Posted in News on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 by The Beachcomber Correspondent

Bound by a love for gastronomy and international acclaim, the Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury and Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa in Johannesburg will engage in a delightful and ambitious culinary exchange in 2024, featuring their respective executive chefs.

Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury and Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, Johannesburg, are both members of The Leading Hotels of the World. They share much more than a common vision of refinement. These two legendary places are driven by the same desire to elevate the art of hospitality into a signature art of living. They stand out on the global stage for their values of expertise, high standards, attention to detail and sharing.

These two institutions are initiating a delicious collaboration in the early months of 2024: a culinary exchange showcasing the creativity and talent of their respective chefs, William Girard and Matthew Foxon. They will take turns at the helm of La Goélette at Royal Palm and Grei at The Saxon Hotel for three unique tasting dinners with an exclusive menu that is a testament to their culinary prowess. A stunning event that will take guests at these two gourmet restaurants on a true journey of the senses.

From 25 to 27 January 2024, local and resident guests of Royal Palm will be delighted to taste the gourmet cuisine of Chef Matthew Foxon. The menu will feature bold combinations of ingredients to create colourful, inventive dishes that will entice the taste buds: sous-vide leek and nori roulade, garlic mayonnaise, crispy nori; pressed duck terrine with foie gras and truffle mousse; porcini mushroom and truffle mousse, burnt onion crumb, mushroom gel; reverse seared wagyu fillet, tongue, celeriac slaw, baba ghanoush, cognac jus; and manjari chocolate torte, toasted swiss meringue, cocoa tuille, passion fruit ice cream.
Chef William Girard will head off to Saxon Hotel, Johannesburg a few weeks later, from 14 to 16 March 2024 where he will bring the full range of his culinary expertise to offer guests a menu worthy of La Goélette, with dishes such as lobster tail cooked with madras curry, coriander, mango and coconut milk; lamb fillet in black garlic crust, zucchini flavoured with ginger, curry leaves sauce; and chocolate bounty and coconut sorbet.

About The Saxon Hotel and Chef Matthew Foxon
Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa has been awarded the title of World’s Leading Boutique Hotel since 2000 by The World Travel Awards. Nestled in the verdant suburb of Sandhurst in Johannesburg, the hotel is situated in ten acres of gardens. Chef Matthew Foxon joined the Saxon as Executive Chef in early 2021, making a positive impact on the property's sustainability efforts. He has conscientiously chosen local suppliers in line with the Saxon's sustainability policies, embracing practices that reduce the hotel's carbon footprint, such as using garden-to-plate methods and locally sourced, in-season ingredients. Beyond his culinary expertise, Chef Foxon is dedicated to mentoring young chefs and promoting sustainable dining, reflecting his passion for respecting ingredients. His carefully curated menus cater to the most discerning palates, presenting meticulously crafted dishes that showcase a deep appreciation for seasonal produce from local farmers and producers. Chef Foxon's creations are not only a treat for the taste buds but also a humble celebration of the richness of flavours found in local ingredients.

About Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury
The iconic Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury is set along a strip of fine white sand in Grand Baie, on the North coast of Mauritius. It is a legendary hotel and a sophisticated lifestyle destination that leaves an indelible mark in guests’ hearts. This grand hotel with a human face will cater to your every wish. Every small detail is carefully thought out with an ever-attentive and discreet personnel to take care of your every need, whether beneath the shade of a beach hut, by the pool or on the terrace of a suite. Every experience, every setting, every moment spent in this grand ‘Maison’ is imbued with elegance, making one's stay a powerful sensorial experience. Reaffirming its status, this flagship of the Mauritian hotel industry has been a member of The Leading Hotels of the World from its very inception and has renewed itself in recent months by taking a spontaneous drive to better highlight its defining features: elegance, excellence and exacting standards. This minor renovation emphasises the surrounding natural beauty and creates a new, sophisticated lifestyle while time and again redefining with the same passion the word “hospitality” in its truest and most wonderful form.