Food and wine lovers can expect to have their taste-buds tantalised and culinary perceptions challenged when Camphors at Vergelegen, one of South Africaโs most acclaimed restaurants, hosts three innovative winter and spring dining experiences.

The locally-sourced, globally-influenced dinners (July, August and September) will maximize the extensive range of produce from the gardens and orchards, vineyards and pastures of the magnificent 317-year-old, 3000 hectare estate and some of its rigorously-selected local suppliers.
โThe dinners will reflect the contemporary experimental work of the Camphors culinary team โ what theyโve learned and what theyโre working on, so that guests experience first-hand the development involved in achieving an exceptional dining experience,โ says Vergelegen Hospitality Manager Sharon Hosking.

Executive chef Michael Cooke says: โWe are fortunate to have a unique climate resulting in an abundance of natural produce, and are spoilt for choice with the geography of land and sea meeting on our doorstep.

โFor our first wine and food experience, we will scout our way through the Capeโs bounty with a menu showcasing the effects of ageing on produce, and how this process evolves the flavour of the ingredients.โ

This novel menu will include matured meats, pickled and fermented vegetables, dry-aged duck, mature cheeses and a dessert exploring over-ripe banana and caramelised chocolate.

โSome produce ages better than others, but the questions we asked ourselves were โWhat is the optimum length of time for a product to be matured? When is a raw product at its best before harvesting? Do baby fruits, vegetables and herbs pack more flavour than the older ones? And what is the effect that age has on a product?โโ says Cooke.
โWe decided to slow the process down, be patient, and wait in order to deliver a superior product that delivers on both flavour and texture as a result of time. We had to learn what we were looking for in a product and the right signs that it was ready. The goal for our themed dinners is for us to share what weโve learned and discovered.โ
The famous Vergelegen wines have always been key to planning the Camphors menus, and guests can look forward to exploring some novel pairings.
Camphors sommelier Christo Deyzel says:ย โTo complement the theme of the first dinner โ โEffects of ageingโ โ we believe itโs important to emphasise that Vergelegen wines are only released when optimally ready for the market.
โIt is through the effect of ageing and their maturation before release that we are able to deliver such unique wines. We are in a fortunate position to serve our wine in a relatively aged condition, with the potential to mature for many more years.โ
The wines will only be unveiled at the dinner, but Deyzel says: โGuests can look forward to some truly interesting and unusual pairings. Weโre bending and breaking the rules in some instances to encourage a thought-provoking discussion about the age and style of wines, the effect of ageing on wine, and how this transfers into creating pairings that are out of the ordinary.โ
The second gourmet dinner, on Friday 25 August, has the theme of โRoute to plate โ a journey of food.โ It promises to โuncover produce from our farm, to the fields and the Cape shoreline.โ
The third and final gourmet dinner on 29 September is billed as โThe storytellerโ. Says Hosking: โThis will be a unique journey of food that tells the story of our suppliers that we work with so closelyโ the role they play in our story, how they came to be, and sharing their passion for what they do.โ
The cost of each dinner is R765/person, including wine. Guests gather from 18h30 at Camphors. Bookings are essential and can be made on 021-8472131, or email camphors@vergelegen.co.za.