Orange restaurant

Surrounded on all sides by brilliantly green hills, the capital of Mpumalanga province is one of the most attractive cities in South Africa, and nowhere does it show itself off better than from the verandah of Orange, one of its very finest restaurants.

Orange is the brainchild of chef and entrepreneur GT Lundie who explains that the name has more to do with the fact that it’s located is citrus country than with the fiery orange sunsets for which the restaurant is famous. Orange is perched majestically on one of Nelspruit’s many hills. It’s in a modern, free-flowing, spacious and beautifully renovated old mansion that naturally draws the visitor to the wooden deck where, not surprisingly given the region’s superb weather, most patrons choose to eat al fresco. Down a flight of stone-flagged steps, Orange opens onto lawns, a swimming pool and the Sundowner Verandah, a popular spot for corporate drinks parties or for simply lounging around and sipping a cold glass of wine.

GT, 33, hails from the town of Piet Retief, on the Mpumalanga border with KwaZulu-Natal. After school he studied law at the University of Johannesburg but soon realised that he didn’t want a legal career; that he would much rather be cooking. After working as a chef in Johannesburg, GT moved to the Lowveld, first working at Jatinga Country Lodge in White River, followed by an appointment at Singita, one of the world’s most exclusive game lodges. There GT met his future wife, Lizelle, and the two decided to travel through England and Scotland. That trip rounded off GT’s culinary education,  at the Relais & Chateaux Amberley Castle in Sussex and, in Scotland, at the five-star Glenapp Castle.

Back in South Africa, GT headed the kitchen at the acclaimed Roots restaurant in the Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg but he and Lizelle always felt the pull of the Lowveld and so, in 2007, the couple realised their dream of opening their own restaurant.

Orange is much more than a good restaurant with a grand view. Its menus are, as GT describes them, “classically French with a very contemporary twist”. Local fresh produce features prominently in most of the dishes: avocado pears, macadamia nuts, bananas, pawpaws, fresh seafood from Mozambique and trout from the rivers and dams around Dullstroom and Machadodorp.

Signature dishes include duck a l’orange and Scottish salmon, crepe suzette and, for dessert, that South African classic, malva pudding. Then there’s a Thai seafood and chicken curry in a coconut sauce, and Moroccan spiced lamb, served with mango atchar and a mint and cucumber yoghurt. Lunch is a more laid-back affair with the midday menu featuring items such as wraps and lamb burgers served with tzatziki. Given the carnivorous bent of many South Africans, there is, says GT, “quite a lot of meat on the menu”, aged cuts including fillet, sirloin and fillet.

The restaurant does a lot of slow cooking, particularly during the winter months; for instance a deboned oxtail with porcini mushrooms. The menu is changed every four months so regular guests, who GT says typically make up “the top 20% of Nelspruit society” can always find something new to get their teeth into. Although it’s located in a quiet, upmarket suburb, Orange is only two minutes from the N4 highway that runs from Pretoria, through Nelspruit, all the way to Maputo in Mozambique. While its clientele is mostly local, it’s increasingly popular with well-heeled visitors from South Africa and overseas, particularly as it has easy access to the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.

The restaurant can comfortably seat 80, and 25 in its wine cellar for a special, intimate function or party.

GT, who is a member of the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, says TEP’s cluster programme has been an extremely good initiative for Lowveld businesses such as his. “Thanks to TEP, we’re getting exposure to an international clientele, to local guesthouses, and we have the opportunity network and help each other. Also TEP gives us great exposure at shows like Indaba and overseas.”