{"id":112203,"date":"2024-04-16T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T06:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/?p=112203"},"modified":"2024-04-25T12:20:17","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T12:20:17","slug":"the-dove-meets-the-frog-a-masterful-culinary-collaboration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/the-dove-meets-the-frog-a-masterful-culinary-collaboration\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dove Meets the Frog: A Masterful Culinary Collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dining at a top restaurant is always a privilege, but when two culinary powerhouses converge, the experience transcends the ordinary. La Colombe recently hosted an exceptional collaborative dinner, during which Executive Chef James Gaag welcomed esteemed British chef Adam Handling MBE, from the Michelin-starred London restaurant Frog by Adam Handling. This unique joint venture offered diners an unforgettable 10-course degustation, with alternating courses created by both chefs and their teams.<\/p>\n

\"Adam-Handling-x-James-Gaag\"<\/p>\n

A Culinary Convergence<\/h4>\n

Chef Handling and some of his trusted crew flew to Cape Town to collaborate with the team at La Colombe; the menu showcased versions of dishes from both establishments and offered us a glimpse into the style and ethos of both chefs. Trusted favourites like the renowned Tuna \u2018La Colombe in its latest iteration (with James\u2019 ridiculously good secret sauce) and Handling’s luxurious creation of Cod, White Beans and Whey.<\/p>\n

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As is often the case with fine dining menus, the descriptions are simple but craftily belie the hours of thought and meticulous technique that go into every mouthful. With a lengthy degustation, often a fleeting mouthful is all you get to work with; it\u2019s precious real estate and these chefs make it count.<\/p>\n

Whimsy, Wonder and Wafer Crabs<\/h4>\n

Selecting standout dishes from a lineup at this level is a formidable task, nevertheless, several left an indelible impression. \u2018Bread & Charcuterie\u2019 delivered a little whimsy to start; a charming trolley of mousses and pat\u00e9s enrobed in glossy gels fashioned into fruits and vegetables were served tableside, alongside beautifully cured meats like KZN duck \u2018ham\u2019 and Karoo Wagyu biltong.<\/p>\n

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With a lengthy degustation, often a fleeting mouthful is all you get to work with, it\u2019s precious real estate and these chefs make it count.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Beef & Kimchi canap\u00e9 proved that one-bite mastery can be achieved, a texturally crisp cup filled with silky beef tartare. Equally captivating was the Shellfish Tart, adorned with meticulously crafted wafer crabs made and pressed from lobster bones.<\/p>\n

\"Adam<\/div>
\"Adam<\/div><\/div>\n

Chef Handling\u2019s Cod dish, delicately paired with white beans and whey was perfection in its execution \u2013 hands down the most beautiful cooking of white fish I\u2019ve experienced. Yet, it was the indulgent Jerusalem Artichoke dish, accompanied by foie gras and mushroom that stole the show for me \u2013 the kind of mouthful that quiets a table and makes you sit back and sigh.<\/p>\n

Each dish exemplified the technique, harmonious balance of flavours, and immaculate presentation that define both La Colombe and Frog. This wasn\u2019t simply a meal, it was a memory in the making.<\/p>\n

The Cellar Experience<\/h4>\n

Under the expert guidance of head sommelier Michelle Moller, we enjoyed a stunning wine flight alongside the meal, with many notable highlights. Perhaps the most interesting was being asked to leave our phones and cameras at the table and follow to the restaurant’s new \u2018cellar experience\u2019.<\/p>\n

As we descended a narrow, low-lit staircase, a passing reference to the film \u2018The Menu\u2019<\/em> elicited a nervous ripple around the group, but any apprehension swiftly dissipated. What awaited us was a sublime vintage South African Red paired with an intricate bite. To say more than that would be to give it away, so we\u2019ll leave it there.<\/p>\n

A Symbiotic Rhythm<\/h4>\n

Suffice it to say, this meal presented a very special opportunity \u2013 not only to relish some of the finest local food on offer<\/a> but also to savour a touch of Michelin magic right here in Cape Town (until the association recognises the stellar talent we possess here, that is). Adam Handling\u2019s ethos is to champion elevated British food, and the preview we experienced certainly upheld that reputation. Despite dishes originating from two different teams, the courses seamlessly transitioned from one to the next.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t simply a meal, it was a memory in the making.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Countless memorable moments punctuated the evening, from a nostalgic popping candy lolly courtesy of the La Colombe team to a velvety Cornish Chocolate dessert from Frog.<\/p>\n

While a dove (La Colombe) and a frog may not naturally befriend one another in the wild, amidst the woodlands setting of Silvermist Estate, they found a symbiotic rhythm.<\/p>\n

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The Collab Continues<\/h4>\n

When asked about his experience of the collab, Chef Adam had this to say, “I visited South Africa for the first time last year and I absolutely fell in love with the people, the culture and the food scene. I\u2019m incredibly honoured that myself and the Frog team had the opportunity to work with Chef James and his team at La Colombe to showcase British food and how it\u2019s evolved to be what it is today. And I look forward to welcoming them to my Frog restaurant in June, so that James can bring a taste of South Africa to our lovely home in London.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While a dove (La Colombe) and a frog may not naturally befriend one another in the wild, amidst the woodlands setting of Silvermist Estate, they found a symbiotic rhythm.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When asked how the evening went for him and his team, Gaag responded, \u201cIt was fantastic having Adam and his team in our kitchen \u2013 with ingredients and an energy that we\u2019ll long remember. It was great for South African diners to experience some of Britain\u2019s most iconic ingredients – like Scottish lobster – in a local setting. I can\u2019t wait until it\u2019s our turn to treat British diners to the same experience – this time, a taste of South African fine dining in Adam\u2019s kitchen in London\u201d.<\/p>\n

Lucky Londoners<\/h4>\n

Chef James Gaag and members of the La Colombe team will join Chef Adam Handling at Frog in London on 23 June 2024. This one-night-only exchange of culinary expertise promises to offer British diners a taste of La Colombe’s signature delights, juxtaposed with Handling’s local menu. If you\u2019re in London, this is an evening not to be missed.<\/p>\n

lacolombe.co.za<\/a> | Facebook<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a> \/\/ frogbyadamhandling.com<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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Dining at a top restaurant is always a privilege, but when two culinary powerhouses converge, the experience transcends the ordinary. La Colombe recently hosted an exceptional collaborative dinner, during which Executive Chef James Gaag welcomed esteemed British chef Adam Handling MBE, from the Michelin-starred London restaurant Frog by Adam Handling. This unique joint venture offered diners an unforgettable 10-course degustation, with alternating courses created by both chefs and their teams. A Culinary Convergence Chef Handling and some of his trusted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":923,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4098],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"acf":[],"brand_slug":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/923"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112203"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112588,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112203\/revisions\/112588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}