It’s no biggie if a winemaker leaves a winery for a continuity girl.  Karl Lambour may have left Constantia Glen last year, but most of his CG wine is still maturing in barrel and Karl will be Monarch of the Glen for many years to come as successive vintages get released.  Likewise, having played a major part in establishing an elegant estate style – which translates to decisions to plant vineyards and vinify and blend separate blocks – Karl’s size 12s will be reflected in the wines of his successor for a decade or more.  It’s not like that for chefs.  There is no larder full of meals at Central One at the Radisson Blu cooked by David Higgs that can be served when he’s taking his gap months in Namibia.

Which was the problem the Cape’s King of Cuisine, JP Rossouw, faced this week.  He had already shelled out R170 for pan-fried sea bass and dropped a further R130 before tip on lamb shoulder gnocchi with yuzu gel.  Perhaps the gel can be reused to keep his immaculate bolla spikey, but what to do with the review of a restaurant that has lost its chef.  Publish and be damned!  Which is what he did in Business Day today, covering his skinny posterior with the caveat “Central One would easily bear frequent visits without becoming dull, if it survives Higg’s departure.”  A big if, I would have thought.  It’s like recommending a Leonard Cohen concert after Leonard has be replaced by Rufus Wainwright.  Or my favourite emo of the moment, Mike Hadreas, or Perfume Genius, as he prefers to be called.

But Cape blogging triangles are sure to get excited by the second sentence in JP’s review: “in a recent twist, Higgs announced his departure last week, the causes as yet unknown.”  Hang on a seccie there, JP.  I thought Clare Mack got the Valentine’s Day scoop on Tuesday with her post on the juicy Spill food blog.  Seems she may have wrong-footed the Eat Out machine, who grumpily tweeted Tuesday: “just heard a rumour that David Higgs has resigned from Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel restaurant!  We’re currently verifying this… Stay tuned” but not JP, who knew about it last week but forgot to tweet!