Feasting in the mountains
A SOUGHT-AFTER DESTINATION The menu for the lunches will be informed entirely by the seasons, and what’s fresh in the garden.
vondale proprietor Johnathan Grieve and Faber chef-patron Eric Bulpitt are teaming up to introduce a new concept to the world of winelands dining, with the launch of a range of innovative Field to Feast luncheons starting next month for Autumn Harvest.
Paarl estate Avondale has long been known for its pioneering biodynamic approach to viticulture and winemaking and, since opening on the estate last October, Faber has fast become one of the most sought-after culinary destinations in the winelands.
Feast days will begin with a tour of the property by farm-chic tractor-trailer as Grieve, an entertaining raconteur, unpacks the biodynamic principles underpinning the growth of Avondale since the family became custodians of the land in 1996.
Whether it’s touring the farm’s biodynamic vegetable gardens or admiring the quirky egg-mobile that supplies the kitchen with pasture-reared eggs, Bulpitt will look to spark a conversation with guests around how hyper-local sustainably-sourced produce informs and defines the menu at Faber.
“As with the vineyards and wine, we want guests to understand our food journey and the processes involved from the vegetable garden to the kitchen and, finally, onto the plates at Faber,” says Bulpitt.
The menu will be informed entirely by the seasons, and what’s fresh from the gardens. That could mean a whole roast duck with trimmings in autumn, prime cuts on the bone in winter, or succulent lamb with the onset offspring. Expect the menu to be a constant work-in-progress.
Seats for each ‘Field to Feast’ are limited, and advance reservations highly recommended.
Luncheons are held between 11am and 3pm and cost R550 per person, including the guided farm tour, three-course lunch, and three glasses of wine, spring water from the farm and restaurant gratuity. – Citizen reporter