I am proud of my first professional writing assignment, being an article in the December/January issue of Classic Wine magazine. about how five top chefs ‘Celebrate Green Christmas this year, with some red and white’. Each chef is an ardent supporter of the green movement, focusing on sustainability and seasonality, which is reflected in their Christmas menus. The Christmas menus are paired with fine red and white wines.
Eat Out Top 10 Chef Jackie Cameron will serve a lunch of memories to her guests at Hartford House tomorrow, based on her own Christmas memories and those of her kitchen team. Her bread board, for example, will reflect the diversity of her team, consisting of Amasi curd called ‘Amaqueque’, with a new age spinach spoom, Indian chilli bites, ‘patta’ (a spicy mixture wrapped in amadumbi leaves, a true rainbow nation combination), Afrikaans mielie bread, and English health bread. Tel (033) 263-2713
Delaire Graff Chef Christiaan Campbell is serving a magical Christmas Eve dinner at his restaurant this evening, and diners will be assured that the meat is pasture-fed, the fish is SASSI green listed, and that the vegetables and herbs will largely come for the wine estate’s own garden. Guests will be serenaded by an accordionist while they enjoy drinks outside, and entertained by a magician whilst having their dinner. Tel (021) 885-8160
Chef Chantel Dartnall of Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient in Pretoria does the most beautiful plating, and uses edible flowers to make her dishes look really pretty. She is serving a nine course Christmas Day lunch tomorrow, which is paired with wines selected by her sommelier Germain Lehodey. Quail, trout, and ‘A walk through our Sweet Garden‘ are some of the courses offered. Tel (012) 371-2902
Head Chef Delia Harbottle at The Conservatory at the Cellars-Hohenhort Hotel is keeping her Christmas Day lunch classical, sourcing trout from Franschhoek and herbs from the hotel’s garden. Turkey breast and a Christmas pudding are some of the dishes on the menu. Tel (021) 794-2137
South Africa’s Eat Out Top Chef David Higgs of five hundred at The Saxon is serving a seven course
festive feast for Christmas Eve this evening, sourcing the organic-certified vegetables and herbs from his hotel rooftop garden. Wines to pair with each course (including home-cured salmon, Beluga caviar, smoked pork cheeks, foie gras, and turkey) have been 
selected by sommelier Gareth Ferreira. The most beautiful Christmas cup cakes and macaroons have been made by Chef David’s team, we saw on Twitter today. Tel (011) 292-6000
For more details about the mouth-watering dishes which our top chefs will serve for Christmas Eve dinner tonight and Christmas Day lunch tomorrow, see the latest issue of Classic Wine magazine.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
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