CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S AT HARTFORD HOUSE

Click above to enlarge your invitation...

"Spoil your loved one..."

Spoil your loved one with a delectable Valentine's Day dinner.
Enjoy a 5 course meal with a romantic flair.
Receive a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival and enjoy the sultry sound of Jeff Judge's
saxophone playing live in the background.

Date : 14 February 2012

Venue : Hartford House

Time : 19h00 for 19h30

Cost : R395 per person

RSVP : Emma
reception@hartford.co.za
033 263 2713

Contact us today
to make your reservation.

For more information please visit :
www.hartford.co.za

EATING IN, DEFINED BY EAT OUT

Head Chef Jackie Cameron
(Photo : Cooked in Africa)

"Small Producers / Suppliers to the Culinary Trade"

Turn up at the front gates to Summerhill Stud, home of Hartford House, on any given day, at 12 noon and a little beyond, and you'll see them; a stream of gleaming SUV's and smart cars, all headed for one of the nation's top eateries. They know their stuff, and they know it doesn't get much better. She's regularly in the news these days, but she takes nothing for granted. Every moment of recognition in a competitive world, is graciously acknowledged. Head Chef, Jackie Cameron, has been recognised once again by the publishers of Eat Out magazine. Their associate publication is Eat In (as most "foodies" know) and of all the experts in the nation, Jackie has been invited to join a panel of just four to assess the nation's premier small producers / suppliers to the culinary trade. To illustrate the extent of the compliment, she sits alongside revered critics Anelde Greef, (Content Director of Eat In) Abigail Donnelly, Anna Trapido and Pete Goffe-Wood, quite a team, and she's the youngest by half! (forgive the observation, guys!)

Judging takes place in Cape Town on the 19^th and 20^th January, so watch out for the outcomes in Eat In's 2012 edition, particularly if you're keen to know the tricks of the trade, and where the country's leading kitchens get their secret ingredients from.

www.eatout.co.za

EATING OUT GUIDE : TOP OF THE POPS

Entrance to the Hartford Estate, Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
(Photo : Nicholas Goss)

Hartford included in Anne Stevens' Eating Out Restaurant Guide

Whatever they may say about the troubles of the world, there are still pockets of excellence which continue to stand out despite the gloom. Hartford House is one of those, maintaining its position as one of the most decorated hospitality businesses in the land this year. We never take these things for granted, but we're always grateful for the recognition and the encouragement they bring to our team. Hartford is something of a miracle story, in a district short on skills and job opportunities. Few of our people know the look of a school leaver's certificate, yet they are born of a natural talent for making people feel at home, and they're among the few in the world who still regard service as a dignity.

It's great to be recognised by the country as a whole, and we thrive on the acclaim of those abroad, but it's as gratifying knowing that you're appreciated in your own neighbourhood. Anne Stevens, the most revered of KwaZulu-Natal's food critics is our senior journalist, who has eateries living in anxious anticipation of her approval at this time of the year. Last Friday her annual Eating Out guide appeared for the umpteenth time in decades, in The Mercury. Remarkably, for a city which ranks as the third largest in the country, Durban doesn't celebrate a restaurant in Anne's top echelons. There are some fine restaurants in South Africa's premier holiday playground, worthy of mention in any collection of the country's best, but if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, the leisurely drive in the Mooi River direction of the Drakensberg, is essential. Hartford was once again one of only two in the province to enjoy her coveted four-star acknowledgment; coming from Anne, that's some compliment. Like everything else on this property, from racehorses, horse feeds, equine insurance to hospitality, the motto is : "World class and beyond". "Auntie Anne's" endorsement that we've been faithful to our creed, is heartening.

For more information please visit :
www.hartford.co.za

HARTFORD HOUSE RESTAURANT FEATURED ON ECR

Hartford House Head Chef, Jackie Cameron
(Photo : Cooked in Africa)

EAT OUT DSTV FOOD NETWORK RESTAURANT AWARDS
Sunday 20th November 2011

Nominees for the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards have been announced and KZN has just one entry in the running...

Hartford House in the Mooi River area is among 20 nominees on the list from which the Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Service Excellence Award as well as the Top 10 Restaurants will be chosen.

The awards are judged by Eat Out Editor Abigail Donnelly. The criteria are stringent and assisting Donnelly in the compilation of the shortlist was Eat Out's national panel of over 30 professional restaurant reviewers as well as consumer reviews received on www.eatout.co.za.

Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Cape Town on 20 November.

ECR's Anisa Ussuph caught up with Hartford House head chef, Jackie Cameron...

Jackie, what an honour! You must be over the moon...?!

It is always wonderful for my team and I to be acknowledged for the hard work we put in daily to maintain and continuously uplift standards.

Now, Cape Town is widely regarded as the culinary capital of SA as many of the award-winning restaurants are based there. It's fab to have Hartford House representing KZN. It's the only establishment to represent the east coast - why do you think that is?

I have been lucky enough to have eaten at and experienced many international kitchens over the years and have always brought back ideas of upliftment. A large percentage of our guests are international and they know a lot about food and wine and eat in the top restaurants on a daily/weekly basis. And so they expect nothing less when dinning at Hartford. The staff at Hartford is truly special and adds to the ambiance and entire experience. I know I would not be where I am today if it was not for the entire team. Every guest is treated like royalty and leaves a friend.

What makes Hartford House so special?

On the food side of things... it doesn't matter if you have a scone, sandwich or a five course dinner - all is an experience and foodie delight. As mentioned before, the staff are exceptional; professional without the pompousness. Hartford is truly a wonderful place in all aspects; from being situated on the stunning Summerhill Stud Farm to the warm Zulu hospitality, ambience, fine wine and food... all makes for a magnificent time.

Jackie, as the main chef at Hartford House, what do you think your "recipe" for success is...

Working extremely closely with my team, never shifting on standards, always uplifting and training myself and those around me and leading by example in every aspect of my life.

How do you define good food?

A meal cooked with love and presented with care which has been made with the best available in-season ingredients possible. A good meal can be my mother's roast chicken or a fine dining tasting menu - both have their place and are enjoyed just as much depending where one is.

And Jackie, we saved the strange question for the last: reality shows focusing on restaurants are all over the place. Is the real thing as frenetic and stressful behind-the-scenes as depicted on TV?

Indeed it can be. No one will, or could ever, understand the pressures or extremity of it all if never having worked in a restaurant. We try absolutely everything to ensure this is never the case at Hartford. I don't think any guest should pay their hard earned money on a meal that is not up to standard because a kitchen team is not well prepared. Not being organized and prepared is normally the reason for most of the kitchen stress that occurs. A good chef is a prepared chef and this is so true for everything in this high-paced industry where deadlines are hourly not weekly or monthly.

Extract from www.ecr.co.za

EAT OUT RESTAURANT AWARDS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Form is temporary, class is permanent.
(Photos : Brett Florens)

EAT OUT DSTV FOOD NETWORK RESTAURANT AWARDS
Sunday 20th November 2011

The hallmark of greatness, is consistency. There's an old saying in the horse business that "form is temporary, class is permanent", and it's the same in the culinary world. Good chefs may fluke the odd good dish, but great chefs aspire consistently to greatness. In the context of a girl who is yet to strike her 30^th year, for her restaurant to be included among the finalists for the national Eat Out culinary awards five years in a row, is the best class indicator we know.

Head Chef, Jackie Cameron, who quite remarkably in a world where "musical chairs" is more the norm in staff turnovers than the standard, now in her 9^th year at Hartford House, has just received formal notification from the organisers of the "Top Ten" restaurants in the nation, that they're included in the finals once again. The gala function marking the announcement of the top ten takes place in Cape Town on the 20^th November.

To quote convenor, Abigail Donnelly "it has been a privilege and a humbling experience to have eaten such beautiful food this year, and it's certainly a huge achievement to have been included on this list".

The nominees are listed below. It's hot as hell in the Western Cape kitchen, where all but three countrywide are based. Notably, Hartford remains the only KZN-based restaurant on the list of finalists.

RESTAURANT AWARDS NOMINEES

AZURE	Cape Town
BABEL	Simondium
BOSMAN'S RESTAURANT	Paarl
DW ELEVEN-13	Johannesburg
THE RESTAURANT AT GRANDE PROVENCE	Franschhoek
THE GREENHOUSE	Cape Town
HARTFORD HOUSE	Mooi River
JORDAN RESTAURANT	Stellenbosch
LA COLOMBE	Cape Town
RESTAURANT MOSAIC AT ORIENT	Pretoria
NOBU	Cape Town
OVERTURE	Stellenbosch
PIERNEEF A LA MOTTE	Franschhoek
THE PLANET RESTAURANT	Cape Town
ROOTS	Krugersdorp
THE ROUNDHOUSE	Cape Town
TASTING ROOM AT LE QUARTIER FRANCAIS	Franschhoek
TERROIR	Stellenbosch
THE TEST KITCHEN BY LUKE DALE-ROBERTS	Cape Town
TOKARA	Stellenbosch

For more information visit :
www.eatout.co.za