Tag Archives: African Sky Communications

Diners Club Rossouw’s Restaurants loses Anna Trapido, back to JP Rossouw as restaurant reviewer?!

Rossouws-by-Diners-Club-South-African-Restaurant-Guide-149x300It was a chance biography summary of Anna Trapido that made me pick up that she referred to her relationship with the Diners Club Rossouw’s Restaurants 2015 guide in the past tense. A call to her yesterday confirmed that she is no longer writing reviews for Rossouw’s Restaurants, nor working on its 2016 Guide.

Trapido was quick to confirm that the relationship with JP Rossouw, publisher of the Platter’sAnna-Trapido Wine Guide and his Rossouw’s Restaurants, ended amicably, and that she is working on a very exciting project, of which she cannot yet reveal the details.  She was associated with Rossouw’s Restaurants for just over one year.

One wonders if Trapido, who comes across as a free-spirit, and not a corporate order-taker, was Continue reading →

2014 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism winners honoured at Waterford Estate!

Waterford FountainAbout two weeks ago we received the media release announcing the South African winners of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism awards. On Friday the awards were officially handed over at the Tuscan-inspired Waterford Estate, which won the South African leg of the competition.

I had never been to Waterford Estate before, at the end of the Blaauwklippen Road in Stellenbosch, and it is a surprise to see the Tuscan-design buildings once one has passed theWaterford walkway to entrance ponds, parking amongst the fruit trees.  We were told that the wine estate had been in an almost derelict state when it was bought by Jeremy Ord, and built into the magnificent estate it is now over about 12 years.  Sustainability of all natural resources is important to the owners and staff, and the ponds collect all waste water, which is recycled, we were told by Cellar Master Kevin Arnold.

Prior to the Awards luncheon, invited guests were able to enjoy a Wine Drive or to walk the Porcupine Trail. We enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine by KWV, found our names on a Continue reading →

‘Rossouw’s by Diners Club 2015 South African Restaurant Guide’ is back, 13 Cape Town and Winelands 5* restaurants!

Rossouw's by Diner's Club South African Restaurant GuideAfter a one year absence, the Rossouw’s Restaurant Guide is back, with a new name, new sponsor, new editor, and a new methodology of recognising top restaurants.  Restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands still dominate the 5-star restaurant list by far, with 13 out of 20 restaurants in the Western Cape, out of 300 restaurants evaluated in total!

Yesterday ‘Rossouw’s by Diners Club International 2015 South African Restaurant Guide’ was launched in Johannesburg, now sponsored by Diners Club, the same company also sponsoring the Platter’s by Diners Club 2015 South African Wine Guide.  Anna Trapido has been the editor for just more than half a year, writing individual reviews about restaurants on their website, and has compiled the new Guide, awarding twenty restaurants with 5 star ratings nationally, another change, as the Rossouw’s restaurants only achieved a maximum of 3 stars in the past, when it was run by previous owner JP Rossouw.  The publication format now matches that of the Platter’s Guide.  A 5-star rated restaurant is defined as a ‘consistently superlative restaurant in its category – with no/almost no issues’!  To obtain a 5-star rating the restaurant had to achieve a score in excess of 90%, errors in food being unbalanced, or wines and foods not matching, counting against a restaurant, for example.  Every element of the restaurant visit, from making the telephonic booking to the departure, was scored.  All meals were paid for by Anna’s reviewers, all largely unknown Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 21 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Hotel star ratings are becoming increasing irrelevant, in that they do not reflect travellers’ needs any more.   The lack of a consistent international definition of the star categories is largely to blame, as recommendations seen on Social Media as well as online reviews influence what accommodation is booked and at what price.   Location, type of trip, features such as wifi and parking, value for money, and reviews are the factors influencing the choice of establishment.

*   The Good Food & Wine Show will be bugged at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 31 May, when the Pop-Up Rentokil Pestaurant is set up for the day, serving a host of edible insects!  Tasty treats to be served are cricket crostini, crispy mealworms, roasted locust canapés, chocolate covered ants, and scorpion lollipops!  Pestaurants will be setting up world-wide (in London, for example) on 4 June, but the Cape Town event has been brought forward to tie in with the Show. Insects are high in protein, Vitamin B, iron, and zinc. (received via media release from Affinity Strategic Communication)

*   Diners Club SA has received an award from its global head office for Best Integrated Marketing Campaign in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, for its 2013 Winemaker of the Year campaign, an annual highlight of the wine industry. (received via media release from African Sky Communications)

*   The Zingara Group has been awarded the tender by the City of Cape Town to operate the Company’s Garden Continue reading →