Mount Grace Hotel & Spa has unveiled a comprehensive property-wide refurbishment paired with a hyper-local, foraging-driven culinary concept under the leadership of returning Executive Chef Pieter Malan and Chef Edwin Theron.
Long before returning as Executive Chef in March 2026, Chef Pieter worked at Mount Grace as a culinary student. After a career spanning global kitchens and a two-year personal study of the Magaliesberg’s natural flora, Chef Pieter, who famously competed alongside Chef Edwin on kykNET’s Kokkedoor, has reimagined every dining experience across the resort, from high tea to fine dining.
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Cooking from the Soil: 80% Indigenous & Locally Sourced
The refreshed culinary philosophy focuses on traditional preservation, fermentation, and sustainable foraging within a 60km radius of the estate.
Foraged & Local Ingredients:
- Indigenous Botanicals: Tulbaghia (wild garlic), amadumbe, wild prickly pears, confetti bush, aloe, lavender, and imphepho, hand-foraged with soil rotation to ensure natural regeneration.
- Regional Artisans: Local partnerships include Van Gaalen Cheese in Hartbeespoort and family-run Bambini for gelato and ice cream.
- In-House Botanical Kombucha: Brewed using a glass syphon method featuring local hibiscus, regional honey, confetti bush, lavender, and aloe. The reduction is featured on the menu paired with locally sourced tilapia.
“Everything on this menu starts with one question: what does this land give us? We forage, we ferment and we preserve so that we can cook with what is local and true to the Magaliesberg all year round.” — Executive Chef Pieter Malan
The Seven-Course Tasting Menu at Rambling Vine
At the resort’s signature restaurant, Rambling Vine, the new seven-course tasting menu pays homage to South African heritage and nostalgic family recipes:
- Wine Cellar Canapés: Velvety amadumbe soup with wild garlic oil, buchu emulsion, fermented prickly pear, and “The Cigar” (cold-smoked wild hog coppa mousse with a honey tuille).
- Heritage Bread Service: Traditional dombolo, amagwinya, and mosbolletjies served with a dip made from an ignited boerewors lard candle.
- Indigenous Grains: Sorghum reworked into a rich risotto topped with braised oxtail and sorghum popcorn.
Each course and wine pairing is presented at the table directly by members of the young culinary team, sharing the history and sourcing behind every dish.
Property-Wide Refurbishment Highlights
Under the direction of General Manager Barend Olivier, the refurbishment refreshes the resort’s aesthetic while honoring its history:
- Guest Rooms & Suites: Modernized across all 121 rooms with an earthy palette of sage, cream, and natural wood. 26 suites feature private heated plunge pools.
- 1852 Heritage Bar: Named after the year the land was originally registered as a farm, featuring classic fireplaces, hearty plates (such as slow-braised oxtail with steamed dumplings), and open doors out to the mountain breeze.
- Public Spaces: Refreshed lounge, reception, and garden pathways designed to blend with the surrounding landscape.
