Cape Town steak house to beef up patrons’ palates with delectable Wagyu beef and whiskey pairings
From this August, The Stratus Steak House, situated within the luxurious Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence Cape Town, will be serving up a unique gastronomic experience. The concept is a simple yet beefy one: Take some of the finest Wagyu beef available in Cape Town, pair it with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey-infused basting and sauces, then top it all off with a live jazz band, and the result is bound to awaken a lot more than merely the taste buds this side of the Tennessee River.
Known for its excellent service and menu, The Stratus Steak House is looking forward to the partnership, which will not only offer Capetonians but local and foreign visitors alike the opportunity to indulge in a different dining experience. “Spotting a gap in the market, the concept of pairing quality Wagyu beef with equally premium Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey was born,” adds Deen Hopcroft, Food and Beverage Manager for Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence Cape Town. “Reared in the Karoo, the steak house will be serving only the finest premium Wagyu beef cuts, paired with mouth-watering sauces and side dishes.”
The newly developed menu will consist of premium Wagyu beef cuts that can be prepared with a selection of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey basting sauces, as well as served with an equally palatable selection of Jack Daniel’s-infused sauces, jus, and – of course – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey drinks. “Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey offers a variety of taste variations that can be perfectly paired with particular foods as well as cooking techniques,” elaborates Head Chef at The Stratus Steak House, Duncan Pontac. “From Old No.7, to Tennessee Honey to the recently introduced Tennessee Fire, or the double mellowed Gentleman Jack, every care has been taken to ensure that diners will experience the best the whiskey brand has to offer.”
Mellowed through 10 feet of charcoal and then matured in handcrafted barrels, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey doesn’t follow a calendar; rather the renowned ‘sippin’ whiskey’ is only ready when the tasters say it is, and it this century-old tradition that has stood the test of time.
The Stratus Steak House and Jack Daniels’ Tennessee Whiskey menu will be available to diners every Thursday to Sunday, for lunch between 12h00 and 16h00, and supper from 17h00 to 22h00; accompanied by live jazz performed by the talented, Cape Town-based Gareth Harvey Jazz Trio.
Social media information for The Stratus Steak House
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RUAN: Working as the Food and Beverage Manager for an outstanding Hotel such as Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence Cape Town is what many people dream of. Where did your love for the Hotel industry come from?
DEEN: I know this might sound very cliché, but the love came from the endless possibilities of where you could work in different places through hotels. The travel was an immediate kick for me and straight out of high school I studied Hospitality Management and have never looked back since. Big motto and goal driver for me is love what you do and you will never work a day in your life, luckily for me I have found this with hotels!
RUAN: Can you share with us how the partnership with Jack Daniels came to fruition?
DEEN: This was easy and very simple, I’m a very big Jack fan! When I started with Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence my job was simple, make the F&D departments trendy and profitable! Immediately as I walked into the space I pictured a steak house and from there I decided to do Africa’s first Premium Jack Daniels steak house!
RUAN: Compiling a new menu must be so much fun as well as a lot of hard work. What all goes into planning a new menu?
DEEN: Lots and Lots of meetings! The first sit down begins with the Chef and kind of giving the outline of what the experience needs to be about, from there making sure we get going with the suppliers is very important. Luckily for me I have a very creative Chef who jumped onto the idea quickly and drove the process perfectly by playing with the whole Jack Range! Tasting and Photo shoot was done and we decided what had to stay and what had to go. After that it’s getting the approval from the Jack Brand themselves to make sure they are happy that everything aligns with their brand and then the rest is up to the designers. Sitting with the designer and giving them examples of how the look and feel needs to be is always an important part, this process requires a lot of abck and forth between the two but in the end it all comes together!
RUAN: What will the newly developed menu comprise of?
DEEN: The new menu is filled with out of this world Jack Daniels pairings and some of the best steak in town! Wagyu Beef being our number one driver and highlight on the menu. We are a steakhouse but we do have something for everyone even if you are not a meat eater!
RUAN: When pairing some of the finest Wagyu beef with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, where does one even begin?
DEEN: You begin by joining us! The two come together perfectly well it is actually un believable, my personal favourite is the Wagyu Beef Burger ask the chef to cook it in some jack honey and on the side some gentleman jack jus and you have a winner. The pairing does come down to your personal preference at the end of the day but as I mentioned we have something for everyone.
RUAN: Tell us how the brand partnerships and collaborations continuously open doors to new markets?
DEEN: We have done something out of the ordinary here, taking a hotel restaurant and making it a complete separate identity is definitely going to be a big trend for new markets and hotels. The main thing is trying to change people’s perceptions of what a hotel restaurant is all about. The wording needs to start going something a bit more like “Stratus Steak House inside the Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence” and away from “The Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence Restaurant”. This helps break perception of hotels being too expensive as well as giving an identity and reason for people to walk through our doors!
RUAN: What else can we look forward to from The Stratus Steak House in the months to come?
DEEN: In the months to come the main things to look forward to I would say is the Jazz evenings, we will be having various artists playing with us every Thursday to Sunday for some entertainment while you dine with us. Other things to keep your eyes on will be our Sunday Carvery which we will be starting in the very near future as well as weekly Chef specials.