Tag Archives: Khuselo Mputa

‘Chefs who Share’: Art on a plate and on auction too, all for a good cause!

August 10, 2014

Last year I had the good fortune to attend ‘Chefs who Share’, organised by Barbara Lenhard and Florian Gast of Opulent Living and assisted by Belmond Mount Nelson Chef Rudi Liebenberg, a fantastic dinner held in the City Hall, which raised money for the MAD (Make a Difference) Charity and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. All proceeds went to the charities, as the chefs, sommeliers, and suppliers all donated their time and produce without charge. This year ‘Chefs who Share’ goes one step bigger, with an international chef being added to each team of two local chefs.

The food served is outstanding, each set of tables being looked after by two top local chefs and the international chef, as well as a local sommelier. Yesterday I was honoured with being the first to taste the dessert which Chef Darren Badenhorst from Grande Provence will serve at the decadent dinner on 11 September. Chef Darren is partnering with Chef Franck Dangereux of The Food Barn (with Chef Anton Schmaus from Germany), and they spent a long four hours on Friday to plan the menu for their section of tables. While Chef Darren has not revealed what the other dishes will be on the menu, Chef Darren made me his ‘Galaxy of Textures’, which meets the theme of chocolate for all desserts to be made for the dinner, coming in especially from his Continue reading →

High Chef turnover in Cape and Winelands restaurants, new restaurant openings continue!

July 21, 2014

For the first time in many years Cape Town has seen barely any restaurant closures this winter. There have never been so many chefs leaving their employers to start their own restaurants, or to join other employers! An unusually high number of new restaurants have opened or will do so in the next month or two.

This list of restaurant openings and closings, restaurant staff movements, and winter holiday closures, is updated continuously, as we receive new information:

Restaurant Openings

* Chef Chris Erasmus has opened his own restaurant Foliage in Franschhoek, having previously been at Pierneef à La Motte.

* Chef’s Warehouse & Canteen has opened Street Food below the neighbouring hotel, offering Deluxe coffee, pastries, and Asian-inspired lunch take-outs. Operates from 7h00 – 15h00 Monday – Friday.

* Idiom Wines is said to be opening a restaurant.

* The Butcher Shop & Grill is opening next to Sotano in Mouille Point.

* Michael Townsend (La Parada, Lucky Fish, Harbour House emporium) is Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 13 September

September 13, 2013

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* BA is seeing increased business on its Africa routes and has already announced that it is putting ts A380 onto the Johannesburg route from February 2014. The airline also is increasing its flights to Ghana, Uganda, Liberia, and Serria Leone, whilst cutting those to Lusaka.

* Increasing power and staff costs are major threats to the local wine industry, a study by PricewatershouseCoopers has revealed.

* The Captain DoRegos take-away franchise is to be expanded into the rest of South Africa, and even into Africa, the Spur Corporation has announced.

* Hein Koegelenberg has written an informative blogpost about how to protect Continue reading →