Culinary Tours in South Africa
Culinary tours to South Africa
traditionally include a visit to Cape
Townand a safari, but the focus will
usually be on an area just outside of
Cape Town -- the Winelands.
Cape Town itself rivals Paris, London
and New York for its variety of
first-class restaurants offering
cuisines from all over the world. But
the Winelands are
unique because of the combination of
fine-dining establishments as well as
excellent wineries. Combine this with a
stunning backdrop of mountains shadowing
over lush gardens in historic wine
estates, and you're in foodie heaven.
Many of the established wine estates
date back to the early Dutch and French
settlers in the mid 17th Century. The
buildings have been maintained and
turned into very fine hotels and
restaurants. A few of the best examples
include the Constantia
Uitsig Country Estate which is home
to two of the finest award-wining
restaurants in this area; the Constantia
Uitsig and La
Colombe.
Franschhoek is a small town in the
heart of the Winelands settled by French
Huguenots in 1688. It is considered the
gourmet capital of South Africa. The
little main street is simply lined with
fantastic restaurants. Stay at Le
Quartier Francais and feast at its restaurants
and tasting room.
Before you jump into the fine-dining
arena, you should also enjoy Cape Malay
cuisine. Descendants of original slaves,
as well as free citizens, the Malay
community has a rich heritage and a
unique cuisine. Rich curries and stews
are flavored with aromatic spices, and
there is a tradition of blending meats
with sweet accompaniments. For gourmet
Cape Malay food try the Cape
Malay Restaurant at the Cellars-Hohenort
in Constantia. Otherwise walk around
the Bo
Kaap area in Cape Town and pop into
any local eatery for the "real thing".
One of my favorite dishes is Bobotie,
which has its roots in Malay cooking.
The best tour to take would be Andulela's
Cape Malay Cooking Safari.
If you're traveling around the Winelands
do stop into one of the many organic
markets that are cropping up in the
area. The Afrikaner community has really
stepped up activity at these markets,
the food is fresh, authentic and
absolutely delicious. Try some game
biltong while your there.
South Africans are enthusiastic meat
eaters (if they can afford it) and you
can take the opportunity to learn how to
cook ostrich, venison and even
crocodile. Figuring out what part of a
crocodile is best suited to roasting
over an open fire is knowledge you just
can't pick up anywhere else!
Samp and Souffle has an excellent
tour that will accommodate lots of bush
cooking with a splendid safari.
Sample
Culinary Tours to South Africa
If you can't make a culinary tour then
keep an eye out for some of the many food
and wine festivals held around the
country.
For information about South Africa's top
restaurants, where to dine, restaurant
ratings and more,click
here.
You can also visit the Institute
of Culinary Arts of South Africa and
find out where all these fabulous chefs
have trained.
By Anouk Zijlm
SUN
INTERNATIONAL HOTELS INTRODUCES CULINARY TRAVEL
PROGRAMS TO SOUTHERN AFRICA WITH LEADING US TOUR
OPERATORS
Photo:
Taken at the James Beard event in NY.
L-R: Johannes Mokae, Sous Chef at The
Palace of The Lost City, Lorenzo Giani, General
Manager Sun International Americas, Grant
Cullingworth, Executive Chef and Earl King, Pastry
Chef at the Table Bay Hotel
Sun
International Hotels, Southern Africa's premier
luxury hotel company, has joined forces with
leading US-based tour operators to intro duce a
series of gourmet travel programs to Southern
Africa. Programs ranging from four- to fifteen-days
in length feature three of the company's
luxury hotels, including the world renowned Palace
of the Lost City in Sun City, the Table Bay Hotel
in Cape Town, South Africa and the new Royal
Livingstone Hotel located steps from the
breathtaking Victoria Falls in Livingstone,
Zambia.
See
our Editor' Jerry Bird's story on James Beard in
Air
Highways Magazine
Food and
wine aficionados will be treated to the
award-winning cuisine of Sun International's
acclaimed chefs; including Grant Cullingworth,
Executive Chef and Earl King, Pastry Chef at the
Table Bay Hotel and Johannes Mokae, Sous Chef at
The Palace of The Lost City. The chefs recently
held a highly successful New York City culinary
tour featuring cooking demonstrations and tasting
at William Sonoma and a special five-course dinner
event, showcasing South Africa's eclectic cuisine,
at the James Beard House.
"We are
excited to introduce these new culinary tours to
our hotels and offer travelers an opportunity to
savor the creative cuisine of our top rated chefs.
Combined with our luxury accommodations, excellent
service and truly exceptional locations, these
programs deliver a complete Sun International
experience," said Lorenzo Giani, Sun International
General Manager, Americas.
Culinary
travel programs, featuring Sun International
hotels, departing throughout 2004 and 2005,
include:
African
Travel: "South African Wine, Wildlife &
Culinary Impressions" &endash; The tour begins
in Cape Town with three-nights at the Table Bay
Hotel in luxury accommodations where guests are
greeted with a bottle of South African
champagne and beautiful views of the ocean and
famous Table Mountain. This fourteen-days tour
starts from $6,520 per person, sharing a twin room
(land only). For more information contact:
www.africantravelinc.com or 800-421-8907.
Big Five
Tours & Expeditions: "Cape Gourmet Tour"
&endash; Starting at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape
Town, the tour features three-nights luxury
accommodations in a room overlooking either Table
Mountain or the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
and ocean. On the first night, guests will enjoy a
wine talk followed by wine tasting and dinner.
Ten-days program from $4,645 per person based on
double occupancy. For more information contact:
www.bigfive.com or 1-800-BIG-FIVE
(800-244-3483).
Classic
Encounters: "Food & Wine Tour" &endash; The
trip begins with a two-nights stay at the world
famous Palace of the Lost City in Sun City where
guests can enjoy luxury accommodations, fine dining
and a wide range of exciting outdoor activities and
entertainment. Following an overnight journey on
the legendary Blue Train, guests arrive in Cape
Town where they will enjoy a four-nights stay at
the Table Bay Hotel in luxury accommodations.
Thirteen-days tour from $5,995 per person, based on
double occupancy (land only). For more information
contact: www.africanclassicencounters.com or
212-972- 0031.
ISRAMWORLD:
"Cape Peninsula Gourmet Tour" &endash;
Featuring three-nights luxury accommodations,
gourmet meals, wine tasting and cooking
demonstrations at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town.
Eleven-days program from $5,215 per person, based
on double occupancy. For more information contact:
www.isram.com or 800-223-7460.
Mango
African Safaris: "A Taste of Africa" &endash;
Starting in Cape Town this culinary tour features a
three-nights stay at the Table Bay Hotel.
Thirteen-days tour from $6,100 per person, not
including air. For more information contact:
www.mangosafari.com or
888-698-9220.
Safariline:
"Cape Town Gourmet Sampler" &endash; Featuring
three-nights luxury accommodations and breakfasts
at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town. Four-days tour
from $1,710 per person based on double occupancy.
For more information contact: www.safariline.net or
866-466-0301.
SITA
World Travel: "A Culinary Adventure Through South
Africa" &endash; The tour features luxury
accommodations and meals at the Table Bay Hotel in
Cape Town. Eleven-days land package for two
persons, double occupancy from $5,995 with airfare
available from $1,750 per person. Contact:
www.sitatours.com or 800-421-5643.
Special
guided culinary travel program departing in
February 2005:
Creative
Safaris: "Gourmets on Safari, a Gastronomic
Journey Exploring the Fine Wines, Excellent
Cuisine, Dramatic Landscapes, and Exotic
Wildlife of Southern Africa - This guided culinary
program starts with a two-nights stay at Sun
International's Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town and a
dinner hosted by Group Executive Chef, Conrad
Gallagher, at the hotel's award-winning
Atlantic Restaurant. Also included are
two-nights at the new Royal Livingstone Hotel
located at Victoria Falls in Zambia. Departing on
February 22, 2005, the tour will be hosted by
Carlos and Debbie Nieto, the chef and owner of the
award winning Carlo's restaurant in Chicago, and
Tom Jiaras of the International House of Wine &
Cheese in Richmond, Illinois. Fifteen-days tour
from $7,200 per person based on double occupancy.
For more information contact:
www.creativesafaris.com or 800-768-9020.
The
Palace of the Lost City is Sun International's
flagship hotel. Located at Sun City, which will be
celebrating it's 25th anniversary in December of
this year, the hotel has become one of the most
enticing travelers' destinations in the world, a
tribute to man's imagination and revered for its
art and architecture. Fabled to be the royal
residence of an ancient king, it is truly one of
the 'Worlds Leading Hotels". The 338-room Palace
lavishes its guests with 5-star service, and is
luxurious in every facet of its fabulous
architecture and décor. Surrounding the
hotel is a 62-acre botanical jungle and a wide
range out outdoor activities, ranging from guided
walking safaris and game drives to hot air
ballooning, as well as a water park, spas,
restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities.
The
Table Bay Hotel, located on Cape Town's famous
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, is an
architectural masterpiece, capturing the essence of
the enchanting Cape, the Victorian elegance of
yesterday, combined with the contemporary design of
today. Surrounded by historic buildings and
exciting entertainment and shopping venues, the
hotel features 329 rooms, ranging from standard to
deluxe, offering unobstructed views of either the
Atlantic ocean and Robben Island or the city's
beloved icon, Table Mountain. The Table Bay Hotel
is also home to several award-winning restaurants,
including the Atlantic Restaurant for elegant
dining, the Conservatory for breakfast, lunch and
dinner, and the Lounge for light snacks and
high teas.
The
Royal Livingstone Hotel, Sun International's
newest hotel property, brings a new level of
unparalleled luxury, service, and sophistication to
the world famous Victoria Falls region. Stretching
along the banks of the Zambezi River in Zambia, the
5-star hotel consists of a series of 17 two-story
colonial-style buildings set amidst indigenous
trees and plants. The main hotel is a sequence of
thatch-roofed buildings, African in their
influence, and incorporates a lounge, restaurant,
bar and large outdoor swimming pool. The 173 luxury
rooms offer private balconies or terraces from
which guests can enjoy views of the Zambezi River
and sounds of the thundering Victoria Falls located
just steps away.
For more
information, contact Sun International at
954-331-8135.
Sun
International Hotels LTD is Southern Africa's
premier luxury hotel group, which includes the
Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town, the Palace of the Lost
City, Sun City and the new Royal Livingstone,
Victoria Falls, Zambia.
Contact:
Lorenzo Giani
SUN
INTERNATIONAL
Phone:
954-331-4619
Fax:
954-331-3252
Email:
Lorenzo.giani@sun-int.net
|