Company Announcement - “Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.” Elsa Schiaparelli, Italian designer. Food & beverage is a core competency at Tsogo Sun – and is positioned at the forefront of the group’s gaming and hotel hospitality delivery, with over 80 restaurants and food outlets across the group and a strong focus on world-class quality and memorable food & beverage experiences.

In anticipation of the high demand for festive fare over the Christmas holidays, Tsogo Sun recently showcased the skills and talents as well as the particular passions of a selection of its top executive chefs from around the country at a ‘Festive Feast’ media event to inspire culinary innovation and events, and promote the different Tsogo Sun restaurants around the country.

The event was hosted at Sandton Sun’s San restaurant, with eight chefs from Tsogo Sun’s leading restaurants being given the opportunity to produce a starter or a main course dish in an al fresco-style luncheon.

The chefs included Kenneth Ngubane – executive chef of Jenda at Montecasino; Garth Shnier – executive chef of San Restaurant & Deck at Sandton Sun and host of the media lunch; Clinton Bonhomme – executive sous chef of Lingela and all Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani restaurants; Preshanthan Pillay – executive chef of Back O’ The Moon Restaurant at Gold Reef City; Jade Sullaphen – executive chef of Punchinello’s at Southern Sun Montecasino; Deena Naidoo – executive chef of Montecasino’s Aarya restaurant; Prenolan Naidoo – executive sous chef of The Grill Jichana at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani; Phil de Villiers – executive chef of Level Four restaurant at 54 on Bath; and Tarryn Coetzee – executive sous chef of Lucé at Southern Sun Hyde Park.

A selection of five starters and six main dishes were prepared and presented by the chefs, who were also on hand to interact with the media and explain their particular culinary creations. A selection of Tsogo Sun’s collection of auction wines were chosen as the perfect accompaniments to the festive season dishes.The lunch was followed by a blind tasting of the signature creations of mince pies and Christmas puddings by each of the chefs and South Africa’s top foodie media representatives rated them on presentation, taste and originality.

“We’re extremely proud of how far Tsogo Sun has come over the last few years with the overall quality of its food & beverage offering,” says Kevin Page, Food & Beverage Director of Tsogo Sun. “We have assumed custodianship of the food & beverage business within the group and we are ensuring that it is a critical delivery factor in the overall hospitality environment; after all, it employs a third of our workforce. Food and beverage is part and parcel of being hospitable, and our F&B offering is all about ensuring excellent, honest and memorable delivery of food and beverage.”

He adds that food & beverage in the group is always expected to conform with all the aspects of food that people expect today, from being delicious and wholesome, to the quality of the ingredients and how ethically they are sourced, through to good delivery. “It’s the great experience that our customers expect from a Tsogo Sun venue.”

With the festive season almost upon us, corporates and individuals are encouraged to book their Tsogo Sun restaurant tables for year-end functions, Christmas lunches, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve early to avoid disappointment. For more information go to www.tsogosun.com