The recent address by President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing a new curfew dealt another blow to the restaurant industry. Chefs and restaurant owners have turned to social media to raise awareness through the hashtag #jobssavelives, with posts showing how many jobs each establishment has provided. In response to the many obstacles faced by the restaurant industry in SA, Chef Matt Manning has partnered with winery Radford Dale and is encouraging others to do the same.

Matt Manning, Chef Patron at Grub & Vine on Cape Town’s Bree Street, says: “Despite the limitations on alcohol sales – which are responsible for a significant portion of our revenue – we were thrilled to be able to reopen our doors last week after being closed for almost four months. We thought we’d finally seen a turning point and that things would start to improve, but sadly it looks like we were wrong.”

Stellenbosch-based winery Radford Dale has stepped in to try and help preserve the sector. And it’s encouraging other wineries to do the same. “Radford Dale is adopting Grub & Vine; if others can also do the same, we can safeguard an entire ecosystem and preserve the jobs and livelihoods of this sector cut adrift,” says Dale. “It is clear that we cannot expect any government help. If our industry is to survive, we need to support each other.”

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Radford Dale has committed almost half a million Rand’s worth of stock to supporting the restaurant sector in Cape Town, following a similar contribution during the previous lockdown ban. The wine will act as an attractive incentive, forming part of Grub & Vine’s #RestaurantRescueProject package, and providing an injection of funds to the bistro.

As part of this package, individuals can purchase a gift voucher or Grub & Vine’s interactive, at-home fine dining experience for two people, ‘Virtual Dining’ at the cost of R1 400, and receive a complimentary case of Radford Dale’s critically acclaimed wine when alcohol sales resume. The normal cellar door price of the case is R2,385.

“You can effectively enjoy an incredible gastronomic experience plus a case of wine for a spend of R1 400, and receive almost R4 000’s worth of value. Better yet, your support will enable Grub & Vine to ride out the worst of this storm so that they can continue to keep their lights on,” explains Dale.

To find out more about the initiative, click here.