Tag Archives: South african

Culinary trends: 20 years past, looking into the future!

Ferran Adria Culinary Conclave Ryan KingLooking at the past 20 year’s of our country’s democracy yesterday, I chose an article written about a recent ‘Culinary Conclave’ (or Indaba or Kosberaad, as we would call it) held by one of the world’s greatest chefs, Ferran Adrià of the former El Bulli, for inspiration for today’s blogpost.

Adrià and fellow chef Andoni Luis Aduriz invited 15 ‘gastronomic journalists‘ from around the world (none from our country) for a two day discussion about the past 20 years of gastronomy.  Each attendee was requested to present the gastronomic trends over the past two decades in their country, the impact of gastronomyFerran Adria Culinary Conclave group Ryan King original_ferran-conclave-group on society and culture, how the media has changed and influenced gastronomy, and how the definitions of ‘great cuisine‘ and ‘dining experience‘ have changed.

These were some of the gastronomic trends identified: Continue reading →

SA Tourism media extravagance in New York criticised as inappropriate!

Le Bernardin private roomIt was interesting to read a critical article about the perceived extravagance and inappropriateness of a recent media lunch hosted by SA Tourism and Marthinus van Schalkwyk, our Minister of Tourism, in New York.

The article was posted on eTurboNews, but the writer is not identified.  Looking at the editorial panel of the online newsletter, one can assume it was written by Dr Elinor Garely, who is the only journalist for the newsletter based in New York.

Dr Garely writes that she had previously visited South Africa ‘many years’ ago, and Cape Town in particular, whilst she was working on her doctoral dissertation in international business.   Her overriding impression was the contradiction she saw then: ‘While the hotels were lovely, the restaurants for dining and tasting South African Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 4 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The 2014 Beautiful South wine tasting event in London, a collaboration between Argentinian, Chilean, and South African wine producers, is to be reduced to 250 exhibitors, fifty less than last year, to reduce the dominance of South African wines.  Beautiful South will be held at the Olympia on 10 and 11 September.

*   The Hermanus FynArts Festival 2014 takes place from 6 – 16 June, as an ArtsFest and Winter School. The organisers describe it as ‘a 10-day celebration of South African arts with a focus on the visual arts’, with 20 art exhibitions.

*   World renowned Copenhagen restaurant Noma, the world’s number one restaurant until 2012, is moving to Kikunoi restaurant in Kyoto early next year for two months, working with Chef Yoshihiro Murata, Noma owner and Chef Rene Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 1 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and wine news headlines

*   Standard Bank is to support the newly created Standard Bank/Top 10 Chenin Blanc Challenge for a three year period. Entries open on 1 July, and each of the 100 members of the Chenin Blanc Association may enter their wines. The Top 10 wine producers will receive R20000 each, and are expected to reinvest the prize money to benefit their workers and workplace. (received via media release from Waterford Communications)

*   Chanticleer Holdings, the South African company owning four Hooters franchises, is reported to pay close to R9 million in the USA to settle a ‘putative class action alleging it lied about its South African restaurants’ financial statements being audited before an ill-fated $10,1 million initial public offering’! 

*   Entries are invited for the 2014 Lilizela Tourism Awards, Western Cape Tourism Minister Alan Winde has announced.  Provincial winners are selected, who go forward to the national finals. The Minister said: ‘This competition is a good measure because tourists are the ones voting. Great service is one of the key factors in repeat visits and the Western Cape’s establishments have set a high standard for service excellence. After a great Continue reading →