I have had the privilege of being briefed on the updated plans for the restaurant brands of the recently created Cowboys and Cooks hospitality and restaurant operations and consultancy group, to initially consist of 18 restaurants.
The new restaurant group with the edgy name of Cowboys and Cooks is headed up by CEO Stuart Bailey, former owner of the Hussar Grill steak restaurant collection, and former Harbour House Group Chief Operating Officer.
Cowboys & Cooks is a hospitality and restaurant one-stop operations and consultancy company, offering full turn-key operations for restaurants, including securing sites, landlord negotiations, negotiating with finance houses, interior and exterior design conceptualization, building project management, council approvals and licenses, trade license applications, the hiring and training of staff, day to day operations, product procurement, and quality control. In addition, it is the holding company for its own acquired and created restaurants.
One of its first contract clients is Michael Townsend, founder of the Harbour House Group twenty years ago, who left the company earlier this year.
Townsend has two restaurants that will be run by Cowboys & Cooks, a grill room steakhouse in Sunset Beach, and the well-established Sevruga in the V&A Waterfront.
A third restaurant is waiting in the wings too.
I met with Townsend and Bailey at Sevruga this morning, and was shown the planned look and feel of Sevruga, planned as a 240-seater restaurant, with slightly fewer seats than currently. A softer more feminine interior design is planned, with a grey and white tile ‘carpet’ extending from the glass doors on the seaside throughout the restaurant. The exterior doors will receive a wood cladding, and a rail will be added where the glass doors are. The seating area closest to the sea will be opened up to create one large open space. This morning a brown fabric cover over this area was removed, the white cone roof/ceiling covering bringing far more light into the restaurant. Creepers and fairy lights will be added here. A harvest table is planned, allowing Patrons to share the table. A separate section will have a counter sushi and Asian food offering, and the bar and a newly added lounge will be located deeper into the restaurant. Arches will soften the interior, partially covering the wine fridges. Furniture will be natural wood, making the interior design more informal and friendly. Currently booked functions will be honored, and renovations will be done in-between, and at night, to complete the new look by the end of October. Food sourcing will be the best freshest supply, the previous Sevruga having sourced frozen products.
Bailey said that he has put together a team of the best staff he and Townsend have worked with in the past, including staff specialized in procurement, in-house design, graphic design, marketing, Social Media, kitchen operations, chefs, HR, admin, and front of house training in food and beverages.
Cowboys and Cooks consists of a number of restaurant brands:
#. Cowboys & Cooks will open in Stellenbosch, with a second branch planned too. It will become a meat eatery, with a Gentleman’s Club feel and interior design.
#. Cabron is a Tex Mex restaurant, the Bree Street and Durbanville branches open already, and a further branch planned for Harfield Village. The branding and design work will be completed by the end of October. (photograph below right)
#. The Backyard BBQ is a ‘Lo and Slow’ Kitchen smoking diner, with a number of branches planned.
# Viva is a Tex Mex restaurant too, in Kenilworth.
#. Slug & Lettuce is a Gastro Pub, with six existing branches in Long Street, Newlands, the River Club, Century City, Paarl, and Durbanville. A major rejuvenation project is to commence in Durbanville, with new menus and a new brand image rolling out at all the branches.
# Primi Piatti prides itself on being the best Italian Pizza and Pasta restaurant group in South Africa, and has 18 outlets. Cowboys & Cooks has just bought a 50% share in this restaurant collection.
Given the design of the planned restaurants, and the operational strength of Bailey, the Cowboys and Cooks restaurant group and its restaurant brands are sure to do well, and to make a strong impact on the local restaurant industry. It is likely that further restaurants will be added to the fast growing restaurant group.
Cowboys & Cooks, Cape Town. Cell 072 118 0531.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein