Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Western Cape Tourism Minister Alan Winde has slammed the national Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba for the Immigration Regulations, at Public Hearings on their impact on the tourism industry held today and which continue tomorrow. The media release from the Minister’s office says that ‘… Home Affairs had stuck the band-aid far from the wound: It became immediately clear to all that tests had not been done into the impact of these rules on law-abiding businesses and private citizens, versus those who do defy the rules. While the former are being pushed away, it appears the latter are unaffected. I have called on the National Minister, Mr Malusi Gigaba, to retract his new rules in toto until a full investigation into their impact has been conducted, and until such time as we have the systems in place to back them up. He also needs to find the right mechanisms to address our problems’. The cost to the economy of the Regulations is R10 billion and 21000 jobs, and contradict efforts to grow the tourism industry, he added. The call-centre and film industries are severely effected too. (received via media release from Minister Winde’s office)
* Four Nobel Laureates have cancelled their trip to Cape Town to attend next month’s World Summit of Nobel Laureates, in reaction to the Department of Home Affairs refusing to provide the Dalai Lama with a visa to attend the Summit. The four women Laureates are American political activist Jody Williams, Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and a representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
* Graham Beck Wines has won recognition for its Blanc de Blancs 2009 MCC on a number of platforms in the past month: it received a Gold medal at the 2014 International Wine & Spirits Competition, and was named World Champion Cap Classique and won a Gold medal at the Champagne & Sparkling Wine Championships. Graham Beck winemaker of 24 years, Pieter Ferreira, described the MCC as one of his finest vintages. At the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge Graham Beck won Best Rosé Non Vintage and Best Rosé Vintage. (received via media release from Waterford Communications)
* Kokkedoor Season 2 winner Johnny Hamman and runner-up Marius Uys (and owner of travel agency Discover Zanzibar) are offering a cooking tour to the Spice Islands of Zanzibar from 15 – 22 November. On the tour food lovers can discover the spices of the island. A fact-finding tour led Hamman to exclaim: ‘It will be one of the highlights of my career as a chef to share what I experienced in Zanzibar with our travel companions. Zanzibar brought me back to the magic of simplicity; stripping food of pretence and over-complication. It stimulated a new kind of creativity in me‘. Details available from Discover Zanzibar. (received via media release from Errieda du Toit PR)
* Grande Provence is offering picnics in its garden with shady trees from November to the end of April. The picnic baskets created by Chef Darren Badenhorst include French baguettes with artisanal Brie, saucisson, preserve, country, butter, chocolate brownies, and a bottle of Grande Provence. Rabbit liver parfait, fruit, wild mushroom quiche, salad, and macaroons are available too. Cost R225. (received via media release from GC Communications)
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Tel (021) 433-2100 Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here
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