Tag Archives: M

American Express Platinum Fine Dining Awards 2016; 2017 Platinum Taste Awards to challenge Eat Out Awards?

Amex Award tableLast night (7 September) the American Express Platinum Fine Dining Awards 2016 were presented for Cape Town, the Winelands, and the Garden Route at The Watershed in the V&A Waterfront, a total of 31 awards presented. Last night (14 September) the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal awards were presented at Katy’s Palace Bar in imageJohannesburg.

Interesting announcements made during the evening in Cape Town appear to indicate that the Platinum Taste Awards (new name from next year) will take Eat Out head on next year! At the awards event, the name change for next year was announced, as was that the Platinum Taste Awards will introduce seven award categories. It is no longer a criterion for a restaurant to accept Continue reading →

WhaleTale Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines : 31 July

imageTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines 

*   SAA has announced that its former GM of Human Resources Thuli Mpshe has been appointed as its Acting CEO, after the sudden departure of Nico Bezuidenhout, who returns to Mango.

*   The Tourism Business Council of South Africa CE Mmatsatsi Ramawela has suggested that biometric data of passengers be captured on arrival in Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 29 June

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  Horror forecasts about the effect of the Immigration Regulations, and how they will affect tourism from China and India in particular, abound, according to meetpie.com. Destination Management Companies are reporting a 70% decline in bookings, incentive travel is affected, and the following forecasts for the following year say it all: 100000 fewer Continue reading →

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

Grande Provence Galaxy of Textures Whale CottageLast 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 →