South African Chef Bertus Basson Announces The Closure Of His ‘Overture’ Restaurant
South African Chef Bertus Basson Announces The Closure Of His ‘Overture’ Restaurant. Renowned South African Chef Bertus Basson took to Instagram to announce that his Overture restaurant situated in Stellenbosch is set to close after 15 years of operations.
The post read, “Overture restaurant is closing. It is with great sadness that we announce that Overture Restaurant is closing its doors at Hidden Valley Wine Estate on the 30th of September 2022. In a world where restaurants come and go, Overture has survived and thrived for 15 years. We celebrated many successes, worked hard, shed tears, survived Covid 19 lockdowns and restrictions, and baked thousands of soufflés. For 15 years I was the custodian of a very special space at Hidden Valley. The sale of the farm to its current owners in 2021 coincided with the expiry of our long-term lease. We have made every attempt to keep Overture at Hidden Valley, but regrettably have had no success in negotiating a new lease agreement with the owners of the farm.”
Eat Out San Pellegrino & Acqua Panna Chef of the Year 2019, Bertus Basson, has a food philosophy rooted in traditional South African food culture with a modern outlook. Bertus is famed for the remarkable success of Overture, which he established as chef and owner in 2007. This picturesque winelands restaurant has been awarded prestigious accolades from the Eat Out guide and Rossouw’s Restaurant guide. Since 2007, Overture has grown into a family of restaurants that now includes Eike, Spek & Bone, Geuwels, Clara’s Barn, De Vrije Burger in Stellenbosch, and The Deck on the farm at Hidden Valley.
The post continued to say, “The new owners would like to steer the property in a different direction which sadly does not include Overture. Despite this, we wish them well for the future and hope that they will remain committed to the custodianship of the farm. Overture was my first restaurant. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine that from that first service on 1 November 2007 with a tiny kitchen and handful of staff, that seven more restaurants would be born, or that some great culinary talents would start their careers in this space. Neither could I imagine that so many of you, our loyal patrons, would pass through our doors and keep returning for more. Our gratitude to you is unending. If you have future reservations at Overture, our team will be in touch shortly. Overture Restaurant also operates The Deck at Hidden Valley and it will no longer be under our management as of the 30th of September. Naturally, the Bassons have exciting plans for the future. Every dark cloud has a silver lining, and in this case the silver lining is shining bright. This is therefore not goodbye but see you later. Onwards and upwards!”
Overture restaurant, Bertus’ first restaurant, is situated on the foothills of the Helderberg Mountain, where it found a home at Hidden Valley Wines. From humble beginnings in 2007, Overture became a destination for great food, service and wines and has won numerous accolades over the years. The restaurant sought to celebrate and champion South African produce – like ethically-sourced fish and organic maize.
