.: Michael Olivier RIP

Michael Olivier was responsible for many memorable meals enjoyed at important times in John's life. He has special memories of meals at Lanzerac when visiting the Cape from the big dusty city in the North, on family holidays and on his honeymoon with Pam in 1974. Michael re-introduced him to classic Cape food; a waterblommetjie bredie he produced at Paddagang in Tulbagh was an inspiration in the mid 1980s, after he had “semigrated’ from Johannesburg and come to live in Kenilworth. The restaurant Michael and Maddie ran near to his home for several, but too few years, Parks in Wynberg, became our “local” and saw many family celebrations – John's 50th birthday and his mother’s 80th among others and then, a special memory, his first date with Lynne on her birthday near the end of the last century
Since then, we have met sporadically, sadly seldom since he and Maddie moved north and then returned to the Cape. Now, after a period of ill-health, he has left us for the big kitchen in infinity and we will miss him and his big smile. Our thoughts are with Maddie and their children and grandchildren. Memories of him will live on.
A Memorial for Michael was held at Vergenoegd Löw The Wine Estate in the Helderberg on Sunday 7th January. A large number of friends gathered to celebrate the life of a gentleman who was a consummate chef and restaurateur, a well-respected wine writer and the author of half a dozen books

A short memorial service with verbal tributes by Michael's brother, hotelier Nicky Fitzgerald and Johan Malan of Simonsig was followed by a gathering on the lawn outside Bertus Basson's Clara's Barn restaurant, which Bertus was generous enough to donate without charge for the duration of the gathering. The people who came brought a large quantity of food and a suitable wonderful selection of wines. It was truly a celebration of a life very well lived. A fitting memorial to a man who should not be forgotten

Just one table of the amazing spread