LUKE DALE-ROBERTS UNVEILS PLANS FOR A NEW CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

South Africa, Cape Town, Tuesday, 21 September 2010; Luke Dale-Roberts has secured warehouse premises in Cape Town at Woodstock’s bustling Old Biscuit Mill as part of his vision to create a unique fine dining experience.

Named ‘The Test Kitchen’, it will be a creative space for Luke and his team to explore the relationship between art and food. Time will be split between developing new dishes, researching flavour combinations and designs, and of course operating an intimate dining venue offering guests something quite out of the ordinary.

In under four years as Executive Chef at La Colombe, Luke has taken the restaurant to 12th place at the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, picking up Eat Out’s Restaurant of the Year along the way, and the coveted Rossouw’s three star rating for the past two consecutive years. He has recently been appointed to a hands-on consultancy role at this renowned eatery.

In planning this project Luke has been working closely with some of South Africa’s most talented designers and artists in a collaborative effort to bring a wholly original sensory dining experience to the restaurant scene.

Luke commented, “I wanted to put myself into a completely new environment, take myself out of my comfort zone. I have been spending a lot of time in the last few months with all kinds of artists.

This has been something new for me and totally inspiring. The more time I spent with them, the more I realised I wanted to try something new. This project is the realization of a vision that has been formed through the many experiences I have had before coming to South Africa, as well as during my time here. I am going to start again. Look at everything with a keener eye and take more time to enjoy the creative process”.

The Test Kitchen will open November 2010. During the first month of operation Luke will be entertaining exclusive groups of guests offering tailor made dining experiences on a booking only basis. Following on from this the test kitchen will open its doors for lunch and dinner. For bookings or further information visit www.thetestkitchen.co.za or follow Luke on Twitter.

For press assistance contact Ian or Lise Manley of Manley Communications on 0861 MANLEY (626 539), email to premierbrands@publicity.co.za or visit the Press Room of Manley Communications at www.manleycommunications.co.za.