The Sweet Service Award goes to the Minstrels Parade held on Monday this week, in which 20000 persons participated, marching from the Grand Parade to Bo-Kaap. There was a fantastic turnout, after a two-year absence due to the Lockdown. Despite many road closures, the event appears to have gone off without a hitch. Continue reading →
The Cape Town and the Winelands restaurant opening boom continues, with new openings late last year and new restaurants announced for 2023.
The biggest restaurant opening extravaganza is that of JAN Franschhoek, the third restaurant in the JAN Restaurant Collection, which opened n December at La Motte in Franschhoek. La Motte is undergoing a major renovation and changes at its wine estate, with a Bread-related Café & Deli opening in the La Motte Manor House in February 2023. Chef Chris Erasmus is working with La Continue reading →
This weekend my resignation from Zest in July has made news in the Restaurant industry.
To date I have not written about how disrespectfully I was treated by Zest, hoping that some degree of decency would prevail by its so-called ‘owner and operator’ Chef Pavel Dimitrov. I referred the matter to the CCMA, as I have not been paid outstanding compensation, and in the proceedings I was treated with the utmost disrespect by the labour relations consultancy representing Zest.
I have decided that the time is right to tell my story, and that of abused Zest staff too!
Despite it being Spring, few new restaurants are known to be opening, or planning to open, in Cape Town and the Winelands.
The biggest recent restaurant openings are Dusk in Stellenbosch, a joint venture by Chefs Darren Badenhorst and Callan Austen. Chef Peter Tempelhoff is to open a Japanese Street Food restaurant on the ground floor of Speakers Corner, the building in which FYN operates. TANG will create a big stir when it opens in the Waterfront, already being a socialite’s haven in Sandton. Paul’s Bakery and Tiger’s Milk are said to be Continue reading →
On Friday radio station Kfm announced the winners in each of the 30 categories in its 2022 Best of the Cape Awards.
The winners are from Cape Town as well as from other areas in the province. Kfm introduced the competition in 2021 for the first time. Continue reading →
The Sweet Service Award goes to Dinkel Bakery and its staff member Cain, who regularly offers fantastic service. Recently he was on leave in Zimbabwe. I messaged him via Messenger, not knowing that he was on leave. He passed the message on to his Dinkel colleague, who had poppyseed rolls ready for me to collect. Whenever I want rolls, I message him. Continue reading →
New restaurants are still opening, or planning to open, in Cape Town and the Winelands, despite it being Winter.
The biggest recent restaurant opening has been by Chef Liam Tomlin, who opened The Bailey, a three storey Brasserie, Bakery, and two Bars across the road from Heritage Square. He has closed down his Chefs Warehouse on Bree Street. Ouzeri also opened in June.
Restaurant Artizian will open on Bree Street this month. Chef Peter Tempelhoff is said to open a Japanese Street Food restaurant on the ground floor of Speakers Corner, the building in which FYN operates, in September. Continue reading →
Yesterday Kfm spent all day to announce the five finalists in each of its 30 categories of its 2022 Best in the Cape Awards.
It’s more than 1 million listeners will vote in deciding the winner in each of its 30 categories.
Conde Nast Traveller has selected two Cape Town Tidal Pools in their list of 14 prettiest ocean pools in the world’.
The Camps Bay Tidal Pool is about 500 meters from my home, and is a favourite for me to photograph at, especially at sunset. It is one of two Cape Town Tidal pools included in the list, even though the publication chose the wrong photograph of it for its article, using the Maiden’s Cove Tidal Pool photograph. The latter Tidal Pool is also based in Camps Bay, towards Clifton.
The Sea Point Tidal Pool at Milton Beach is the second Cape Town Ocean Pool on the Condé Nast Traveller List. Continue reading →
Coco Safar Pâtisserie and Restaurant has opened a second branch in Sea Point, now also at St John’s Piazza, with plans for a number of further store openings in South Africa as well as in the USA.
Coco Safar first opened in Cavendish in Claremont in 2016, and it is here that I met South African owner Wilhelm Liebenberg, who had returned to his home country after many years.
He and his Canadian partner Caroline Sirois opened a deluxe boutique outlet selling bespoke luxury coffees as well as Rooibos teas, each variant named after a world city, and the ultimate in Pâtisserie offerings. Continue reading →