In a world that has become drunk on power, where ego has become the latest fashion accessory, it is amazing to see that there are still people for whom giving something of themselves, unselfishly, for someone else is still important. The restaurants taking part in the 2011 Gourmets & Gourmands culinary evening have opened their kitchens to caring enough to raise funds for one of George’s bastions of care and education – the Carpe Diem School. These culinary destinations truly make George proud and it is in that spirit that we celebrate their giving hearts.
Ian Perryman Chef/Owner of The Pelican Guesthouse in Sedgefield has been in the hospitality industry for 15 years, catering and running private functions from weddings and private parties to conferences. He is currently involved in creating, teaching and sourcing opportunities for local people from the surrounding communities to get them involved in learning how to cater and run functions.
The Pomodoro Restaurant has been a landmark in Wilderness for the past 6 years and serves traditional Italian food with fantastic pizzas, pastas, lamb shank and many other specialties. The restaurant has a laidback continental feeling making long lunches and dinners the norm. Their in-house chef, Werner Pons has been a professional chef for the last 19 years. He spent 5 years working as a chef inEngland andFrance, and has also catered on private yachts on theMediterranean.
At the great cross roads of George and settled among the ancient Magnolia trees at the top of York Street, one can find the Rose Restaurant, which by any other name, is a delightful gem. Offering excellent South African hospitality and delectable food fusion, theRoseRestaurant is truly a fragrant find on theGarden Route’s Restaurant Guide. Heyn Neethling, the executive chef, brings 30 years of experience to every dish served. His talent and flair, at combining exquisite cuisine with wholesome hearty meals has clients asking for more. Proudly local, proudly world class!
If you are looking for flavour and a French Café-style ambience, then the House of Flavour is the perfect meeting place whether for business or for pleasure or both. Owner and chef Leona Redelinghuys is the personification of the passion for food, for people and for life the restaurant strives to show its customers. House of Flavour serves an array of different dishes catering for a variety of tastes, from breakfast to light lunches, soups and main meals, not forgetting the delectable range of sweet treats.
In the heart of the little Karoo, lies a delightful olive estate with panoramic views over the the Schoemanshoek valley and Swartberg mountain. The Su Casa Restaurant with food and wine to entice the senses, resides in an eighteenth century farmhouse that is been converted into an elegant restaurant. Menus are inspired by regional produce of the Klein Karoo area combined with international flair.
Based in the heart of the Garden Route, Top Two Catering cooks and caters all across theSouthern Cape, but focus primarily on their own unique brand of private upmarket functions, weddings and corporate events. The team have built a reputation for delivering above and beyond client expectations with creative and delicious cuisine.
La Rosa Blu Café on the Rosenhof Estate in Waboomskraal is an eclectic mix of vintage nostalgia, flair and a delightfully relaxed and homely atmosphere. Head chef PJ Snyman prides himself in bringing that little bit extra to ordinary, taking special care to make the experience at La Rosa Blu a memorable one, from the moment you walk in the door until the moment you savour that last delectable bite.
The Buffelsdrift Game Lodge Restaurant offers guests all the rustic elegance one would come to expect from a bush retreat. Patrons are invited to peruse an a la carte and buffet menu brimming with local cuisine and excellent award winning wines. They specialise in localKaroo cuisine complimented by homemade preserves, chutney, pickles, fresh produce, bread and herbs. Their grand fireplace is sure to add warmth to even the coldestKaroo evening and French doors invite the pleasant summer air inside. The mixture of soothing surrounds and sultry cuisine makes the experience at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge Restaurant an unforgettable one.
SACA or the South African Chef’s Association, was founded way back in 1974 by a group of chefs who had a vision of an organisation that would represent the interests of chefs around the country. Times have changed, techniques have evolved, but almost four decades later, they still embody the spirit, the passion and the flair for the art and science of cookery, the founders envisioned so long ago.
Fervently scrutinising details, making lists (and checking it twice), these restaurants have offered up their time, their staff and their expertise in order to not only give guests a meal of a lifetime, but also to give their bit to the wonderful work done at the Carpe Diem School in aid of their 2011 project – the building of an outside lift to aid with the mobility of wheelchair bound learners.
Mouth watering? It sure is. Guests at the Gourmets & Gourmands culinary evening will have a lip smacking firsthand taste, but so could you by visiting these passionate establishments the next time you consider a little restaurant rendezvous of your own.
If you would like to know more about the event, tickets, or the Carpe Diem School and how you can get involved, feel free to contact Karools Hauptfleish on 044 874 4074 or email admin@carpediemskool.wcape.school.za.
