Peter Tempelhoff

Peter's approach to food is simple, "If it is not the best it can be, it doesn't belong on the menu!" It is an approach which he stakes his reputation on every day, and one that has garnered him with many (enviable) awards and accolades over the years.

This approach to cooking is expected and evident in each of the 6 restaurants of Liz McGrath's Collection which Peter oversees. Be it the elegant gastronomic Greenhouse, or the simplistically precise Seafood restaurant at The Marine, perfection is the ultimate goal that Peter's food aspires to.

Many great chefs have had an influence in Peter's style, from his beginnings with Marco Pierre-White and Giorgio Locatelli to Joel Robuchon, Anne-Sophie Pic and Daniel Humm of Late. The Collection's flagship restaurant - The Greenhouse - has become a place where modern cuisine comes together with the rich tapestry of South African ingredients and flavours. A melting pot of ideas and concepts, it is a place revered by many as one of the leading restaurants in the country.

Realizing the importance of our delicate planet and all its inhabitants, Peter is continually striving to achieve a balance between sustainability and culinary uniqueness through ecological awareness and sustainable product development.

A mission which has seen the development of a myriad of unique and amazing dishes using less glamorous fish and seafood; dishes which are guaranteed to bring guiltless dining pleasure to all guests of The Greenhouse and The Collection by Liz McGrath.

Press Release Library:

Becoming a Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef

To become a Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef, previously known as Relais Gourmand, you have to go through a three-step process.

Step 1: You receive a nomination. Only nominations from Relais & Châteaux property restaurants that hold Michelin Stars are considered.
If you're from a country that doesn't make use of the Michelin Star rating system your cuisine must be, at a minimum, as good as a Michelin one or two star. It must therefore have a high reputation and be nationally recognised.

Step 2: Once the nomination has been accepted an array of culinary judges from around the globe - and one culinary inspector - will visit to experience the cuisine and overall ambiance of the restaurant.

Step 3: The restaurant is then judged on the following criteria:

Your passion
Your creativity
The culinary experience
The service as a global experience with a sense of place
Additional Relais & Châteaux criteria and values.

What is a Michelin Star?

Even though we don't get Michelin Star ratings in South Africa we thought that a crash course, given their global acclaim, was in order.

The Michelin Star system is a three star rating system starting from one star to three stars. A Michelin One Star restaurant is considered a very good restaurant in its category. A Michelin Two Star restaurant offers excellent cooking and is considered worth a detour, it showcases first class cuisine of its type. A Michelin Three Star restaurant boasts exceptional cuisine and it is worth a special journey and features an enviable wine list.

Throughout the year restaurants have their cuisine reviewed by anonymous Michelin Star inspectors. These inspectors focus on: quality, mastery of technique and personality of the restaurant's food. The various results are tallied and, if they're one of the lucky chosen few, they receive their Michelin Star or Stars.