Chef Bertus Basson of Overture and his catering company partner Craig Cormack are to open a new restaurant called Sofia’s at Morgenster, at the wine and olive estate in Somerset West, at the beginning of November. The restaurant is named after Morgenster owner Giulio Bertrand’s passion for Sophia Loren, choosing to spell her name for the restaurant the Italian way. Photographs of Sophia Loren will adorn the restaurant.
The restaurant will be Bistro-style, with the emphasis on ‘real food’, simpler than at Overture, with only four choices per course, of which two will be Italian, and with good plating. The menu will change weekly. Craig will run the restaurant and will work with Bertrand’s wife Mirella in developing true Italian style dishes. Fresh ingredients will come from the farm in part, and Morgenster’s olive oils and wines will be a strong feature. Affordability will be a focus. A three-course meal will cost R210.
Chef Bertus also reports that Overture has launched its first wine, made by Hidden Valley consultant winemaker Louis Nel, a Chenin Blanc called Collaboration. More varietals are to follow next year. Collaboration will only be sold at Overture and Sofia’s at Morgenster initially.
Always looking to reinvent himself, Chef Bertus recently visited Australia, and was impressed with the restaurants he ate at, including leading Sydney restaurant Rockpool. Bertus says that South African food and service standards do not lag far behind those of Australia. He is very excited about the season lying ahead, despite the tough winter the hospitality industry has gone through.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com
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[…] Restaurant News:Chefs Bertus Basson and Craig McCormack to open … […]
the spelling is right. Sofia is the right name. no H in Italian!
Grazie Massimo
Chris
[…] Chef Bertus Basson of Overture and his catering company partner Craig Cormack are to open a new restaurant called Sofia’s at Morgenster, at the wine and olive estate in Somerset West, at the beginning of November. The restaurant is named after Morgenster owner Giulio Bertrand’s passion for Sophia Loren, choosing to spell her name for the restaurant the Italian way. Photographs of Sophia Loren will adorn the restaurant. (Whale Cottage) […]
I do hope that Basson has been quoted out of context (“Bertus says that South African food and service standards do not lag far behind those of Australia”).
Basson is an incredibly talented chef, and I would quite happily say that his work at “Overture” easily exceeds all fine dining experiences I have had in Australia, remembering also that ‘Rockpool’, Tetsuya Wakuda’s offerings, and the like, can comfortably put one back over AUD$200 a head for a three course meal. In other words seven times what he says Sofia’s plans to charge! In fact, I would say his Overture offerings are on a par with the finest restaurants I’ve eaten at anywhere in the world, North America, Europe, Asia and of course South Africa (which I still think offers the finest dining the world has to offer, at easily the most competitive costs).
I am incredibly excited to try Sofia’s out! Expect me as one of your first guests.
Alex
Dear Alexander
Thank you for your feedback and your query.
The quote is exactly as Bertus said it.
Chris