At the Vida Nova Retreat eco-hotel in Hout Bay, we harmonise luxury, style, and comfort, while leaving only the lightest of environmental footprints. We pride ourselves on our commitment to sustaining our planet for future generations, and we take strides towards ethical practices
in every facet of our hotel.
Sustainable Dining
It is essential that our Green Orchid restaurant follows our hotel’s ethos. We have searched for a chef that was not just driven by food artistry and delectable combinations of flavours and textures, but is also focused on sustainability. With this in mind, we proudly welcome our newly appointed head chef, Delayn Lewies.
Meet the chef
Chef Delayn was born and raised in Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town. Growing up, he was exposed to Cape Malay cooking and baking with his grandmother, and would often join her in the kitchen – helping to create the dishes that are steeped in history, but also adding his own flare by exploring different flavours and textures. He knew, even from this young age, that cheffing was the career for him. Now as a chef of 11 years, Delayn has had the opportunity to work at a variety of notable establishments in and around Cape Town.
Talent and inspiration
Chef Delayn’s passions lie in crafting his dishes and exploring new flavours, while keeping the ingredients local, seasonal and organic. He loves pushing the boundaries of day-to-day ingredients and challenging the status quo of flavours. He describes himself as an unconventional chef, and this trait lends itself to extraordinary multi-sensory dishes. His passion for authentic local ingredients allows him to create fantastic meals with simple produce. He spends time foraging for seasonal, indigenous ingredients found around our beautiful Cape coasts and forests.
Chef Delayn is thrilled about his new adventure at The Green Orchid. He will be focusing on sustainable and ethical dining, calling upon his foraging skills and using seasonal,organic produce on the menu. He will be presenting a substantial plant-based menu, but is confident he’ll inspire many non-vegans to order his irresistible plant-based offerings. We eagerly anticipate Chef Delayn transforming our menu and bringing it to the next level, combining his fine dining experience and passion for sustainability, while bringing everyday ingredients to the forefront, creating something truly spectacular. Guests will be delighted by his enthusiasm and will likely see him around the dining area on occasion, charming diners with his endearing personality.
Focused on the environment
We are expanding our newly established herb and vegetable garden so that in the future, we will primarily grow and use our own organic produce. Our drinks menu has been carefully considered and we have an amazing selection of local wines and spirits in our bar, keeping our carbon footprint low.
Our hotel is 100% off the grid. Even our Disa Spa and Green Orchid restaurant and bar are fully powered by solar energy. At night, we draw our power back from the energy stored in the grid, ensuring that we never have to rely on the fossil-fueled energy supply of local electricity. We also give back through conservation and community projects, in partnership with Fire Island Conservation.
From the 1st May through to the 31st August, you can take advantage of our Sayonara Summer Special. Guests can relax in one of our luxurious rooms, with the soothing bubbles of the in-room jacuzzi offering an opportunity to truly unwind. Upon arrival at the hotel, our host will welcome you with Hout Bay Vineyards MCC and a delicious platter. Feel rejuvenated with a couple’s massage and a gourmet lunch included in the package. Of course, you will get the opportunity to taste the delights of The Green Orchid restaurant with a daily breakfast included in the price, and a 5-course dinner tasting menu with wine on one of the evenings. All this can be yours for only R13,000 per couple, for three nights.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.vidanovaretreat.com
+27 (0)21 790 5080
info@vidanovaretreat.com
www.facebook.com/VidaNovaRetreat
www.instagram.com/vidanovaretreat
