{"id":21150,"date":"2011-05-31T10:20:45","date_gmt":"2011-05-31T08:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=21150"},"modified":"2011-05-31T10:21:56","modified_gmt":"2011-05-31T08:21:56","slug":"grande-provence-touches-a-nerve-with-its-multiple-sclerosis-charity-lunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/franschhoek\/grande-provence-touches-a-nerve-with-its-multiple-sclerosis-charity-lunch\/","title":{"rendered":"Grande Provence touches a nerve with its Multiple Sclerosis charity lunch!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>For the past five years, with one exception, I have attended the Grande Provence charity lunch in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the proceeds of which go to the Society.\u00a0 The theme of the lunch is Big 5, and everything is done in multiples of five: five courses, prepared by five top chefs, paired with five Grande Provence wines, and\u00a0five entertainers, creating a most enjoyable afternoon, and generating much needed funding for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.<\/p>\n

Not cheap at R1100 a ticket, the Grande Provence charity lunch was attended by about a hundred supporters, and raised about R200 000, almost double the amount raised last year.\u00a0 All services are donated, and the full amount raised is donated to the Society.\u00a0 In addition to the ticket sales, a raffle raised funds, as did a charity auction, of accommodation, a helicopter flip, a dinner for ten cooked by Grande Provence chef Darren Roberts, and works of art, which raised half the monies, thanks to the amazing auctioneering charm of Ariella Kuper of Auction Alliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system which destroys the myelin, a ‘rubber coating around the nerves in one’s brain’.\u00a0 This leaves the nerves exposed, and blocks messages\u00a0from the brain to parts of the body, creating physical problems,\u00a0such as an inability to speak properly, to walk, to see, or to remember things.\u00a0\u00a0 The Society uses the monies it raises to pay for\u00a0a part-time social worker, to offer support at the homes of sufferers of this disease, to offer transport services, to train sufferers in coping with their disease, and to offer\u00a0equipment\u00a0for rental.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On arrival guests were offered Angels Tears Ros\u00e9, and canap\u00e9s of salmon cones and oysters, prepared by Michel Louws, the chef at Huka Lodge in New Zealand, the sister property\u00a0of Grande Provence.\u00a0 Chef Michel arrived in Franschhoek last week, and we attended a dinner on Friday evening as well, prepared by him in its entirety, with a focus on New Zealand cuisine, but more about that below.\u00a0 The programme was spread out over close to six hours, and a good time was had by all, Master of Ceremonies Ryan O’Connor from Kfm <\/strong>being a charming and funny host, and has donated his services for free for a number of years, and vowed to do so for the rest of his life. \u00a0The programme interspersed food courses with the entertainment by five\u00a0musicians (Darryl Walters, Kari, ex-Madame Zingara and Vaudeville performer Irit Noble, Tony Nelson, and Emil Struwig), and a few speeches.\u00a0 Non\u00a0Smit, who runs the Multiple Sclerosis Society, described the disease as invisible, and expressed her gratitude for the support received, and explained how the monies are used.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>Shani Marais, wife of Grande Provence winemaker Jaco Marais,\u00a0whose\u00a0brainchild the lunch is,\u00a0is a Multiple Sclerosis sufferer, and works tirelessly to organise the annual charity luncheons.\u00a0 Motivational speaker Sean Willard spoke on the subject of his book to be published in July, entitled “Have a Life Attack”, and advised all to have “a love attack, a laugh attack and a\u00a0life attack” regularly!\u00a0 He said that Shani was a wonderful example of getting up, and not giving up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The first course was prepared by Grande Roche<\/strong><\/span> Eat Out<\/strong> Top 10<\/a>\u00a0chef Roland Gorgosilich, being a\u00a0Trio of Ostrich (left),\u00a0including carpaccio and a\u00a0mince ball, served with Tandoori, paprika vinaigrette and coriander mayonnaise, and was paired with the Grande Provence Pinot Noir 2009, which I enjoyed so much that I stuck with it for the rest of the lunch.\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>This was followed by Rainbow Trout gravadlax, presented with watercress, anchovy and smoked beetroot mayonnaise, Buffalo mozzarella, and a dill and lime gel, beautifully presented by Chef Gregory Czarnecki of Waterkloof Estate<\/a>\u00a0in Somerset West (right).\u00a0\u00a0 This course was paired with Grande Provence Sauvignon Blanc 2010.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The main course was lamb neck, which had been cured and cooked for 36 hours.\u00a0 It was prepared by Chef Michel Louws<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>from award-winning Huka Lodge in New Zealand, and he felt that lamb would represent his new home country, using Karoo lamb for the dish.\u00a0 It was topped with the tiniest croutons and lime peel, which gave the softest lamb a wonderful taste.\u00a0 The aroma of the lamb could be smelt throughout the room, and was enjoyed to ooos and aaas.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>Chef Michel has an interesting Dutch\/New Zealand accent, and a most interesting hairstyle – he is bald-headed, but has a cute strand of hair which stands upright with the help of a special wax, he explained to us, saying that when he was at school they\u00a0didn’t want his hair to be long, while his mother did not want him to shave everything off, so\u00a0he chose the combination compromise.\u00a0 Chef Michel trained at Michelin-starred Dutch restaurants Le Cirque, de Librije, Inter Scaldis and Zusje, and then the restaurant at which he was the head chef, ‘t-Veerhuis,\u00a0was awarded a Michelin star.\u00a0He joined Huka Lodge two years ago.\u00a0 His restaurant will not feature on the New Zealand top 10 restaurant list, he said, as the restaurant is mainly for the guests of the Lodge, and a maximum of six outside guests can be considered per meal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The 4-course New Zealand dinner prepared by Michel Louws on Friday evening, costing R495 per head, was preceded by canapes, including salmon cones.\u00a0 Chef Michel served scallops as a starter, one hot and one cold, with lemon, which was paired with Grande Provence Sauvignon Blanc 2010, and an excellent New Zealand Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2005.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>Then followed barbecued lobster served with a delicious liquid garlic sauce, paired with Grande Provence Chardonnay 2009 and New Zealand Clearview\u00a0Reserve Chardonnay 2009.\u00a0 The main course was the\u00a0lamb neck as well, served with Grande Provence Shiraz 2007\u00a0and New Zealand Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah 2005, and Chef Michel described the Karoo lamb he used for it as ‘bloody \"\"<\/a>awesome’.\u00a0\u00a0 Dessert was a ‘deconstructed Snickers’, consisting of malt, caramel, chocolate and peanuts, which was paired with Frangelico.\u00a0\u00a0 Chef Michel wants to try the local restaurant highlights, and went to The Tasting Room<\/span><\/strong> <\/a>at Le Quartier Fran\u00e7ais, saying it\u00a0was ‘worldly’ and he liked that they served local wines. He also went to\u00a0Pierneef\u00a0\u00e0 La Motte<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, where he had Bokkoms.\u00a0 In Holland they have a similar dish, made from air-dried herrings.\u00a0 He wants to get to The Test Kitchen<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, and we suggested Tokara,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>given his admiration for Ferran Adria of El Bulli.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The charity lunch dessert was prepared by Rudi Liebenberg and his pastry chef from the Mount Nelson Hotel and their Planet restaurant<\/strong><\/span>.<\/a>\u00a0 It was a collection of ‘chocolate stuff’, including peanut and chocolate sable, chocolate cr\u00e9me, dark chocolate sorbet, and a thin slab of Valrhona chocolate.\u00a0 This was paired with Grande Provence Shiraz 2007.\u00a0\u00a0 The final course was a cheese plate served on a slate plate, beautifully presented by Chef Darren Roberts of Grande Provence.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>It contained a stilton, roasted cashew nuts, preserved fig, olive biscuits, compressed melon goats’ cheese sorbet, balsamic foam, Welsh Rarebit, and a refreshing raspberry aniseed puree, and was paired with Grande Provence Chardonnay 2010.<\/p>\n

Grande Provence has re-positioned itself as one of the top restaurants in Franschhoek, with the two excellent top food events it organised\u00a0over the past weekend.\u00a0 It was announced by Grande Provence GM Amanda Roberts that they plan to bring out more guest chefs from Australia and Asia.\u00a0 The collaboration with top local chefs in preparing food for the Multiple Sclerosis Society charity lunch is a great opportunity to see the creativity of the chefs under one roof, so to speak, whilst supporting a worthwhile cause.<\/p>\n

Grande Provence, <\/strong>Main Road, Franschhoek.\u00a0 Tel (021) 876-8600.\u00a0 www.grandeprovence.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a>\u00a0 Twitter:@WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the past five years, with one exception, I have attended the Grande Provence charity lunch in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the proceeds of which go to the Society.\u00a0 The theme of the lunch is Big 5, and everything is done in multiples of five: five courses, prepared by five top chefs, paired […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[124,14,20,21,19],"tags":[11589,11688,11694,11679,11677,11678,11676,11692,4109,32378,11695,11690,6190,3985,11681,11174,975,11684,976,32369,140,144,2080,10009,11587,3046,11685,11682,2357,10270,549,303,10012,11585,1326,11675,10011,546,6611,9074,2613,1612,11680,11687,11686,11691,1362,7518,59,11683,11693,3040,11689,32373,11588],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t