Category Archives: Darling

‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’ : Chef Bertus Basson transforms Readers Restaurant in Tulbagh and Backyard Café in Wellington!

 

I’ve previously written about Chef Bertus Basson’s new kykNET series ‘In die Sop: RestaurantvEvolusie’, a weekly episode focusing on the transformation of country restaurants in the Western Cape.

The first two restaurants featured were Red Tin Roof in Riebeek Kasteel, owned by the now infamous  journalist Jacques Pauw, and Evita se Perron, now run by owners Hentie van der Merwe and Frits van Reyneveld of Darling Sweet….. in Darling.

In this post I summarise the transformation of Readers Restaurant in Tulbagh and Backyard Café in Wellington.

Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 80 of Level 1, 19 May 2021.

 


Wednesday 19 May 2021, Day 80 of Level 1 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for a fabulous day, being organized, getting my work done in good time; for a lovely sunshine day before the rain clouds rolled in over Lions Head, our rain sign; for Earl Grey surviving a little accident at home; for having time to do a rain soup ingredient shop at Woolies, with the R100 Woolies voucher I earned with 2 Discovery Gameboard plays; for a quick shop at Continental Butchery at Kloof Street; for my first Status meeting with my newest client at Manna Epicure, outside on their sunny terrace; for a productive Continue reading →

Chef Bertus Basson is ‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’, a restaurant turn-around TV series, including that of controversial journalist Jacques Pauw!

 

I cannot resist writing a story about Chef Bertus Basson’s latest TV series, ‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’ on kykNet, a Gordon Ramsay-style ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ reality TV series in which restaurants are given 72 hours in which to be transformed.  It is aired on Wednesdays on KykNet at 20h00, the first episode airing last week. The title of the series ‘In die Sop’ refers to restaurants being in trouble.

The irony is that Basson himself has been no expert in restaurant design when one considers his ‘crap’ Spek & Bone off Dorp Street (one of the most widely read reviews on my Blog), and De Vrije Burger on Plein Street, both in Stellenbosch. Surprisingly, Basson admits to his restaurant faults: ‘I’ve achieved great success, but I’ve also made a lot of mistakes and learned lessons that have cost me dearly. I want to share these insights with other restaurant owners.’!  His admission should lead him to unban me from his restaurants!  Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 34 of Level 1, 24 October 2020

 

Saturday 24 October 2020, Day 34 of Level 1, Day 212 of Lockdown 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for a long sleep, the grey start to the day not being conducive to getting up early; for a cooler day at 19C, with a touch of humidity; for a walk to Clifton, once again with lots of litter between Glen Beach and 4th Beach; for a pleasant shop at Woolworths compared to the one at Pick n Pay; for dancing more steps to Kfm Blok Party; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙

I needed a few things from Pick n Pay Camps Bay, and wanted to use one of my new Discovery Pick n Pay vouchers to pay. It took half of an hour of standing in the queue, the cashier, the supervisor and the store manager trying to do the payment, with a second till try, to not get the payment to work! There is no Head Office support service for Pick n Pay Managers on weekends! Only one manager was on duty, and he sat behind the tolls at one stage because the queue was so long. 🥵🥵🥵🥵

Having the Pick n Pay and Woolworths so close by in Camps Bay, I’m comparing prices closely. Pick n Pay’s prices are going crazy, becoming far more expensive than Woolies now. 😱

I’m now playing Discovery at its system, determined to reach Diamond status before the end of the year. One Clifton walk gives me 200 points, compared to two walks of the same distance in total giving me zero! 🥵🥵🥵👣👣👣

A trip to Hermanus today had to be postponed due to illness of my lunch guest.

PS: I watched a report about the opening of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) next week on ZDF this evening, the biggest embarrassment of Berlin (to become the third largest airport in the country) and Germany, being contrary to everything German efficiency stands for. It commenced construction 14 years ago, and was meant to open 9 years ago. In the report ‘customers’ were testing all aspects of the airport, showing up signage errors, lifts not yet working, and all shops and restaurants still being construction sites. The current Tegel airport in the centre of the city will close soon. 😱

SA Corona Status 714246 cases 18944 deaths 😷😢

FitBit 14000 steps 10 km 👣

Lovemylife❤️

 

The Corona Virus Lockdown (Level 5), announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier to commence on 27 March and to continue until 16 April, subsequently extended to 30 April, lowered to Level 4 from 1 May, lowered to Level 3 from 1 June, lowered to Level 2 from 18 August, and lowered to Level 1 from 21 September, is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

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