Hi All,
That’s me with Gordon Murray at a dinner party during his and his wife, Stella’s, recent and last visit to Cape Town.
I’m busy drawing a McLaren F1 on a paper napkin.
‘What’s that? It looks like an F1,’ he says.
I say, ‘Supposed to be!’
‘Ah, now I see’, says he. What a diplomat!
But how can a man draw a straight F1 with all the uncorked bottles on the table? With unopened bottles I can draw a perfect back-to-front yellow GT40 as per an earlier post!
My wife and I will always remember that evening as one of the best dinners of our lives with everything exquisitely presented and served by our mutual friend and host, Michael Bamfield-Duggan, seen standing between us.
When Mike left school in 1969 he became a trainee manager for three years at the Kyalami Ranch Hotel opposite the Kyalami racing circuit. Set in 20 hectares of parkland it had the unique distinction of having about 90% of drivers and teams of the Grand Prix and Nine Hour endurance races staying there. Generally teams are scattered all over cities that host Grands Prix. Mike therefore had a baptism of fire pandering to the whims of some demanding and seasoned world travellers.
The Ranch was founded in 1963 by South African born Captain Bill Forssman, a WW11 bomber pilot and later captain with KLM. Because of his airlines connections the Ranch was the stop over for several airlines and at race time beautiful sun tanned air hostesses mingled with handsome racing drivers. Set for a soap opera? No, this was one case where real life was far better than a soapie.
I have a dedicated chapter on The Ranch in my forthcoming book on the history of the original Kyalami circuit, 1961 -1987. It has an amazing history apart from the motor sport connection. It was one of the sets for the film version of Wilbur Smith’s novel ‘Goldmine’, starring Roger Moore, Ray Milland and Suzannah York.
Anthony Quinn of Zorba fame came for games of tennis. Heart transplant pioneer Prof Chris Barnard charmed the ladies with his boyish good looks and John (Cat’s Eyes ) Cunningham, Battle of Britain fighter pilot and later De Havilland chief test pilot used to visit his old buddy and soulmate, ‘The Captain.’
One story in the book is about Jody Scheckter who won the 1975 South African Grand Prix in a Tyrrell. On the morning of the race he found a large frog in his room and asked a long suffering Italian employee who manned the reception desk to remove it. A year later when Jody returned the receptionist said, ‘Mista Schechter, lasta year you had a frog in your room and maybe he broughta you a leettle bit of luck because you winna the Grand Prix. Shall I organise another one for you?’
‘Yep,’ said Jody, ‘Maybe a good idea!’
After the three year learning curve, Mike spent one year in management and then left for the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg central for a three year stint. He then left for the UK where he joined a commodity broking firm to look after their catering requirements including on a luxury yacht. Partners were Michael Doxford and Tim Powell who also raced power boats in events between Torquay and Cowes. In the loop was Lady Camilla Fane, one time girl friend of Price Charles and god daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh. She would don her apron to help Mike in the galley of the yacht. After a three year stint with the upper crust Brits Mike returned to the Carlton Hotel in Jo’burg for another three years.
In 1983 he moved to Cape Town and acquired a 50% share in the appropriately named ‘Upper Crust’ restaurant. After several years he sold out and today owns an upmarket wine shop, called ‘Wine Concepts’ . Now you know where Gordon buys his South African wines and after that long-winded story you know why the dinner evening was so superb.
Which reminds me, Robert Logan says I’m verbose so I must stop telling stories immediately! Mind you I think he invented the word!!!
In Vino Veritas.
Cheers,
André 40
That’s me with Gordon Murray at a dinner party during his and his wife, Stella’s, recent and last visit to Cape Town.
I’m busy drawing a McLaren F1 on a paper napkin.
‘What’s that? It looks like an F1,’ he says.
I say, ‘Supposed to be!’
‘Ah, now I see’, says he. What a diplomat!
But how can a man draw a straight F1 with all the uncorked bottles on the table? With unopened bottles I can draw a perfect back-to-front yellow GT40 as per an earlier post!
My wife and I will always remember that evening as one of the best dinners of our lives with everything exquisitely presented and served by our mutual friend and host, Michael Bamfield-Duggan, seen standing between us.
When Mike left school in 1969 he became a trainee manager for three years at the Kyalami Ranch Hotel opposite the Kyalami racing circuit. Set in 20 hectares of parkland it had the unique distinction of having about 90% of drivers and teams of the Grand Prix and Nine Hour endurance races staying there. Generally teams are scattered all over cities that host Grands Prix. Mike therefore had a baptism of fire pandering to the whims of some demanding and seasoned world travellers.
The Ranch was founded in 1963 by South African born Captain Bill Forssman, a WW11 bomber pilot and later captain with KLM. Because of his airlines connections the Ranch was the stop over for several airlines and at race time beautiful sun tanned air hostesses mingled with handsome racing drivers. Set for a soap opera? No, this was one case where real life was far better than a soapie.
I have a dedicated chapter on The Ranch in my forthcoming book on the history of the original Kyalami circuit, 1961 -1987. It has an amazing history apart from the motor sport connection. It was one of the sets for the film version of Wilbur Smith’s novel ‘Goldmine’, starring Roger Moore, Ray Milland and Suzannah York.
Anthony Quinn of Zorba fame came for games of tennis. Heart transplant pioneer Prof Chris Barnard charmed the ladies with his boyish good looks and John (Cat’s Eyes ) Cunningham, Battle of Britain fighter pilot and later De Havilland chief test pilot used to visit his old buddy and soulmate, ‘The Captain.’
One story in the book is about Jody Scheckter who won the 1975 South African Grand Prix in a Tyrrell. On the morning of the race he found a large frog in his room and asked a long suffering Italian employee who manned the reception desk to remove it. A year later when Jody returned the receptionist said, ‘Mista Schechter, lasta year you had a frog in your room and maybe he broughta you a leettle bit of luck because you winna the Grand Prix. Shall I organise another one for you?’
‘Yep,’ said Jody, ‘Maybe a good idea!’
After the three year learning curve, Mike spent one year in management and then left for the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg central for a three year stint. He then left for the UK where he joined a commodity broking firm to look after their catering requirements including on a luxury yacht. Partners were Michael Doxford and Tim Powell who also raced power boats in events between Torquay and Cowes. In the loop was Lady Camilla Fane, one time girl friend of Price Charles and god daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh. She would don her apron to help Mike in the galley of the yacht. After a three year stint with the upper crust Brits Mike returned to the Carlton Hotel in Jo’burg for another three years.
In 1983 he moved to Cape Town and acquired a 50% share in the appropriately named ‘Upper Crust’ restaurant. After several years he sold out and today owns an upmarket wine shop, called ‘Wine Concepts’ . Now you know where Gordon buys his South African wines and after that long-winded story you know why the dinner evening was so superb.
Which reminds me, Robert Logan says I’m verbose so I must stop telling stories immediately! Mind you I think he invented the word!!!
In Vino Veritas.
Cheers,
André 40
