Tag Archives: Moyo

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 2/3 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   PriceWaterhouseCoopers has secured an agreement for Fournews Developments (Johannesburg-based restaurant group with News Café and more) to buy the Moyo brand, to secure the continued operation of Moyo in Kirstenbosch, Blouberg, Melrose Arch, Zoo Lake and at Pier in Durban, and thereby save 500 jobs.  Moyo restaurants in the V&A Waterfront, Fountains in Pretoria, and at Spier have closed in the past month.

*   The weak Rand has affected tourism in two ways: the lead times of travellers in making bookings have shortened dramatically, often to the same day, and tourists have more money to spend when they arrive.

*   Amarula Cream has won a gold medal at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the first accolades for the brand in the USA, and a springboard for its future marketing in that country.  The brand has also been voted as one of the world’s top bar brands, according to a survey commissioned by Drinks International. The Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 31 March

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Gareth Cliff left 5FM today, after 10 years at the radio station.  There appears to be no news about his future plans.

*   Heston Blumenthal is moving The Fat Duck restaurant in Bray UK to Melbourne in February next year for six months, whereafter he will call the restaurant Dinner.

*   Moyo has closed down at Spier, following the recent closure of Moyo at the V&A Waterfront, reports the Cape Times today.

*   Excellent news is that the International Court of Justice in The Hague has placed an immediate stop on whaling by Continue reading →

First signs of winter as first Cape Town/Winelands restaurants close down!

Chef's Warehouse Bree Street Whale Cottage Portfolio (2)Many restaurants opened this summer, but the industry is taking its first toll, with restaurants closing down.  It may be a tough winter ahead, given the poor state of the economy.  Yet Neil Grant and Barry Engelbrecht (Burrata), Clayton Howard and Mico Botha (I Love my Laundry), and Michael Townsend (La Parada, Lucky Fish, Harbour House) are expanding their portfolios.

This list of restaurant openings and closings is updated continuously, as we receive new information:

Restaurant Openings

*    Chef’s Warehouse & Cookery School has moved to Bree Street, in the Cape Heritage hotel building, where Awestruck/Caveau used to be, and is now called Chef’s Warehouse & Canteen, with Chef Liam Tomlin in the kitchen.  Street Food has also opened as a take-away outlet (7h00 – 15h00)

*   Diesel & Creme, a diner, restaurant, and coffee shop, has opened on the R62 in Barrydale.

*   Idiom Wines is said to be opening a restaurant.

*   The Tap Room has opened at Devils’ Peak Brewery

*   I ♥ my Laundry has opened another (its third) branch on Buitenkant Street.

*   Jordan Wines has launched a Deli and Bakery.

*   Lucky Fish & Chips has opened on Bree Street, on Regent Road in Sea Point, on Long Street, in Kalk Bay, and in Muizenberg, belonging to Michael Townsend of the Harbour House group.

*   Tümi has opened as a health food café in St John’s Piazza in Sea Point, being part of the Col’Cocchia group. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 1/2 February

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The BRICS nations’ Ministers of Science and Technology will meet in Cape Town on 10 and 11 February, to discuss matters of mutual interest regarding innovation, science, and technology.  Derek Hanekom, our Minister of Science and Technology, will lead the discussions.  A Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be signed too, reports The New Age.

*   The 2014 South African showcase of more than 200 award winning wines of the International Wine & Spirit Competition takes place on Thursday at the Grande Roche in Paarl.

*   Beer sales are down in Germany, a trend which has been evident for the past seven years, and have reached the lowest level of sales in the past 25 years!  UK beer sales by contrast have increased in the past two quarters, for Continue reading →