ENTERTAINMENT NEWS - The cream of the Garden Route’s culinary crop gathered at Carpe Diem School (CDS) in George on Saturday, 2 August, to woo diners with a feast of fresh fare cooked, fried, braised and baked to perfection.
Gourmets & Gourmands, staged for the 16th time this year, is a gala-evening fundraiser that sees tables of 10 guests each being treated to the best food available in the ‘hood.
Hosted annually according to a chosen theme, the hall and menus and music echoed ‘Havana Nights’ – and everyone looked the part.
Toiling in the CDS quad since early Saturday were chefs and their teams from 20 participating restaurants, culinary schools and catering outfits. By dusk, when brightly appointed guests arrived in their droves, the Carpe Diem Marimba Band provided a festive soundtrack to everyone’s palpable anticipation.
A customary foyer photo session preceded the evening’s programme, which kicked off with a word of welcome from G&G chairman Wern van der Watt.
Then it was apt to introduce the stars of the evening: a Chefs Parade put faces to the names of a gastronomic elite that seldom emerge from the sanctity of their hallowed kitchens.
Participating restaurants this year were 101 Meade, Apprentice, Barringtons, Clay Café, CowFish, Creative Palate, Cula, Francois Ferreira Academy, Frankly Fresh, Garden Route Game Lodge, Il Giardiono, Jakkalsvlei, Monet's, Nina's, NQtac, Pomodoro, Salinas, Serendipity, The Fat Fish, and Henry White.
But this annual highlight on the Southern Cape’s culinary calendar serves a greater purpose than just delighting palates.
The theme was Havana Nights.
It was conceived by late food guru Francois Ferreira & Co to raise funds for the school, which welcomes differently-abled learners from towns and rural communities within the Greater Eden-Karoo District.
CDS this year celebrates a quarter century of caring for kids with physical, intellectual and related challenges.
A 115-strong staff contingent instructs nearly 400 learners in academic, cultural, sport, and various therapeutic fields. Principal Elzeth Grobler took centre stage when thanking all involved for their generosity, supported on the night by a small contingent of her able team.
Funds raised during this year’s gala evening will serve to promote a self-sustaining vegetable garden for the school, assist in upkeep of its transport fleet, and contribute towards the covering of its swimming pool to enable year-round aqua therapy for learners.
In-between courses served to appreciative diners, the night’s main and most delightful diversion was an auction presented by Frederick Bekker – a stalwart of the Southern Cape auctioneering industry since 2009. It’s a joy to witness this expert in action, auctioning off more than two dozen lots, including everything from singular artworks to island getaways and wines to die for.
Joining Bekker on stage to find the highest bidder for some of these lots was South African winemaking legend Beyers Truter, who added his own brand of dry humour and excellent cheer to regale his big-hearted audience.
Funds raised through table sales, donations and the auction will be tallied over the next week but will once again significantly bolster the Carpe Diem coffers and so ensure that this essential facility can continue its good work of uplifting the lives of countless deserving learners.
The tables had beautiful decor.
After final courses were served and dessert plates practically licked clean, award-winning George jazz band Prerogative took to the stage. Their electric performance lured guests to the dancefloor for an exhilarating conclusion to the evening.
As is always the case, when guests departed the Carpe Diem grounds, they did so replete with lasting memories of a sensory feast sans equal.
The event has been enabled for the past decade-plus by George family business Hartman as primary sponsors and was supported by a slew of other backers to ensure its legacy and continued impact on the Southern Cape community.
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