“Food is essential to life; therefore make it good”. And this is something that The President Hotel does exceptionally well. With the recent arrival of Executive Chef Philip Alcock, this SASSI trailblazer brings his diverse experience from his culinary travels across five continents to The President. Having worked alongside culinary giants such as Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc, Philip has honed his skills in all areas of the kitchen from harmonising fresh seafood with local spices to Michelin-rated European cuisine.

In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a BIG foodie and support SASSI (Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative) and the wonderful work they do towards educating and preserving our oceans and its precious resources. So I was thrilled to receive an invitation to a “Farm to Fork” culinary experience. Hubby and I, along with other foodie lovers, were promised a night of robust flavours of sustainably sourced, free range foods paired with fine wines, which feature on their new, inventive tapas and a la carte menus. And they certainly delivered on their promise.

Image supplied by The President Hotel.

Fortunately for us, we were also invited to stay over for the night. A fabulous dining experience and a night in a plush hotel suite? Yes please! After running across a very busy Beach Road in Sea Point (in high heels I might add!) to get a few shots of the setting sun (whatever it takes to get the shot), we arrived at hotel reception and were warmly welcomed by Nadia. I had such a lovely conversation with her while checking in. She is a real gem and a wonderful ambassador for the hotel.

The first thing I noticed about our one-bedroom luxury apartment was the breathtaking view. The mighty ocean resembled a calm lake and the sunset sky was tinged with pink and purple hues. It was a balmy winter evening with no breeze to rustle the palm leaves. The second thing I noticed was the hand-written note from Bronwyn, the hotel’s Marketing Specialist, along with a complimentary bottle of wine and delicious cheese and fruit platter. The personal touch always creates a lovely first impression and we appreciated the thoughtful gesture.

The spacious apartment features an open-plan kitchenette, lounge and dining area, work desk and chair, separate bedroom and en-suite bathroom. The hotel has many water-wise methods in place. There are signs in the bathroom and throughout the property which explains how guests can help save water during the drought that is currently affecting the Western Cape. You can find more information on the room features here.

Image supplied by The President Hotel.

Image supplied by The President Hotel.

We nibbled and sipped while getting ready for dinner. This was soon followed by some bubbly downstairs where we met with our fellow diners, along with Leandi Jamneck, Co-founder and Director of Butter Knife PR and Erica Goossens, one the company’s skilled Account Executives.

Image supplied by The President Hotel.

The beautifully laden table with low lighting created an intimate feel. Our first course, A Taste Of What’s To Come, sounded intriguing and tasted sublime. The dish included Thai Fish Cakes with a Gyoza Dipping Sauce, Long Pin Sesame Chicken with Spiced Satay Sauce (similar to a chicken skewer) and Pickled Vegetables, Ginger and Chilli. Sounds good right? The incredible flavour explosions left us all wanting more! The time he spent in Thailand to experience the cultural and culinary wonders of Asia are clearly evident in this Asian-inspired dish, which was an absolute winner paired with Newlands Spring Passionate Blonde Craft Beer.

Next up was a Palate Cleanser – a Virgin Mary Consommé. I can’t say this wowed my tastebuds, but it proved to be a hit with some of my fellow dinner companions.

The next part of the evening was interactive and really fun as Chef Philip wowed us with his cooking demonstrations. To Start was Marinated Line Fish and Spiced Cucumber. It was fascinating to watch how this seemingly complicated dish was created and that we could make these ourselves at home. He really made it look so easy. This dish was one of my favourites of the night. All of the components complemented one another beautifully and the presentation was visually stunning. This was paired with the elegant Rupert & Rothschild Baroness Nadine Chardonnay.

Confession time – I didn’t take a single photo of the wines! I was in foodie heaven and just enjoyed each mouth-watering moment, along with great conversation. Jestine, our Sommelier (another great ambassador for the hotel), was excellent and provided us with information about the wine pairing as each course was served.

To Follow was another favourite. Taking a whole Farmed Cob (eyes and all!), Chef Philip expertly cut and filleted the Cob in no time. Served with Tender Stem Broccoli, Grilled New Potatoes and Pea and Mint Veloute, this was another taste sensation. Fresh, simple, tasty and beautifully presented, it paired really well with Ken Forrester The FMC –  a hand selected Chenin Blanc primarily from low yielding, old bush vines that were planted in 1974. A very special wine indeed.

Image supplied by The President Hotel.

As some of you may know, I don’t have a sweet tooth but there was no way I was going to say no to Something Sweet this time. Passion Fruit and Chocolate may sound simple, but this dessert was seriously next level and a visual masterpiece! Topped with crisp Meringue Sticks, Parfait Spheres, Chocolate Brownie crumbs, Marshmallow piping and Passion Fruit gel, it was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness. Paired with the gorgeous Anthonij Rupert Syrah, it was a sublime sweet ending to an amazing dinner. Sheer culinary heaven from start to end, this was a night to remember!

After an incredible night’s sleep in the super comfy king-size bed, we awoke to another stunner of a day. How long was the Indian summer going to last? We could’ve easily spent the whole day at the hotel relaxing poolside with a cocktail or two, but back to real life!

Breakfast was a tasty affair and offered a wide array of cereals, fresh fruit, breads, cold meats, cheeses and my personal favourite, smoked salmon and cream cheese! There was also a large selection of hot breakfast items including omelettes made to order. Need your morning caffeine fix? The friendly staff will sort you out in no time.

GOOD TO KNOW – It’s the President Hotel’s 20th birthday and they are celebrating with a stylish makeover and fresh new features. The first phase of the extensive renovation plan began in mid-June 2018. The brand new look will be revealed in September 2018 with exciting events hosted in the new, improved areas. I’m a big fan of the hotel and can’t wait to see their fresh and vibrant new look.

DID YOU KNOW? The President Hotel has stood at the foot of Lion’s Head for over a century. Built in 1887, this iconic Grand Dame of the Atlantic Seaboard was originally named the Queen’s Hotel. On 3 June 1998, President Nelson Mandela officially reopened this award-winning urban resort as the President Hotel.

Sunday Lunch at The President

My family and I recently had the chance the experience their popular Sunday Lunch special on another balmy winter’s day. Our son had a blast swimming in the beautiful pool. At only R150 per adult (Kids under 10 eat free while 11 and over pay full price), this incredible three course buffet is valid from 15 July until 19 August 2018 and offers two sittings. Overseen by Chef Sergio, the buffet offers a wide selection of freshly-baked breads with pesto, hummus and tapenade, soup of the day and healthy salads.

Meat lovers will delight in various meat dishes such as roast beef sirloin and slow braised lamb knuckle. Cape Malay chicken curry, fragrant basmati rice, roasted baby potatoes (these were so yum!) and roasted vegetables are also available.

I chose the West Coast seafood ragout as I don’t eat beef or lamb. While it was fresh and prepared well, the sauce lacked any real flavour and only came to life once I’d added salt (something I rarely do) and squeezed fresh lemon over the seafood.

The kiddies buffet table looked super fun and yum with mini burgers, hotdogs, mac and cheese, various sweet treats and a popcorn machine.

Dessert was a sweet lover’s dream along with decadent-looking cheese platters.

Please read here for full T&Cs.

Location is everything and The President Hotel is nestled beneath Bantry Bay’s majestic Lion’s Head, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and close to Cape Town’s CBD. This landmark hotel boasts 350 rooms that combine modern sophistication and comfort with plenty of space.

Offering world-class guest services and luxury facilities, their conference venues boast state-of-the-art infrastructure and their Wi-Fi is the fastest of any hotel in South Africa. It really is super-fast! What’s not to love about fresh sea air, breathtaking ocean and mountain views, delicious cuisine, superb facilities and excellent service?

An added bonus is that the area is known to be the most wind-free area in Cape Town, so you can enjoy nearly 300 days of sunshine and wind-free days per year. While the Cape Doctor blows a gale during the summer months, laze beside the pool or sip on a cool cocktail at The Deck Bar & Terrace, savouring a wind-free time at this secluded and protected property.

Experience this beautiful, iconic urban resort hotel and all that it has to offer. It’s the perfect place to live it up in Cape Town! I’d highly recommend that you try out Chef Philip’s new, tantalizing menu. And while you’re at it, book your next holiday or staycation in the Mother City 😉 You too can Live it. Love it. At The President.

Yours in Travel, Food and Wine xoxo

Please note – I was kindly hosted by Butter Knife PR and The President Hotel. All views, content and images are my own unless otherwise indicated.