Tag Archives: Bruce Jack

A whale of a Hermanus FynArts Festival: 5 – 16 June! A feast of food, wine, music, art, books, and more!

Hermanus FynArtsI did a quick visit to Hermanus yesterday, and at a stop at Rivendell Restaurant, between Bot River and Hermanus, I was told that Chef Thomas Sinn was coming back from his overseas holiday especially to participate in a super-sounding feast, for which he is one of eight chefs cooking on Monday evening. The staff brought a copy of the programme, and I could not believe what the organisers have planned for the 11-day Festival, ‘A Celebration of South African Arts’ its 80-page Festival brochure proudly proclaims!

The programme consists of different themes: Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 1 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   A heavy-weight World Symposium to ‘Cultivating Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations through Tourism, Culture and Sports will be held in Johannesburg from 16 – 19 February next year, and is in honour of the late Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, and Martin Luther King Jnr.  It has been endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and will be held at Emporers Palace.  Keynote speakers include the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Dr Taleb Rifai, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom,  Minister of Tourism of the Seychelles Alain St. Ange, and various other heads of international tourism bodies. (received via e-mail)

*   From October next year  Turkish Airlines will offer direct flights between Cape Town and Istanbul.  This will double the capacity between the two countries.

*   Winemakers Paul Cluver and Bruce Jack have collaborated in a new cider called Cluver & Jack, made at Paul Cluver Winery Continue reading →

Bye Bye Brucie Baby: a tribute to Chef Bruce Robertson

Bruce Robertson in sea 2Today we celebrated the life of one of our country’s most creative and maverick chefs, Bruce Robertson having passed away suddenly of leukemia on Monday, only four days after he received the diagnosis.  Hundreds of restaurant industry friends, family, and past patrons gathered at the False Bay Rugby Club in Constantia, to pay tribute to the happy-go-lucky man.

A special marquee had been erected, with benches, a table with eats brought along by the Bruce Robertson Programme Whale Cottagefoodies, and lots of wines supplied by Cederberg (he only served this brand ‘with altitude and attitude‘ at his former The Boat House, and most recent The Flagship), Spier (where his close friend Tony Romer-Lee is involved), Villiera MCC, and Flagstone (winemaker Bruce Jack and Chef Bruce jointly made a wine called Bruce’s Juice at one stage).  On the marquee walls were blown up black and white photographs of Chef Bruce, including one of him dressed in drag!  There were so many familiar Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 15 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The introduction of low prices by domestic airlines when FlySafair takes off next month will not be permanent, its competitor Mango has stated.   Prices of all airlines may be lower for the first few weeks, but these are not sustainable in the long run, the competitor spokespersons have said.

*   ‘At the present moment, the clock has not stopped’, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba told a media conference on Friday, meaning that the new Immigration Regulations will be implemented on 1 October.  There is no timeframe for the completion of the work of the task team, which will be appointed to evaluate how the regulations can be better implemented.  The Minister confirmed on Friday that the Regulations themselves will not change.

*   When asked about the sudden resignation of Jan Hutton, Chief Marketing Officer at SA Tourism, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said there ‘are many sides of a story’, and said that he did not want to interfere with the SA Tourism’s Board handling of Continue reading →