Exclusive | Michelin-starred chef to head up Spier Manor House dining experience

Every Friday evening in March will see the Spier estate’s recently restored Manor House — a grand dame which sits at the heart of the estate and features a gable dating back to 1822 — play host to an exclusive culinary and creative showcase.

Within this storied homestead, among some of SA’s most renowned contemporary art pieces from the Spier collection, Chef Phil Charmicheal will be presiding over an open-hearth kitchen, from where he will be serving up five course dinner artfully paired with Spier’s flagship wines.

The award-winning chef, who fans may recognise as a finalist on the Great British Menu 2017, served as executive chef of The London EDITION from 2013 to 2021 and has extensive experience working in Michelin-starred kitchens. It was as executive chef of MAZE Prague where he garnered a Michelin star within the first year of the restaurant’s opening.

The chef, who is passionate about showcasing exceptional ingredients though minimal intervention and simple, timeless cooking techniques, will draw from the bounty of Spier’s regeneratively farmed produce and the art of cooking over open fire to create this one-of-a-kind culinary experience.

“In my kitchen there are no gimmicks or fussiness: we let exceptional ingredients speak for themselves through minimal intervention and simple, timeless cooking techniques. We use flame, smoke and embers to cook dishes. More than just a technique, fire is a key ingredient,” Carmichael says. 

The ingredients he’ll be using are sourced from Spier’s pastures and gardens and run the gambit from grass-fed beef to exquisite seasonal vegetables. In addition to the live-fire cooking Charmichael will also bring in elements of fermentation (think kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and more) as well as nose-to-tail use of meat — which not only reduces waste but ensures a broad and exciting spectrum of flavour and texture across the menu.

“Chef Phil is a natural choice to lead the food offering in this reinvigorated space,” says Mariota Enthoven, Spier’s owner. “He really connected with our regenerative approach to farming on this land. He’s super excited about getting back to the basics — cooking with ingredients that are farmed with care, and in good soil. This makes him completely aligned with Spier’s food philosophy.”

The evenings, which aim to offer more than just a meal, hope to create dialogue and encourage conversations about food security and sustainability — not only a feast for the senses but also food for thought.

“The Manor House will be a space in which conversations around food security and sustainability can take centre stage,” said Enthoven. “We’re serving up a unique sense of place, using each meal we make as an opportunity to tell stories about the food revolution Spier is proud to be a part of — stories about our regenerative farming, organically grown food garden, organic vineyards and carefully crafted wines.”

Naturally, the famed estate’s wines will also have an important part to play, with the utmost thought given to the way food, wine and space come together. Spier’s Cellar Master Johan Jordaan and expert sommelier Georgio Meletiou have been intimately involved in the curating of The Manor House’s wine pairings.

For more information and to book, visit Spier's website.