One of the greatest problems in running a country hotel is keeping staff. Chefs, in particular, get bored after a couple of years (at the most) and move on to new challenges.
That Jackie Cameron has stayed at Hartford House near Mooi River for more than six years says a lot about her passion for the job - and the backup owners Mick and Cheryl Goss have given her. She has been given free rein in the kitchen, has had the opportunity to travel the world and eat at some of the best restaurants, and derives great pleasure from training her staff.
Growing every year in confidence, and garnering the awards to prove it - she recently was voted one of the top 10 chefs in the country - she never stops innovating.
But it must sometimes be difficult to come up with something new and exciting, and it was entertaining to see her having fun with a recent dinner menu.
The gathering of mostly overseas visitors, paying five-star prices, looked worried about the first item: baked beans on toast. But this was translated into a potato and garlic soup with baked bean ice cream, tomato essence, ovendried tomato seeds and herbed croutons. That still sounds on the strange side, but it was tasty comfort food that nobody could have found threatening.
It may not have been as quirky, but the follow-up of pepper-crusted springbok loin served on polenta was clever and full of unexpected tastes. Well flavoured with onion, it was the tastiest polenta that's passed my lips, given an interesting smokiness by a dollop of baba ghanoush (aubergine puree) and slight sweetness with ruby port syrup.
More sophisticated fun followed with a less complex dish that visitors might have found odd: a mini lamb bunny chow with sour cream, dhania and tomato.
Then it was back to grown-up stuff with tender duck rolled in spinach served with a corn and coconut risotto, fresh lemon and red wine sauce. I'm not too keen on the coconut bit, but it was, once again, an expert teaming of ingredients.
The only thing about the meal that didn't gel was a very bland vanilla pannacotta, but even that was lifted by popcorn brittle, fruit sorbet and caramel sauce.
Hartford tries to pair appropriate wines with each course. With the first two came Iona chardonnay and Mulderbosch Steen Op Hout. With the next Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir and Waterford the Heather-Leigh were recommended.
The tourists must have gone to bed with their eyes, as well as stomachs, bulging.
Price: R325 for the five-course dinner. Lunch dishes range from R35 to R97 and include the likes of Dargle Valley bacon and broccoli quiche, beef, venison and mushroom pie, and Swissland goat's cheese cappelletti with local olives.
Telephone: 033 263 2713. Booking is advised.
'Now, don't be too critical," said a cousin taking me to a much humbler venue in Helen Joseph (Davenport) Road.
"This is the ideal place if you just don't feel like cooking one night."
That warning did Star Cafe at Euforia a bit of a disservice. There was no need to be critical.
Apart from a Caesar salad that wasn't one - this sported tomato and cucumber, with no anchovies or raw egg dressing, everything we had was perfectly tasty and service was fine. It should have been - we were just about the only people there, but I'm told that when there's live music (on Tuesday evenings) the place buzzes.
Spinach and ricotta ravioli came in an agreeable sage butter and the dorado was tasty, although it had come from the freezer rather than fishing net. I'm not a great fan of chicken breast, but this one, stuffed with brie, wrapped in bacon and served with a creamy mushroom sauce was highly enjoyable. And we all agreed the crunchy potato wedges were a hit.
Apple crumble also got the nod, although it should have been served warm, and I really like the coffee cheesecake. I'm normally a cheesecake purist, but this hit the spot.
The bill for three of us came to just over R300, paying R30 corkage - which is a bit steep for a casual venue like this.
Telephone: 031 202 8931.