Chef Eric Bulpitt of top-10-nominated The Restaurant at Newton Johnson in Hemel-en-Aarde is set to move from his current position to open a brand-new fine-dining restaurant at Avondale Estate in the Paarl Valley on 1 November 2016.

Chef Eric Bulpitt. Photo supplied.

Eric made a name for himself as the joint head chef with PJ Vadas at The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, which scooped numerous Eat Out Restaurant Awards in 2011, and then more recently at the restaurant on the Newton Johnson wine estate, where he took the number 9 spot in the 2014 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards. The chef’s move to the Avondale space will be to work in partnership with the owner, Johnathan Grieve.

Eric and Johnathan’s partnership showcases their philosophy of using best produce and respecting where food comes from. For Johnathan, the connection was instant: “Meeting Eric as a potential restaurant partner was a perfect match,” he explains. “Operating a destination restaurant at Avondale has been on our minds for the last ten years, but the fit was never right. This time, it’s perfect.”

Along with his wife, Celeste, who manages the front of house, Eric is excited about the move. “I want to make people happy through a great food and guest experience,” he enthuses.

The tasting gallery at Avondale Estate. Photo supplied.

The collaboration and new restaurant will reflect Avondale’s dynamic system of life on the farm where the earth, animals, people and spaces are interconnected and interdependent. The team is planning to have the organic vegetable garden provide most of the vegetables for the kitchen as well as make use of the farm’s Angus cattle, eggs and chickens.

While the name of the restaurant is still under discussion, what can be revealed is its location: the current tasting gallery at Avondale is in the process of being revamped into a space that will seat around 80 people, including outside space for summer days.

Stay tuned to Eat Out for updates.