Kyle Macaskill has been promoted to Head Chef at Plettenberg Bay’s landmark boutique hotel, The Plettenberg. With 16 years of solid industry experience to his name, of which the last eleven years was in the kitchens of sister property The Cellars-Hohenort, this appointment, his first as head chef, demonstrates the excellent scope for career opportunities and progression within The Liz McGrath Collection.
Macaskill trained at the South African Chefs Academy and completed an Advanced Diploma in Culinary Arts under Garth Stroebel and Paul Hartmann. His first four years of work experience was notched up in other leading fine dining restaurants in Cape Town, including The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, where he worked as Chef de Partie. This was followed by a stint as Head Pastry Chef at Bruce Robertson’s fine dining restaurant The Showroom, and Senior Pastry Chef at Mike Bassett’s Myoga restaurant at the Vineyard Hotel.
His tenure with the Liz McGrath Collection kicked off in 2010 with his appointment as Junior Pastry Chef at The Cellars-Hohenort. After a short while he progressed to Head of Pastry at the hotel’s famed restaurant, The Conservatory, and over the years, he worked his way up to Junior Sous Chef and then Senior Sous Chef, a position he held for the past three years.
Macaskill says he is dedicated to his craft and finds it deeply satisfying to create art on a plate. ‘I enjoy experimenting with food and my aim is to execute the perfect marriage of flavours, using local produce to create dishes that will entice the diner’s senses. From sight to smell to taste, I like to create a memorable experience for the diner, leaving them wanting to come back for more.’
New items on the menu at The Plettenberg include Chef Kyle’s Klein Karoo springbok loin with fynbos cream potatoes, red cabbage marmalade, slow-roasted baby tomatoes, field mushrooms, string beans and a port reduction. He predicts that his new Sesame-encrusted Norwegian salmon is destined to become a signature dish too, served with black garlic risotto, citrus rocket salad, umami beans and an orange-teriyaki reduction.
The Restaurant at The Plettenberg is renowned for its ocean bounty, drawing inspiration from the rich marine life that can be found in Plettenberg Bay. The indoor dining section offers beautiful views of the pool and ocean, while the outdoor terrace is perfect for alfresco dinners, with mesmerising ocean vistas – especially at sunset.
