuben Riffel, Emile stays true to his mentor’s simple food philosophy. Giving adventurous taste to traditional Cape cuisine by inffusing it with his home-grown tastes and produce he experienced while growing up.

Matriculating in 2006, Emile was discovered while working briefly at the Bread and Wine Restaurant in Franschhoek by its owner Susan Huxter, who also owns world-renowned Le Quartier Francais luxury hotel. Without any formal training and culinary qualifications under his belt.

 “I was peeping through a wooden fence to see what the charcuterie chef, Neil Jewell, was doing and Susan saw me and offered me an in-house training job at her 5-star hotel on the spot. During that period I met the likes of world-renowned culinary genius, Margot Janse, Executive Chef of Le Quartier Français and Chef Chris Erasmus of Pierneef á La Motte and this is then when my passion for cooking really ignited,” shares an enthused chef.

In search of an adventurous culinary career, Emile joined Reuben’s Restaurant in Franschhoek in 2008 working his way from barman to assistant chef before filling the shoes of Executive Chef. “I still remember the day when I asked Reuben if I could join his kitchen team. He handed me a chef’s jacket and a 10 kg bag of potatoes and he told me that I have ten minutes to peel all the potatoes and seven days to prove myself worthy in his kitchen. I’m forever grateful for the life-changing opportunity he gave me,” adds Emile.

Today, with the guidance of Reuben as concept chef, Emile is ready to set his own course at the luxurious ten-suite hotel. Fully aware of the latest gastronomic trends, he aims to create a feast of unpretentious dishes with a sustainable conscience by using the finest indigenous and heritage ingredients – and transforming them into contemporary sensations that saturate the senses.

“Today, sustainability is created and supported by having your own vegetable and herb garden or even breeding your own fish, and then serving it in your restaurant. It is the way to go. I explore with new meat cuts and reduce our carbon footprint by relying heavily on local produce,” adds Emile.

Emile’s innovative cuisine enhances the overall Reuben’s dining experience by offering an elegant yet country-style affair with a touch of local flare. Guests dining at the relaxed, bistro-style venue can look forward to a myriad of hearty temptations on his ever-changing Winter Menu. In full view of the chef at work from his open-plan kitchen.

Think rustic Green Bean Stew, Warm Beef Tongue Salad with black pudding or an earthy Mushroom Consommé. Carnivores will love his Braised Oxtail with Mascarpone soft polenta and crispy beacon while his signature Pork Belly aims to please palates all season long. His Potato Spinach Cakes served with a traditional Cape-style tomato smoortjie (a thick smothering-styled sauce) highlights a comforting vegetarian lineup. Mood-uplifting desserts include a Grand Marnier Orange soufflé enriched with Klipdrift gold chocolate foam and a warm Jan Ellis pudding with spiced custard and Bulgarian yoghurt ice cream.

During the winter months, open daily for breakfast and dinner whilst private lunch and dinner parties and group bookings can also be reserved. Bookings are essential. To reserve your table contact the restaurant at Tel: (+27)23 626 7200 or email reservations@therobertsonsmallhotel.com.

The Robertson Small Hotel

Voted Best Country Luxury Hotel in South Africa at the 2011 World Luxury Hotel Awards, chic sophistication meets old-world charm in a gracious 1909 Victorian manor at this luxurious 5-star country retreat. Situated in the heart of the scenic Breede River Valley a mere 90-minute drive from Cape Town. 

With 10 spacious luxury en-suite bedrooms, a gourmet signature restaurant, a wellness room, tranquil gardens and shimmering pools. Offering unsurpassed attention to detail and country hospitality at its most refined, the understated elegance of this boutique hotel is refreshingly unique. A celebration of modern design and fusion of eclectic yet comfortable furnishings reflecting an appreciation for space. These deluxe suites provide solace for the soul, but are also fitted with the latest technology to cater for the needs of the trendy traveller and businessman.

The Vineyard Hotel & Spa

The Vineyard Hotel & Spa are hosting their popular wine paired dinner evenings until October 2012.

The series of wine-paired events launched with the five-course Partners’ Dinner on 27 April.
The hotel’s five wine partners, Waterford, Meerlust, Simonsig, Warwick and Klein Constantia showcased their favourite wines on the evening, which were expertly paired to various culinary delights by the hotel’s experienced Sous Chef, Chris Law.

Roy Davies, General Manager of the Vineyard Hotel & Spa explains, “We will host two wine-paired dinner events each month, where winemakers from farms such as Paul Cluver and Iona Vineyards, Creation,  Muratie, Hartenberg, Oldenburg, Mooiplaas, Anthonij Rupert, The Cardinal, Migliarina and Haut Espoir will have the opportunity to present their wines. Constantia Valley Wines ends off the season in style with a spectacular dinner, showcasing up to nine wines.”

“To avoid disappointment, guests are encouraged to book well in advance for the dinners, as they are extremely popular with both local and resident guests,” says Davies. “Diners can enjoy live light entertainment throughout the evening, and lucky draws are held at each event to add to the experience. So whether you are looking for a romantic evening out, or a night spent with a group of friends – the experience is bound to be a memorable one.”

Each wine-paired dinner is either four- or five-course, depending on the wines served. “Ahead of each event we conduct a tasting where The Square’s sous chef, the winemaker, select members of the media as well as the hotels food and wine committee get together. It’s an opportunity to taste the wines and to debate, deliberate and explore a menu specifically paired to the wines in question,”
Davies explained. “The combination of the tasting session and then experiencing the end product – the actual dinner – is a fascinating journey, allowing us to ensure that the end-product is always of the absolute highest standard, something we believe our guests will experience with every paired event.”

The cost of the dinners is R265 pp for the four-course and R315 pp for the five-course. Davies and his team have also put together exclusive stay-over packages that include the dinner for guests attending the events. For the five-course dinner, a single room is  R950, while a double room is R800 per person sharing. For the four-course paired dinner, a single room is R900 and a double room is R750 per person sharing.

For more information or to make a reservation, please contact 021 657 4500 or e-mail eat@vineyard.co.za

Clos Malverne

The Restaurant nestled in the Devon Valley outside Stellenbosch, welcomes winter with a feast of comforting classics, conjured up in an exclusive Winter Warmer Menu which alternates weekly to rekindle the mid-year slumber with a myriad of wholesome tastes, unique to the season. In addition, the restaurant’s signature Food & Wine Pairing Menu also features a new sumptuous lineup of hearty dishes to transform winter from a period of hibernation into a food celebration. 

The new Winter Warmer Menu, which turns up the heat from Tuesdays to Fridays until the end of August, offers enthusiasts a three course lunchtime food and wine indulgence of generous portions at a mere R158 per person. Each dish on this sizzling bill of fare is served with a matching Clos Malverne wine.

Think Spicy Tomato & Bacon Soup, enriched with gorgonzola, fresh farm-style bread and a glass of Clos Malverne’s Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blend to spruce up the palate. Followed by a Chicken & Mango Curry matched with the well-rounded Clos Malverne Chardonnay to satisfy any hunger. Or kiss winter blues goodbye with a melt-in-the-mouth Mandarin Malva Pudding served with a dollop of pistachio and butternut ice cream and the estate’s popular coffee-style pinotage, Le Café.

With its idyllic setting amidst the vineyards and stunning views from its wraparound balcony, The Restaurant @ Clos Malverne has developed a loyal following since 2009 for its fresh, seasonal and easy, contemporary cuisine or as chef Nadia Louw Smith describes it “world food with an earthy sophistication, cooked from the heart and presented with perfection”.

Clos Malverne Estate also enjoys recognition as a popular one-stop wine tasting destination. The restaurant’s inviting wine lounge is the perfect spot to unwind with a bottle of Clos Malverne’s flagship Cape Blends or classic whites. 


If you like what you taste, Clos Malverne can deliver the wines straight to your doorstep via their online wine sales facility. The Restaurant @ Clos Malverne is open daily for lunch except on Mondays and bookings are essential. For more information on The Restaurant @ Clos Malverne or the reserve your table, contact the restaurant at Tel: (+27)21 865 2022 or send an email to info@closmalverne.co.za.  

Relais & Châteaux's Singita Pamushana Welcomes A New Chef

Singita Game Reserves has appointed Zimbabwean-born chef Sara Rickard (26) as Sous Chef at Singita Pamushana Lodge in the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in South Eastern Zimbabwe.  This move is a return to home soil for this passionate young chef, who has worked aboard luxury yachts and at some of South Africa’s top hotels and restaurants in Cape Town. With her deep-seated love for the African bush and her penchant for traditional cuisine, she is set to bring refreshing new flavours with a delicious international ‘twist’, to the dining experience at this award-winning Relais & Châteaux lodge.

Rickard describes her unique cooking style as ‘wholesome’, without much fuss and frills, yet bursting with flavour. She loves taking advantage of the freshest seasonal ingredients available at local markets to enhance the flavours of her dishes. Rickard strongly believes that a successful chef is only as good as the team in the kitchen, and enjoys enhancing the skills of her fellow kitchen employees to develop skills at every level.

For Rickard this return to her roots after ‘sailing the seas’ in search of culinary excellence, signifies the pinnacle of a career spanning some six years, during which she has gained invaluable international experience. With her heart set on becoming a chef ever since completing her advanced A Levels in Zimbabwe in 2004, she enrolled at the Silwood School of Cookery in Cape Town and graduated with her Cordon Bleu Grande Diploma in 2007.

Since then she has carved an impressive career as a top notch chef, having trained at award-winning restaurants such as Terroir Restaurant at the Kleine Zalze Wine Estate in Stellenbosch; The River Café in Cape Town’s Constantia Valley; and the Cape Grace Hotel at the V&A Waterfront. Then followed a stint as Chef de Partie at Ellerman House Hotel in Bantry Bay, where she worked with Former Executive Head Chef Jonathan Gargan, honing her skills under his expert guidance. Her desire to expand her culinary influences then saw her heading for foreign shores to prepare delicious cuisine for the guests and crew aboard three luxury yachts in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, before joining the Singita team, to return to her country of birth.

With her flair for infusing locally inspired dishes with international culinary influences, guests at Singita Pamushana Lodge can look forward to a world-class dining experience in one of the world’s most dramatic wilderness settings, prepared with characteristic flair. There is no doubt that her signature dish that consists of crispy duck breast served on pomme boulangere with glazed carrots, roast baby beetroot, a red wine reduction, orange marmalade and fresh thyme, will be served with the same passion and delight that has earned the Singita team no less than 15 ‘Best Hotel in the World’ awards, and each of their four idyllic destinations in Africa the global reputation as a ‘place of miracles’.

Myatt Café and Chocolatier

GOT A TASTE FOR STYLE?

Myatt Café & Chocolatier offers a slice of European café culture in the fashion wing of Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. Its elegance and opulence is experienced through the fine gourmet food created and presented by renowned confectionary chef, Octavio Gutierrez Gama. 

 Step from the busy shopping complex into an air of refined style and sophistication - think designer Villeroy and Boch crockery, perfectly-cut sugar cubes, designer Vitra wired-chairs, Eileen Grey tables and striking cake displays– all carefully chosen to create an haute couture showroom café.

For a quick pick-me-up, sip Myatt specialised tea blends such as High Ali Mountain Special blend, Chinese Scented Black and Blooming Snow with your pinkie finger in the air. Or if you have more time to linger, enjoy one of the various breakfast ranges, light meals or out-of-this-world sweet treats. Octavio brings his experience from the award-winning El Bulli restaurant in Spain to Myatt Café & Chocolatier. He also worked with the famous celebrity chef, Paco Guzmán, at his restaurant, Santa, in Barcelona.

Myatt Café and Chocolatier is at your service for any every-day indulgence, special events, private parties or private orders. Contact Myatt Café and Chocolatier on 021 418 8844 or visit us at Shop 6244, 1st Floor, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town to experience a true taste of style.

HIGH TEA IN STYLE

Whether you’re spoiling your mom on her birthday or celebrating a close friend’s engagement, an afternoon of indulgence in glamorous surroundings is a guaranteed treat. Tuck into light-as-air pastries (vanilla cake with fresh berries, chocolate éclairs, and fresh fruit tartlets), decadent cakes, mini croissants and finger sandwiches (smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, egg mayonnaise and watercress).

BELGIAN CHOCOLATES AND MACAROONS TO GO

Myatt Café & Chocolatier specialises in Mary imported Belgian chocolates. Pop in to pick up a mouth-watering selection – think chocolate mousse with hazelnut cream and nougatine, white chocolate with tiramisu extract or dark chocolate mousse with earl grey tea. Choose from a selection of delightful-sounding macaroons including pina colada, choc cherry, passion fruit, lemon, mocha, caramel and blueberry flavours.

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THE PERFECT GIFT

Macaroons make beautiful, brightly coloured and tasty gifts – these and Myatt Café’s fine Belgian chocolates and sumptuous cakes can be ordered for personalised or corporate gifts or private functions.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

 

A taster from the Myatt Café menu:

Breakfast: Tuck into a basket filled with a croissant and traditional bread served with Emmenthaler cheese, butter and preserves, fresh fruit salad, fresh orange or grapefruit juice and Myatt special blend of tea or coffee (R85)

Croissants and scones: Choose from apple, date and honey, parmesan and roast tomato or spinach, feta and olive. Of course there’s classic chocolate or almond too, or try a freshly baked scone served with clotted cream and preserve.

Light meals: Sandwiches are anything but ordinary – try the rare roast beef with onion marmalade, Gruyere cheese and soy and honey marinated black mushrooms (R68) on sourdough, wholegrain or rye bread and dip into a complimentary green salad on the side.

Does a tart tickle your fancy? Try the sesame seared yellow-fin tuna, smoked black olives, fine green beans, new potatoes, anchovies and poached quail eggs with nicoise dressing (R75). Or opt for a Malay chicken, new potato and apricot salad with curried yoghurt and coriander dressing (R57).

 

Sweet treats: Sweet lovers will fall for the trio of macaroons (R25), the milk or dark chocolate fondue with fresh fruits and shortbreads (R52) or a profiterole filled with Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce (R52).

 

Welmoed a jewel in the Cape Winelands

The Welmoed Farm

Wine lover or not, a visit to the Cape Winelands is an absolute must in African luxury. A region of breathtaking vistas and majestic mountain backdrops steeped in rich culture and history.

Rolling vineyards and quaint Cape Dutch homesteads await you, as well as award-wining wine farms offering some of South Africa's best wines. Divided into distinct regions each with their own 'wine route'. The most popular and well-known are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Wellington, Paarl and the Constantia Valley.

The Stellenbosch Wine Route

Since Welmoed continuously strives for quality, premium value and craftsmanship, each bottle now showcases the endorsement of the winemaker Bernard Claassen. “As a wine producer we are well-known for our award winning wines and we believe our success relies, in large part, on the handcrafted approach we take to our winemaking,” says Chris O’Shea, Executive Director for Sales and Marketing, at The company of wine people™

Located in Stellenbosch the farm of Welmoed™ was first granted to Governor Simon van der Stel in 1690. Celebrating centuries of proud winemaking tradition whilst embracing modern times, sold in over 29 countries and growing, it has built up a solid reputation both in South Africa and selected overseas markets. This proudly South African brand has launched a stunning new packaging that’s as distinctive as their hand-crafted wines.

The fresh, contemporary labels also better showcase the Welmoed range of premium wines, which are already known for delivering great value for just about any occasion– from sundowners and picnics to dinner parties and weddings. “The brand has evolved to portray Welmoed’s unique heritage on one of the Cape’s most historic farms, while at the same time embracing a more modern and elegant look that communicates the sense of quality and craftsmanship that we deliver as a proudly South African brand,”  O’Shea continues, 

“Whether you’re looking for Chardonnay or Shiraz, the new label makes the varietal of the wine easier to see, and an updated tasting note on each front label now describes what’s in the bottle.” Including a more interactive experience the inclusion of QR-codes on the label means consumers have instant access to information about Welmoed wines, promotions or competitions.

The brand is also known for its innovations and will soon unveil a uniquely-styled Viognier. In keeping with the Heritage Range, which has gained a loyal following for its sophisticated yet approachable style, the newest member of the family will deliver a fresh nose and beautiful varietal characters, perfect for casual picnics or more formal affairs – from dinner parties to weddings. the new look will be available on-shelf across the Welmoed’s Heritage Range of wines, which will soon be expanding to include an all-new Viognier option.

About Welmoed™
The name represents the courage of owner Jacobus van der Heyden, an ex-mercenary turned vrijburgher, who famously rebelled against the corrupt government of Willem Adriaan van der Stel and as a result, was imprisoned at the Castle of Good Hope. To pay homage to this colourful character, Welmoed features a blended range called Heyden’s Courage, consisting of both a red and white blend. An expression of Welmoed’s distinctive, handcrafted approach, Heritage Range includes a Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Rosé, Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon – as well as a non-vintage Sparkling Brut that adds a dash of sparkle to any occasion.  For wine tasting or to visit the restaurant on the premises The Duck Pond visit: www.welmoed.co.za