THE Bosman's Restaurant at the Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl was the only SA restaurant to make the top ten in the world listings featured in the New Straits Times, a Singapore newspaper, on 16 February.

The list was compiled by Hannah Abisheganaden, director/principal of foodies 'n friends (website: www.foodiesnfriends.com.my), in a three-part series on the World's Best Restaurants.

She cited a restaurant's recipe for success as being "a four-part harmony: one part food, one part setting, one part fortune, and one part genius in marketing.

"A restaurant can have the best silver service, ambience, décor, extensive wine list and menu, but these will amount to nothing without the maestro in the back room. It is these grandmasters in the kitchen who keep the gourmands coming back.

"Bosman's has a team of international chefs crafting contemporary gourmet food, with special menus for summer and winter. The menus are decided only after 11:00 each morning to make the most of what's available on the markets."

The article emphasised the hotel's membership of the Relais & Chateaux group, its status as the first hotel restaurant in South Africa to achieve the Relais Gourmands rating, and awards by other food and wine guides like Chaines Des Rotisseurs.

Other finalists were three establishments from the USA (Restaurant Daniel and Le Cirque 2000 of New York and Chez Panisse Berkeley of California); four from Europe (Restaurant Alain Ducasse of Paris, Le Louis XV of Monte Carlo, Osteria da Fiore of Venice and Restaurant Rochat/Fredy Girardet of Switzerland); and two from Britain (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons of Oxford and the Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall, owned by British TV celebrity chef Rick Stein).

Bosman's Restaurant was listed in the latest edition of Wine magazine's Top 100 Restaurants in South Africa - attaining five stars in the fine dining category for the second year running and for its winelist for the fourth time.

It was again rated as one of the editor's Top Ten restaurants in the latest edition of Eat Out 2001 by the leading South African food writer Lannice Snyman.

Bosman's has won a Diners Club diamond award twice and for two years in succession it was winner of the Diners Club Winelist of the Year Award.

KAASLIEFHEBBERS moet solank hul feesvere regskud vir die lekkerste kuier van die jaar by die SA Kaasfees die naweek van 26 tot 28 April by die skilderagtige Bien Donné proefplaas.

Die hart en siel van die SA Kaasfees is natuurlik die swetterjoel stalletjies waar feesgangers aan allerlei kase van tradisionele Gouda, Cheddar, Camembert en Brie tot bok-, skaapmelk- en organiese kase kan knibbel. 

Die hekke vir die feestelike samekoms, is tussen 12:00 en 18:00 op Vrydag 26 April oop, en van 10:00 tot 18:00 op Saterdag 25 April en Sondag 26 April.

Feeskaartjies (R50) sluit praatjies en demonstrasies, kaas- en wynproeë, 'n inkopiesak, wynproeglas, feesprogram en parkering in. Toegang vir kinders tot en met 12 jaar is gratis. 

Kaartjies is beskikbaar by Computicket.

Kontak die SA Kaasfees by tel 975-4440/1/2/3, faks 975-4446 of e-pos cheese@agriexpo vir feesinligting of besoek die SA Kaasfees webwerf by www.cheesefestival.co.za.

KWV International and the new KWV Wine Emporium will host South Africa's first ever Harvest Ball or "Bal des Vendanges" in KWV's famous Cathedral Cellar on Saturday 4 May.

The ball will be held annually to celebrate the end of the harvest.

This is a formal black-tie event, featuring the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, with singer accompliment, a delicious three-course dinner, a sparkling wine reception and dancing until midnight from 19:00.

For enquiries, contact Maya Friederich on 807-3007 or friederm@kwv. co.za.

THE Shophar Christian Church will be launching their debut praise and worship album "Worship as One" on Saturday in the Paul Roos Gymnasium auditorium in Stellenbosch.

TV star Francois Rautenbach of the popular TV series 7de Laan, will be the master of ceremonies for the evening, which starts at 19:00.

The CD comprises a mixed-bag of musical genres which cater for easy listening by a wide audience. The album is being released through the Rhema label.

Shophar has, over the last ten years, attracted gifted musicians from around the country, which has given rise to a collection of original songs with a fresh and unifying approach to praise and worship.

Tickets for the launch can be bought at R20 from the Shophar office at 7a Bosman Steet (opposite Huis Ten Bosch) and will also be sold at the door. For further information, contact the office at 887-1414.