Tag Archives: Riebeek Kasteel

Chef Bertus Basson’s ‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’ kykNET series comes to an end, revitalises 10 country Restaurants!

 

Chef Bertus Basson and his team of restaurant and interior designers have transformed 10 restaurants in the Western Cape, each restaurant closed for three days for an instant make-over in its interior design, its kitchen design, its menu, and in some instances, its name.

The work that has gone into each restaurant transformation has been documented in ten ‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’ episodes on kykNET, with an eleventh episode summarising the series, and Chef Bertus revisiting some of the restaurants, to check on their progress.

The idea for the restaurant transformation series came from the realisation that it was not only the Lockdown that affected restaurants, but that their interior design, menu, and even restaurant name can impede their success!

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Chef Bertus Basson is ‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’, a restaurant turn-around TV series, including that of controversial journalist Jacques Pauw!

 

I cannot resist writing a story about Chef Bertus Basson’s latest TV series, ‘In die Sop: Restaurant Evolusie’ on kykNet, a Gordon Ramsay-style ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ reality TV series in which restaurants are given 72 hours in which to be transformed.  It is aired on Wednesdays on KykNet at 20h00, the first episode airing last week. The title of the series ‘In die Sop’ refers to restaurants being in trouble.

The irony is that Basson himself has been no expert in restaurant design when one considers his ‘crap’ Spek & Bone off Dorp Street (one of the most widely read reviews on my Blog), and De Vrije Burger on Plein Street, both in Stellenbosch. Surprisingly, Basson admits to his restaurant faults: ‘I’ve achieved great success, but I’ve also made a lot of mistakes and learned lessons that have cost me dearly. I want to share these insights with other restaurant owners.’!  His admission should lead him to unban me from his restaurants!  Continue reading →

Hermanus FynArts 2017: Rosa Kruger Tutored Tasting of exceptional ‘Old Vine’ wines!

Yesterday I attended a Tutored Tasting of some of our country’s exceptional wines, which had in common that they were made from vines many decades old. The Tasting was led by South Africa’s leading expert on Old Vines, Rosa Kruger being a passionate pioneer for the preservation of our country’s vintage vines.  Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 14 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom has acknowledged that visitor numbers from China have dropped dramatically in the second half of last year, by close to 25%, and attributes this to the new Immigration regulations but to Ebola as well.

*   Highly acclaimed UK wine journalist Jancis Robinson has expressed her concern about the supply of grapes for the ‘Young Gun‘ winemakers, most not owning their own land. In addition, the suppliers of their grapes Continue reading →