Collins studied at Zevenvaght Chef School, and went on to gain experience at the Lord Charles Hotel, Constantia Uitsig Restaurant, and Poplars in D’Aira Wine Estate; as well as cheffing for the Four Diamonds hotel, Lodge at Vail, Colorado.

Following this Collins took up a three year vocation as restaurant manager at Camps Bay’s internationally renowned Café Caprice. Caprice’s joint owner, David Raad, will be partnering with Collins in the opening of trendy Kloof Street’s new Hudson’s Burger Bar. The bar is targeted at hip burger loving socialites, a crowd known to enjoy the renowned Caprice niche.

Says Collins: “Our concept is to introduce a completely unique, simple, more direct burger bar, offering the highest quality burgers you can get in Cape Town. Our burgers will comprise of freshly ground beef, made in-house, every morning. No soya proteins, limited fat (from the regular 20% down to Hudson’s 5%), and no offal, just whole grain meat! What else makes Hudson’s so unique from the rest? Double crunch fries, sour dough buns, a chickpea and lentil veggie burger, vanilla lemonade, and other innovative toppings to top off the menu. We’re keeping it simple, but interesting.”

The décor and design elements of the burger bar comprise of sustainable products like natural woods and re-cycled; their goal being to create an organic feel, emulating the simplicity of the product.

Hudson’s will cater breakfasts, salads, and desserts, with their main focus on gourmet burgers at an affordable price. It’s been conceptualised as an extension of Caprice’s clientèle and bar-like atmosphere; a place for customers to grab a coffee in the morning and a beer in the eve, with the added convenience of its positioning on cosmopolitan Kloof Street.

Originally found here – reproduced with permission

The City Improvement District of Green Point would like to commend the Cape Royale for their eco friendly and social responsibilities efforts.

As a new establishment in the Green Point vicinity, the Cape Royale has played a role in enriching the aesthetic appeal of the area – with its opulent style and grandeur – and setting an example with its exemplary green efforts.

The Cape Royale was designed around the concept of natural light and free flowing air. The building was constructed with suspended walkways allowing natural light and air to move freely through all eleven floors of the hotel. Motion sensors have also been fitted to each floor of the hotel, in so doing minimising the unnecessary use of lights.

Concentrating on conserving water as well as electricity, guests are urged – by means of cards featuring water saving tips – to pay attention to Africa’s ongoing water shortage problem.

From a social responsibility perspective, the Cape Royale Hotel is part of the Housing Trust’s Brick Foundation which helps build simple, affordable houses in poverty stricken areas like Mfuleni township outside of Cape Town. Cardboard “bricks” placed in the hotel’s rooms enable guests to donate money to the Brick Foundation charity, and in doing so affords guests the opportunity to do their bit for the social upliftment of South Africa.

The Cape Royal has also opted to support businesses in the local community by purchasing bath and body products from Charlotte Rhys, as well as buying Khayelitsha Rusks made by the previously unemployed women of this informal settlement.

Originally found on CID – posted with permission

Cape Town’s most beautiful restaurant; styled with passion and attention to detail to give you an extraordinary dining experience. Sophisticated yet very homely, The Opal Lounge is situated in a 111 year old Victorian villa near the centre of Cape Town. Two stylish dining rooms, a glass enclosed Verandah, a stunning bar lounge, and garden deck, each one differently designed, provide a unique encounter each time you visit.

The Oriental Lounge is an elegantly styled room displaying Chinese antiques, an enormous chandelier and other interesting Chinese works of art. The working fireplace further enhances the room’s ambience when dining on cold or rainy days.

The Persian Lounge is the largest room with long, tall lounge couches, and beautiful Persian rugs and ancient saddle bags adorning the walls. Candle-light flickers from within the Persian copper lanterns, whilst Byzantine lamps glow in front of the bay windows. The working fireplace gives this room an even warmer feel during cold days.

Furnished with crisp white and cream fabric chairs, the Verandah offers smokers or non-smokers a unique dining experience whereby they not only get a view of the garden deck with wonderful aspects of Table Mountain but also glimpses of the Oriental and Persian Lounges. An enormous deep red Afghan kilim adorns the main wall and smaller Afghan kilims lay scattered on the floors. On warm days, the sliding doors open up this area to the wonderful deck below.

The Bar Lounge is a dramatic pre- or post-dinner area to enjoy a drink – the perfect place to start savouring mouth-watering cocktails such as the Opal Chill or Peanut Butter Dream. The original pressed ceilings are meticulously hand-painted in black and gold, whilst the vaulted pressed ceiling is lit, taking ones eye to the hand-painted patterns of the craftsmanship of a bygone era. French, Louis XV chairs and beautiful sofas complete the look.

The Colonial Lounge is The Opal Lounge’s cosy smoking bar. Decorated in antiques, fabrics and paintings from deepest Africa, it houses some of the collection from the owner’s travels through the continent. Deep, comfy chairs and a huge suede sofa will make you want to savour that cigar for a while.

The Garden Deck is a wonderful area for a pre- or post-dinner drink and will become the area for lunches on hot summer days and lazy Sunday morning brunches.