Granny
Mouse Country House & Spa which is situated on the KwaZulu Natal Midlands
Meander, recently travelled to Cape Town to host a pairing evening at The Cape
Town Club in Queen Victoria Road. The evening saw the Granny Mouse Chef’s and
team pulling out all the stops to bring invited guests, that of the media and
trade industry professionals, a truly magnificent 5 course feast paired with
complimentary Louisvale wines. Chef Shaun Christian, Sous Chef Kirstie Cawcutt,
Assistant General Manager Mouton du Toit and General Manager Sean Granger
bought all the ingredients in Cape Town and it took three days to prep.
Simon
Smith, the winemaker for Louisvale Wines, was also in attendance and gave a
brief description on the wines served with each course. With flavours and hints
of KZN - chilli, limes, citrus and much
more the evening was full of surprises. The idea behind the event was to not
only thank those from Cape Town who supported Granny Mouse Country House and
Spa’s launch in March 2015 to Cape Town, but to also showcase a taste of
Kwazulu Natal food.
1st
Course
Tom Yum Soup
Crunchy
prawns, jellied tomato & coriander, chilli, lime & lemongrass, turned
mushroom, crispy noodles
Unwooded Chardonnay 2014
Bursting
with tropical & citrus flavours pineapple, mango, melon, sweet fruits crisp
with lingering aftertaste
2nd
Course
Surf & Turf
Oxtail
stuffed calamari, risotto nero, mandarin beurre blanc, lemon pickled calamari
salad, minute steak, tomato concasse, saffron & lime risotto stuffed
calamari, oxtail rillette
Chavant 2013
Butterscotch,
fresh citrus, mango, white peach gentle vanilla, light & crisp, lingering
aftertaste
3rd
Course
Pasta
Leek
filled ravioli, goats cheese mousse, Durban curry sauce curried lentil filled
panzotti, julienne leeks, goats cheese cream, seafood & chevin filled
tortellini, leek puree, Durban curry foam
Wooded Chardonnay 2013
White
peach, melon, lemon, hazelnut, overlaying hints of oak & vanilla, well
structured, full bodied, complex, long finish
4th
Course
Beef
Filet
mignon, mushroom purée, parmesan c rumble, blackberry jus, micro green salad,
beef carpaccio, pickled mushrooms, truffle oil, berry clafoutis, beef consommé
Dominique 2013
Black
currants, plums, toasty oak, spiciness, liquorice, pepper elegant, intense,
full bodied, firm but gentle tannins
5th
Course
Curried Savarin Bunny
Chow
Coconut
pannacotta, kiwi gel, spiced tropical fruit fillings
Methode Cap Classique
Chardonnay Brut
Aromas
of fruit & brioche, fine bubbles with a mousse lingering finish, of zesty
lemons & green apples
The
night not only included delicious cuisine that truly encompassed what the hotel
has to offer, but also gave guests an introduction on Granny Mouse, its
features, activities and why it should be considered as a destination for the
Cape Town market.
“We
decided to visit this beautiful City in order to introduce our Hotel to a
market that may not have previously been aware of its existence. We have been
around for more than 3 decades and over the years have worked on improving our
customer service and offering to guests. We chose to incorporate food and wine
pairing as part of our introduction, as this is one of the features that we
pride ourselves on, and this is testament to us having won the Diners Club
Wine List of the Year Diamond award for the sixth consecutive year,” said
General Manager of Granny Mouse, Sean Granger.
Granny
Mouse Country House & Spa has only recently welcomed the appointment of
their new Executive Chef, Shaun Christian, into the kitchen.
 |
| Executive Chef Shaun Christian |
The 43
year old Durbanite has been in the hospitality world since 1998 and has gained
much experience internationally.
“I am
highly motivated and energetic with a passion for food and the art of cookery.
Communication, creativity, innovation and the ability to perform well under
pressure are some of my personal strengths. I am a good team player, both able
to lead, as well as learn from others,” he said.
Chef
Shaun’s experience internationally saw him working in London as Head Chef for
Cinnamon Cay Restaurant, Part-time Chef for Rhubarb Catering, Sous Chef for the
The Lavender Restaurant and Bar as well as Chef de Partie for The Sun. He then
returned to South Africa and took up a position in the Eastern Cape as Head
Chef for Riverbend Country Lodge after which he joined the team at Hout Bay Manor
Hotel in Cape Town as Executive Chef where he remained for a year before
leaving for Durban’s Bean Bag Bohemia as Outside Catering manager.
The
adventurous Chef Shaun then headed off to Kampala in Uganda, taking up a
position as Executive Chef of a 5 star property – Wildplaces Africa’s Emin
Pasha Hotel from 2006 until 2010. He then moved to Operations Manager at
Wildplaces Africa’s Pineapple Bay on the Bulago Island in Mukono District,
Uganda until January 2012. Then in May of the same year, Chef Shaun went back
to work at Emin Pasha Hotel before taking up a position as a Consultant Chef
for BB Consulting in Kampala, Uganda.
Once
again, after a number of years, he decided to return home to South Africa after
securing his position as Executive Chef for Granny Mouse Country House &
Spa in the KZN Midlands.
With his
wealth of knowledge and experience in the field, Granny Mouse Country House
& Spa have definitely found a gem to add to their team
of other gems.
Granny Mouse
Country House & Spa
Louisvale
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