What a shock announcement it was today: The Test Kitchen, South Africa’s best known restaurant internationally, having climbed up (and down) the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ladder over the past 11 years, and having worn the Best South African Restaurant crown for six years running, until 2017, is to close down at the end of September. This was announced in Cape Town today.
Top Ten restaurants which have also closed down since the beginning of Lockdown are Mosaic at The Orient and Waterkloof. Ironically both Mosaic and The Test Kitchen announced in 2019 that they would no longer accept nominations for The Eat Out Awards, the 2019 awards being the last to have taken place, due to the Covid pandemic and impact thereof on the restaurant industry since the Lockdown commenced on 27 March 2020.
It was a surprise message from Chef Gregory Czarnecki this morning that his Restaurant at Waterkloof will close down on 22 November, a Covid casualty. His future plans nor those of the restaurant space at the Waterkloof Winery are not yet known. Chef Gregory opened the restaurant eleven years ago, and he soon became known for his magnificent food presentation, and for his desserts in particular.
It has taken three days for me to get back down to earth after experiencing the Secret Supper Club at Homespun by Matt in Bloubergstrand on Monday evening, a unique Magic Music Food Wine Theatre experience which places this restaurant amongst the best in our country. Sadly it has never been recognised by Eat Out in any of its awards, and I too had never previously visited Homespun.