.....over Peter Tempelhoff
| Peter Tempelhoff In January 2008, award winning chef, Peter Tempelhoff was appointed Executive Chef for The Collection by Liz McGrath. He overseas all five restaurants within the three hotels and has a vision to guide all the kitchens within The Collection to new heights, empowering all five of the executive chefs to star status through their own abilities. Peter trained at the ‘Institute of Culinary Arts’ in Stellenbosch in 1996, graduating top of his class and was awarded a bursary to study at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. His first chef job was at Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl. He then relocated to London, where he was offered a job at Quo Vadis with Marco Pierre White, considered to be one of the greatest chefs in London at that time. Peter’s goal was to absorb as much information as he could from both the city and the chefs he met. After the birth of his first child, Peter and his wife decided to head back to the Cape in October 2006, where he worked full time at the award winning Grande Provence Estate in Franschhoek. Working alongside a dedicated kitchen, he achieved the sought after title of Sunday Times Chef of the Year 2007, Franschhoek Life Chef of 2007 and also elevated The Restaurant to Eat Out Top 10 Restaurants in South Africa, nestling comfortably into 5th spot. Interview Peter Tempelhoff, executive chef of the McGrath Collection, has just added a sixth restaurant to his list … He chats to Eat Out assistant editor, Lisa van Aswegen Not many chefs can say they run five restaurants, let alone six. Peter Tempelhoff oversees culinary excellence at three hotels around the Western Cape, each with their own unique eateries. Under Peter’s management are Seafood and The Pavilion restaurants at The Marine Hotel in Hermanus, Sand at The Plettenberg, and The Cape Malay and Greenhouse at The Cellars in Constantia. And now a fabulous new lunch spot has been added to the list – the Conservatory Bistro at the Cellars. Peter says the idea behind its opening was to provide light, healthy lunches in an informal setting for both hotel guests and visitors. The Conservatory Bistro provides an ideal venue for this with its wonderfully relaxed atmosphere and magnificent views over the gardens and lawn – if you’re sitting outside it’s likely you’ll find duck wandering up from the pond to peck up your breadcrumbs. And tempting it is to fill up on delicious bread - the basket overflows with ciabatta, rye, seed loaf and rich cheese rolls … But there’s much on the menu that appeals: from fresh, tasty seafood ceviche with lime to succulent duck (luckily not the resident ones!) with honey and ginger. Other delights on the menu include the fun (and tasty) steak tartare where diners are presented with piles of finely chopped capers, gherkin and shallot to mix to the dish to their own tastes. And then there are the classics like sole with lemon butter or grilled chicken breast with artichoke and Parmesan salad – all of which make for a delightful light lunch. At the Conservatory Bistro the emphasis is on fresh ingredients and proper technique – and it’s this focus that ensures consistency and a quality experience at any of the McGrath collection restaurants under Peter’s hat. You won’t find the same dish at the same venue, but resident chefs often share ideas, recipes and tips. While based at the Cellars, Peter works very closely with the teams in Plettenberg Bay and Hermanus to create new dishes and play with individual ideas. “Everyone is willing to learn,” he emphasizes. Peter says that the bistro’s popularity with locals lies in accessible pricing, a relaxed atmosphere, a five-star environment and excellent quality and service. Add to this delicious food that’s “light on the pocket and the figure”. Good news for us all! |
