Tag Archives: Richard Carstens

SA restaurants awarded with stars for the first time in 2022 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards!

 

The Eat Out Restaurant Awards were held for the first time in three years today, an eagerly awaited event, given the impact of the Lockdown on the restaurant industry, and the change in the restaurant awards system, restaurants no longer ranked, but rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars.

It was a surprise to read a year ago that Eat Out would reintroduce its Awards this year, and that Abigail Donnelly was heading up the judging for the awards again, after an absence of a number of years. Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 72 of Level 1, 11 December 2021

 

Saturday 11 December 2021, Day 72 of Level 1 😷

Corona Lockdown Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a day that started off slowly and increased in energy level, catching up on work and posting for my clients; for some Vit D therapy on my terrace; for a long catch-up call from Chef Richard Carstens, not having seen or spoken in at least 2 years, with a promise to visit him in Franschhoek soon 💙; for meeting Gary Peterson in town, arriving early for the Baroque Christmas concert in the Evangelical Lutheran Church on Strand Street, the oldest church in Cape Town and SA, completed in 1780, 231 years old, which has plush new red velvet cushions, having had the most Continue reading →

Franschhoek attracting most new restaurant openings, despite the state of the economy: December 2019!

 

The only new restaurants opening this month are Epice, in Franschhoek, headed by Chef Charné Sampson, belonging to The La Colombe Group, and to be located in the former Marigold restaurant, as well as The Four Square Club, opened as a lunch restaurant by Chef Chris Erasmus at Môreson. Chef Peter Tempelhoff announced the opening of a new ‘funky’ restaurant in Cape Town on Kfm last week. 

Other recent restaurant openings are Exhibit A of Chefs Rikku O’Donnchü and Warwick King on Bree Street in Cape Town, La Chêne was opened by Chef Darren Badenhorst at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek, and Cowboys & Cooks has opened in De Waterkant. Continue reading →

New Restaurant openings in Cape Town and Winelands for 2019/2020 season slow down dramatically: October 2019!

The poor economic conditions in our country currently is manifesting in the very few new restaurants opening for the new summer season, most such new openings usually taking place in September. Where many new restaurants are opening, they are changing the name and concept of existing ones, rather than being brand new, or adding other restaurants in a restaurant group’s portfolio. 

Two exciting top-end restaurant openings are those of Exhibit A (owned by highly acclaimed Chef Rikku O’Donnchü and Chef Warwick King, who left Gåte restaurant earlier this year), opening in the city centre on 1 November; and of La Chêne at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek. Interesting is that a number of new restaurants have opened on Kloof Street, our former Cape Town Restaurant Street before Bree Street took over,  Continue reading →