Tag Archives: Weber

In search of the Holy Food Grail in KwaZulu-Natal!

imageI spent eight days in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) last week, in search of the perfect food experience, in a province I had last visited about ten years ago to attend Indaba, and the well-known Midlands area, which I had last visited more than 25 years ago.

The encouragement  to visit the province was made more than a year ago by Chef Jackie Cameron, who is the most passionate proudly-KZNer I encountered on my journey, making it her business to support KZN produce, from the Midlands in particular, in using and in marketing it at every opportunity. Jackie has put KZN on the food and restaurant map over the past twelve years that she worked at Hartford House, making the Eat Out Top 10 Continue reading →

Bertus Basson at Spice Route : a modern South African restaurant!

Bertus Basson at SR Interior doilies Whale CottageI received a personal invitation from Chef Bertus Basson to join him for lunch at his new Bertus Basson at Spice Route restaurant, which opened on the Paarl wine farm 6 weeks ago. He and his charming wife Mareli managed to re-invent the restaurant within five days from taking over the space, modernising it to reflect their promise of ‘A Modern South African Restaurant’, both in terms of its decor and its food offeringBertus Basson at SR Bertus Whale Cottage.

A lot has changed at Spice Route, my last visit having been when Charles Back had taken over the wine estate, previously called Seidelberg, next door to his Fairview.  I didn’t have time to see all the artisan businesses which have opened at Spice Route since Back took over, but they include a Richard Bosman charcuterie outlet, with tastings at R30 (a bit cheeky I thought), a wine tasting centre, and Cape Brewing Co, about which I Continue reading →

Chef Pete Goffe-Wood serves a Christmas feast on new M-Net ‘Feast’!

Feast Pete Goffe-Wood

On Thursday evening Chef Pete Goffe-Wood was the first MasterChef SA judge to have an episode in the new M-Net mini-series ‘Feast’ dedicated to him and his cooking, the highlight being the Christmas meal he prepared for his family and friends. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 6 August

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   South Africa is ‘open for business, open for tourism and open for partnerships in many sectors’.  This message was presented by President Jacob Zuma to the USA Chamber of Commerce African Business Initiative on Monday, running parallel to the United States – African Leaders Summit. The President reminded the Chamber that 600 American companies operate in our country, employing 150000 staff in total. 

*   The American Congress has banned the use of styrofoam for take-away beverages and foods from 2016, due to it not being biodegradable.  Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam cups away annually.

*   By 2020 all South Africans should have access to broadband, as part of a government-financed program via the Continue reading →