{"id":104496,"date":"2018-11-20T10:57:18","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T08:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/?p=104496"},"modified":"2019-02-11T21:46:44","modified_gmt":"2019-02-11T19:46:44","slug":"gate-restaurant-at-quoin-rock-takes-sa-restauranting-to-a-new-level-experiential-and-interactive-dining-and-wining-at-its-finest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/gate-restaurant-at-quoin-rock-takes-sa-restauranting-to-a-new-level-experiential-and-interactive-dining-and-wining-at-its-finest\/","title":{"rendered":"G\u00e5te Restaurant at Quoin Rock takes SA restauranting to a new level, experiential and interactive dining and wining at its finest!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The new words on serious diners lips are \u2018G\u00e5te\u2019 and \u2018Quoin Rock\u2019, both not having been heard of by most, but already associated with superlative dining, on a wine estate tucked away outside Stellenbosch where no expense had been spared to create eating and drinking experiences to take one\u2019s breath away! This is what we experienced when invited to eat at Chef Rikku O\u2019Donnch\u00fc\u2019s G\u00e5te restaurant on Friday evening. I was still pinching myself over the weekend as to whether this was real, or just a dream. I invited my friend Stuart Bailey to share this experience with me.<\/p>\n

Quoin Rock Wine estate <\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

When researching the wine estate, I found that it had previously belonged to a Dave King, who \"\"owed SARS a huge amount of money, and hence the wine estate was liquidated and auctioned off, initially sold to Wendy Appelbaum, but the involvement of former auctioneer Rael Levitt of Auction Alliance and ghost bidders driving up the price made her withdraw. Then a former Vice President of the Ukraine, Vitaly Gaiduk, bought the estate on the Knorhoek Road near Delheim, outside Stellenbosch, for R85 million five years ago, it is reported.  A major development project commenced, the vision being to build a cellar which would also house the Tasting Room, and a Restaurant, cleverly the same space used by day and by night, respectively. They wanted to be environmentally friendly\"\", source all the restaurant ingredients from the estate, and minimise their carbon footprint, hence the Cape Town chefs travel to and from work together. <\/p>\n

We were welcomed at the entrance door, dramatic with wood structures on the outside, and a grape vine sculpture and water feature reaching up two storeys in the reception area, by GM Troy Truter, formerly of Bukhara and Haiku. The grapevine sculpture was designed by Charles Haupt. Troy offered us a cucumber and mint martini. I noticed a wood layered wall covering, representing the mountains that the estate looks \"\"out on, in the passage.<\/p>\n

We were introduced to Rufus Scholtz, whose name I recognised from the preview briefing, as being the Head Waiter, an honour to be looked after by him for the rest of the evening. He showed us his top 100 international wine cellar in the making, the list being compiled from Parker and Spectator ratings. Rufus told us proudly that he stocks the world\u2019s best Ros\u00e9, the Ch\u00e2teau d\u2019Esclans wine being the most expensive Ros\u00e9 at over \u20ac100 a bottle, a Google search told me. In the cellar by chance was Quoin Rock winemaker Jacques Marais. <\/p>\n

\"\"We walked past the Zen Garden, and it is here that I met Denis Gaiduk, the son of the owner and MD of the wine estate. <\/p>\n

Rufus offered to show us around, and we went into the events venue, a huge hall, with glass doors to the side, and a mezzanine level with a Whisky and Cigar Lounge, almost complete, with a magnificent view. Rufus offered us our favourite whiskey, both of us being Jameson fans, \"\"and he brought us an 18 year old Reserve on the rocks. Huge metal screens with cutouts have been created, to subdivide sections of the space. Artwork is discreet and selective, with only two sculptures, a male torso near the entrance to the event venue, and a young girl sitting in a circular pond, both by sculptor Adriaan Diedericks. When one faces the building at the pond one sees the reflection of the \"\"nature surrounding it, mirror glass having been used, becoming art in itself. Circles are everywhere at Quoin Rock. On our previous visit Aur\u00e9lie Jullien and I had already seen an overhead metal structure over the terrace, with a pattern, which creates leaf shapes on the tiles of the terrace when the sun shines. Inside the Tasting Room\/Restaurant, a counter resembling\"\" the shape of a vat made from beautiful solid oak wood attracts attention, it being the only furniture item in the room, other than the wood tables and chairs. Above the counter were \u2018deconstructed\u2019 elements of a vat, in part-circles, with metal circles too, a contemporary feel. Single white proteas in individual vases were on the \"\"counter. <\/p>\n

Denis\u2019 wife is Julia Gaiduk, an engineer and architect by training, having done all the design work, and the interior design too. We met both Julia and Denis when they came to chat at our table. Denis came to chat regularly, to check how we felt about the meal, and the pairings with the champagnes and his Quoin Rock wines. Sustainability is vital at Quoin Rock, and they use borehole water and solar energy for electricity. Rufus told us that they have their own Wagyu cattle, greenhouses to grow vegetables and herbs, guinea fowl, hens, and fruit. \"\"<\/p>\n

G\u00e5te Restaurant <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n

About a month ago I connected with G\u00e5te Head Chef Warwick King, and he invited me to visit the winery and their 40-seater restaurant space still bring constructed. The kitchen had been completed already. Chefs Rikku and Warwick spent one and a half hours briefing us on their sixteen course Tasting Menu. Chef Rikku struck me then already as a refreshingly different chef, welcoming controversy and feedback to his dishes, saying that he expects his diners to both like and hate his dishes. Do read the background to Chef Rikku and the Michelin star and World\u2019s 50 Best restaurants he has worked in internationally. <\/p>\n

Preview: New G\u00e5te restaurant to become a rock star at Quoin Rock Winery, Fine Dining at its finest!<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n