Lowveld - Dec 2019

Orange
Lee-Ann Heine von Zweel and her staff put their hearts into
everything, and it shows. They have participated in Night of
1000 Stars since its inception, cancer having impacted on the
lives of almost everyone in some way, making it a cause close
to Lee-Ann’s heart. Orange has a certain flair, and this comes
through in the dishes they prepare, although they do see the
event as an opportunity to try something a little new. The
food is created to fit in with the theme, and the entire team
get behind the effort to ensure creative, upmarket dishes are
offered to their guests. This year’s winning dish was a scrumptiously
tasty salmon roulade. The Orange team stuck to the
Rio theme to make it visually stunning, it was a bright, vibrant
taste experience. Lee-Ann believes that teamwork is what
puts Orange in the top three. “My team are always incredible
at pulling together and making each year memorable. We
truly have fun doing this, and it is near to all our hearts, which
makes it that much greater to take part,” she says.
Zest
GT Lundie and Zest are no strangers to the Lowveld
food scene. Zest has participated since 2007, and
having suffered the loss of his dad to cancer last
year, GT supports Cansa whenever possible. GT
and his team adapt their dishes to suit the subject;
it’s a great time to try new recipes and cuisine,
especially from different countries. Their main
consisted of a feijoada, vinagrete, coxinha/pork belly
with black bean stew, Brazilian vinaigrette salsa and
croquette - a classic Brazilian dish with a Zest twist.
They are no strangers to themed dinners. They have
a monthly wine tasting where guests get to pair a
variety of food and wines. GT believes the secret to
their success is in the consistency of their food, and
the fact that they keep abreast of current trends,
locally and abroad. “After all,” he says, “they say you
are only as good as your last meal.”
Doppio Zero
They are the new kid on the block, and despite never
having done a Night of 1000 Stars dinner before, they got
into the swing of things very quickly. Alistair Chawdwick,
manager at Doppio Zero, jumped at the chance to take
part for a number of reasons. Apart from it being for a
good cause (Doppio Zero does a fair amount of charity
work as a brand), being a part of the community is
imperative, as far as Alistair is concerned. The Doppio Zero
policy is one of no compromise when it comes to quality,
and a definite feather in their cap is that they cater for
everyone. They experimented in-house before deciding
on their dishes, and their menu was decided on after
careful consideration. Their winning dish was a cheesecake
with marshmallow fluff and berry compote, with a focus
on fresh ingredients, baked on the day of the event.
“We believe in guests, not customers,” says Alistair. “The
Doppio Zero policy is to reflect passion and innovation
through our food.”
December 2019 Get It Lowveld 27