The old favourites are still on the menu, but now with delicious new twists.
When guests sit down at De Breede Restaurant in Worcester, this is exactly what they can expect.
It is all thanks to a major menu makeover by chef Craig Chatterton and sous chef Edwill Wehr, who had recently joined the restaurant team at the Protea Hotel Cumberland.
Their appointment is part of a brand-new image for the 90-seat restaurant: a new name, stylish new blue-and-white décor and a more modern approach in the kitchen.
Forget about plain old kingklip with a standard side dish. Expect oven-grilled kingklip on pea purée with sautéed mushrooms, sweet potato fondant and flash-fried vegetables… Forget about grilled chicken and vegetables, and order stuffed chicken breast with pesto, mozzarella and piquant peppers on tomato salsa tagliatelle… Steak, prawns, gourmet burgers, pizza and something for the kids: the top sellers, of course, are still there!
“I had a look at the menu and made everything more colourful and appetising to keep up with the latest food trends, without alienating our regular guests,” says Chatterton.
He brings years of experience with him: a chef’s qualification which he had obtained while working at the Protea group, a three-year internship, a position as sous chef at the Ritz Hotel in Cape Town, then at the President Hotel and, after that, 10 years’ experience as chef at Rheebokskloof.
Wehr, his right-hand man, started out as sculler at the age of 16 and climbed the ladder of success in the kitchens of the Cape Sun International Hotel, Rheebokskloof, Pearl Valley and Orion Hotels.
Together, the men will realise Protea Hotel Cumberland owner Egidio Cardoso’s vision of a more modern restaurant that remains ultra-popular.
“We want to serve up the very best,” says Cardoso. “We’ve been here since 1970. If we want to offer the best quality food and service to guests who had supported us through all those years, we have to keep up with the trends.”
He refers to the Cumberland as a “hotel for all”, where a plan can be made for vegetarians, diabetics, those who follow low-carb diets or anyone else with a specific dietary requirement.
“People come here because they want to enjoy something – something different and something nice,” Cardoso said. “That’s why we have tremendous pleasure in satisfying every one of our guests.”
He invites guests to enjoy lunch every day from 12:00, or dinner up to 22:00 (up to 21:00 on Sundays). The popular Sunday lunches, as well as banquets, will continue as before.
For more information or reservations, phone 023 347 2641.
