Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa, Carnivore - Johannesburg & Spa in the Country visited the Mohau Pre-School and Day Care Centre in Rietfontein Village, Muldersdrift this morning, as our contribution to ‪#‎67minutes‬ for ‪#‎mandeladay2016‬.  

We would like to say thank you to all our staff for contributing all the books and toys as well as the Heronbridge Community Church for their support. This Pre-school was established in 2001, by the Principal, Pretty Vilakasi, some of those kids that were there from the beginning have now matriculated.

 This school is self-funded and rely on the community for support. They care for 110 children daily, and they want to extend their services to help look after these children when their parents work night shift. They are trying to be self-sufficient by growing their own vegetables. Should you wish to support them, please feel free to contact us!

Meet Anne Marie Adam

Anne Marie is the new Head Chef of Misty Hills Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa and we are excited to welcome her aboard. From the onset, we were confident that she would fit in well as her and our Group Executive Chef, Ryan Houston, share something in common – passion for food! And, if there is one thing we at Misty Hills agree with Donald Trump,

it is that; “Without passion you don't have energy, without energy you have nothing” – we therefore welcome passion in all aspects of our business.

Anne Marie’s passion for food was cultivated at a very early age when she used to spend time on their family farm in Limpopo. Here, they would live off the land which meant lots of fresh, organic and healthy ingredients at meal times.  She particularly remembers the giant strawberries and the homemade Boerewors they made together as a family. Anne Marie’s grandmother used to be up by 4 am every morning and by the time everyone got to the breakfast table, there would be this wondrous spread of farm fresh produce waiting to be consumed. Needless to say, grandma had a little helper who was already honing her culinary skills from a young age.

It was clear what she wanted to pursue and when the time came, Anne Marie studied to be a chef with the International Hotel School (IHS). Here, she attained a City and Guilds and AHLA International Diploma.

After attaining her qualification, Anne Marie was fortunate to have worked with some of the best in the business including Chefs Heinz Bruner and Bruce Burns amongst others. She predominantly gained experience in the area of banqueting and events but also had a fair amount of exposure to fine dining having worked at various fine dining restaurants in hotels such as the Michael Angelo and the Hilton.

Anne Marie also worked at Johannesburg Theatre where she gained a great deal of experience, steadily moving up the ranks from complex Sous Chef to Executive Chef to Group Executive Chef of the City of Johannesburg theatres. Here she covered huge events such as the City Budget Speech, the Mandela Memorial, Soweto Drumbeat Festival and the Caxton News Awards. This was a rewarding experience which taught her how to maintain quality, standards and composure during high pressure, high profile functions.

We welcome Anne Marie and hope to see her continue to grow as chef while taking our guests on a culinary journey with every meal.

Meet Patrick Mmbulawa

Partick Mmbulawa is the new Horticulturist at Misty Hills Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa. He holds a National Diploma in Horticulture from Unisa. His career commenced at Johannesburg Zoo where he gained practical experience through the completion of an Internship in Plants, Machinery, Nursery management and garden design.

Following his internship at Johannesburg Zoo, Patrick got more hands on experience through a Garden World Leanership programme. The experience at Garden World was particularly useful because of the wider variety of plants he got exposed to and also more disciplines such as landscaping, irrigation and flower arrangement.

At Garden World Patrick participated in designing and building the Unisa stand for the Garden Show Exhibition where they took 2^nd place in 2010 and 1^st in 2011. He also gained more exposure to garden design when he got a chance to rebuild the Chelsea Exhibition stand where South Africa took 1^st position in London in 2010. This exposure really opened Patrick’s eyes to the beauty, depth and breadth of horticulture.

Patrick then decided to go into freelance landscaping which was a rewarding experience with a diverse array of clients and requests - this kept Patrick on his toes!

In 2016, Patrick joined the Misty Hills team and has hit the ground running. His first project is to redo the nursery which will include packing plants and organising them according to variety (he’s a stickler for order). He will also conduct monthly lessons for the gardeners to train them on how to appropriately deal with weeds and pests. This will be good for the gardeners’ individual skill sets and good for our botanical gardens, particularly the roses that are quite sensitive and susceptible to weeds and pests.

Patrick also intends on replanting around the property (aloes at the reception and roof gardens for example). We are proud to welcome Patrick to Misty Hills family and feel that this is going to be a mutually beneficial journey.

Meet the Chairman, Robert Forsyth

Robert Forsyth was born and educated in Zimbabwe.  He studied at the Theological College in South Africa and later at Christ for the Nations theological university in the USA.   He began his entrepreneurial career in 1981 with the founding of Audio Word (Pty) Ltd, a company involved in adult education through the medium of audio cassette.   

In 1993 he moved into the hospitality industry and built the Carnivore restaurant at Muldersdrift, in partnership with a Kenyan group.   At the same time he developed the Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa, as well as Kedar Heritage Lodge, Conference Centre & Spa on the historic farm of Paul Kruger near Sun City, situated on a private game conservancy.   All these establishments, Misty Hills, Kedar and Carnivore restaurant have, and continue to receive prestigious awards. 

Robert Forsyth was the first recipient of the Green Heart Award, in 2012, which acknowledges his many “greening” credentials – planting of indigenous trees, rehabilitation of degraded wetland areas, a pygmy hippo breeding programme and the founding of a registered botanical garden at Misty Hills.   He received the President Paul Kruger Trust award in 2011, in recognition of the work he has done in preserving the President Kruger home, farm and historical memorabilia. Although he is not a Rotarian, in February 2016, he was made a Paul Harris Fellow by Rustenburg Rotary - the highest award that Rotary International can bestow, “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among people of the world”.

Robert Forsyth has a keen interest in philosophy and human potential, and has one of the largest Anglo Boer War militaria/ memorabilia collections in the world. This collection is on view to the public at Kedar Heritage Lodge and the Paul Kruger Country House Museum at Boekenhoutfontein, near Rustenburg, in the North-West Province.

Robert Forsyth is a fellow of the Institute of Directors in southern Africa and the UK, and serves on the boards of several companies.

He is the author of a book entitled The Philosophy of Success.  He is married to Adele Forsyth, a Chartered Accountant, and they have two children, Sarah and Robert Jnr.

Anglo-Boer War BL 5 inch shrapnel shells Mk III

“An officer of artillery who runs out of ammunition in mid-battle merits death.” Napoleon

15 Pdr. Artillery Shell: The 15 pounder shell shown here was a standard artillery shell used by horse drawn artillery pieces in the Boer War. Markings in the base identify it as a “15 PR” made for the British military.

The shell is 11” high, is capped with a brass fuse and bound with a copper “driving ring” on the bottom.  When a shell is fired it is not dangerous. It is basically just a hunk of metal which – after it is “fired” - is being spun round by the brass drive ring engaging the grooves in the barrel sending the shell spinning out the barrel.

Still not dangerous; there are many cases where artillery shells like these just hit something and made small holes in the wall or on the ground. There was no “serious” damage done because the shell simply failed to explode. However, with the specimens on display, it is clear that this was not the case and that they actually exploded.

It is the fuse which made the shell deadly. It was graduated with increments in seconds in a ring around the top. Before loading it, an artilleryman would dial in the seconds that should lapse before the shell explodes, after it has been fired.  Often, this was timed to go off as the shell was still in the air over the enemy, sending shrapnel balls – some 200 could be packed inside – down into the men covering the trenches.[1] If dispatched accurately, these shells could be extremely deadly.

The particular shells on display were found on the erstwhile Rietvly (271 JQ) farm of Dr. Dolf Smith and his wife, Mrs. Lesley Smith. This farm is located not too far away from here, somewhere in between Kedar and Rustenburg. The Smiths purchased the farm in the early nineties from Dr. Charlie Payne, who had inherited it from his father. The farm had been divided previously and Charlie's sister inherited her portion of it, she married Thinus Smit and the Smiths became their new neighbours.

Dr Smith developed his farm house halfway up the mountain on the white (and what they believe to be) dolomite rocks. In this process, he also had to make a road to access the house, drill for water and fence the place. 

The Smiths found a Boer War camp site on the farm, the rock walls were very obvious.  While fencing the farm, Dr. Smith came across these shell cases. The Smiths also discovered a furrow which extended over the mountain. They are unsure whether it was dug by the Boers or the Brits.

The Smiths donated these shells to Kedar Heritage Lodge, Conference Centre & Spa in 2015 and Mrs. Smith has the following to say:

“My husband, who turns 93 years old this month (December 2015), has a particular interest in the period as his father fought in the Boer War under Gen. de Wet where his right thumb was shot off. After seeing Kedar, he said he wished he could have shown his father your collection. We took Latie, my husband’s son, who practises in Rustenburg, to Kedar last week and his reaction was, if possible, even greater than ours!”

“We have always admired countries that preserve their heritage and felt that many South Africans do not appreciate what a rich history we have. We thank you for what you have done, and are doing. We are expecting our first great grandchild in May next year and it is reassuring to know that he will be able to see evidence of what transpired during that period.”

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[1] http://angloboerwarmuseum.com/Boer20c_techofwar.html

Murals at Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa

Christopher Patton is the designer of all the beautiful murals on display at Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa. He was born in 1935 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is a ceramic designer who also produces individual pieces of pottery and small runs of production pottery. Over the years he has produced every type of handmade ceramic, the largest being the “Setanta” mural in Dublin 40 ft long and 18 ft high. This work took two years to complete.

Chris Patton has been a full time potter for over 40 years. He obtained a degree in fine art (from the Belfast College of Art and Design, graduated in Lithography and ceramics) and was also a teacher for many years. He gained experience in potteries in France, Norway and England before establishing a studio in Hillsborough in Ireland which he ran for ten years. Chris relocated to South Africa in 1982 and established his current studio in an old deep litter chicken house on a plot near Muldersdrift where he lives and works. Chris has worked very closely with the Recreation Africa Group and, at Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa (Misty Hills) he has been responsible for:

·         “The reed dance” - new reception area.

·         “Lobola” - conference centre.

·         “Bushman Hunters” - entrance drive way.

·         “African animals” - entrance drive way.

He works mainly in stoneware but has at one time or another experimented with earthenware, porcelain, terra cotta and everything in between! Stoneware, however, remains his preferred medium. He makes his own clay, glazes and most of his colours. He works using oxides on raw glaze, decorating spontaneously with direct brushwork, very much in the Anglo Japanese tradition, looking towards sung dynasty ceramics as a yardstick.

In recent years, murals and decorated wash basins have featured amongst his work however “throwing” has always been the principal creative skill. Recently, with changing trends in ceramics he has been making production runs in terra-cotta or bisque for clients, which requires repetitive throwing. He prefers work to order when possible; in an innovative and creative sphere. His work can be seen at Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa as well as the Corobrick Collection in Pretoria.

Chris stipulates that, “the inspiration for all the works I have undertaken at Misty Hills has been African, inspired either by traditional events, animals or history. These murals are to be enjoyed and therefore I always look to a decorative and lively image using my experience of ceramics to create textures and colours unique to pottery. There is often a narrative; the reed dance and lobola for example, while others are formalised animals relying on pattern colour and texture for their statement”.

“The creation of mural is always a challenge, each one requiring a different approach and always seeking a different visual effect. I feel if I don’t get pleasure out of making these murals how can I expect anyone else to. I love my job!”

Meet Uttam Singh

Chef Uttam Singh is one of two Indian chefs from Delhi, in the North of India, plying his trade with Recreation Africa (at Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa and Kedar Heritage Lodge, Conference Centre & Spa). His culinary journey commenced 17 years ago in Mumbai, India where he started working at the Ramee Guestline Hotel.

Mumbai's culture is a blend of traditional festivals, food, music, and theatres. The city offers a cosmopolitan and diverse lifestyle with a variety of food, entertainment, and night life, available in a form and abundance comparable to that in other world capitals. Mumbai's history as a major trading centre has led to a diverse range of cultures, religions, and cuisines coexisting in the city. This was an absolutely great place for Chef Uttam to “earn his stripes” if you will.

Chef Uttam has a wife and 2 kids and he moved to South Africa 8 years ago. He has been with the Recreation Africa group for 2 years now. He specialises in Mugalai food, Indian and Tandoori and he even dabbles in “Indian Chinese” food which he says is a spicy take on Chinese food. Apart from his love and expertise in the Indian cuisine, Chef Uttam enjoys other flavours from other cultures such as Mexican and Thai food.

Chef Uttam is an avid cricket fan and enjoys watching the Indian Premier League (IPL) where, even though he ought to be rooting for the Delhi Dare-Devils (at least from a geographical perspective), he is a Chennai Super Kings fan because, as he puts it, “they are simply the best!”.