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 →
Seven years ago I wrote a story about the South African Butler Academy, and its marketing deception, having had the poor experience of employing one of its Butler graduates in my Whale Cottage Camps Bay, which I owned at the time. Yesterday Carte Blanche took up the story, highlighting my story of seven years ago, as well as that of Lin Yang, a Singaporean student, who was expelled from the Academy a year ago for being late one morning, and who is unable to get her money back. Once again, the deceptive marketing of the SA Butler Academy was evident when its management was interviewed by Carte Blanche presenter Derek Watts. 
Sunday 27 December, Day 98 of Level 1, Day 277 of Lockdown. 😷