Tag Archives: Cape Grace

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 19 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   South Africa is the most attractive tourist destination in Africa, overtaking Egypt for the first time, and is on the Top 25 global tourism destination list,  in the Bloom Consulting’s Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition 2014/2015. Close to 200 countries were included in the survey, which measured the performance of the tourism industry, brand strategy, and online presence.  South Africa was followed by Egypt and Morocco in Africa.

*  South African accommodation establishments Babylonstoren, Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Grace hotel, and the Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa have made the Condé Nast Traveler 2015 Gold List of 100 World’s Best Hotels. 

*   Global tourism should exceed 1 billion this year, already at  978 million between January and October this year, as Continue reading →

MasterChef SA Season 3 episode 16: double episode no piece of cake for 2 Finalists

MasterChef 16 Top 4Last night’s two-hour episode was a bundle of nerves for both the Top 4 finalists as well as for MasterChef SA fans, with difficult food challenges.  With Ian Young and Philippa Robinson sent home, Sipho Mdlankomo and Roxi Wardman will be fighting each other for the Top slot.  The programme was divided in two halves, filmed on two different days.

Cake Challenge

The Top 4 were to bake a cake ‘fit for a queen‘ in the first hour, it not being known initially that a Finalist would be eliminated in each half.  Roxi was happy, desserts and cakes being her forté. Pastry Chef Lorraine Meaney from the Cape Grace hotel, a guest in Season 1, joined the kitchen, and set the challenge of a Cardamom Lemon Chocolate gâteau.  Chef Lorraine was the Head Pastry Chef 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 →

Condé Nast Traveler: Cape Town 4th best holiday destination in the world, seven top hotels in Africa!

Cape Town Stadium and Table MountainCondé Nast Traveler has announced its 27th Readers’ Choice Awards, reflecting the favourite travel destinations of its 76600 readers.

Cape Town was ranked 4th favourite travel destination in the world, following Florence in top spot, Charleston in South Carolina in second place, and Budapest in third position.  Cape Town beat San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, Prague, Rome, Siem Reap in Cambodia, Barcelona, and Sante Fe in New Mexico.

The accolade for Cape Town is as follows: ‘Cape Town is the best city in the world for blending urban culture with the great outdoors: They’re literally a five-minute drive from each other. There’s an exploding food Continue reading →