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FANCOURT’S LA CANTINA RESTAURANT TAKES A FRESH, INTERACTIVE APPROACH TO ITALIAN DINING

Fancourt has launched the revamped La Cantina Restaurant on the estate, featuring informal, yet sophisticated, authentic Italian cuisine prepared by Italian chef Matteo Siliberti. 35-Year old Siliberti was born in Milan, and joined Fancourt as Chef de Cuisine from Cape Town’s famed restaurant 95 Keerom, where he was working as Sous Chef since his arrival in South Africa in 2010.
La Cantina’s inspiring dinner menu is paired with fresh new décor that reflects the rich colours and flavours of Italy. La Cantina, which means ‘The Cellar’ in Italian, is open for buffet breakfast, and a la carte dinner. The restaurant is family-friendly, also offering a Kiddies Menu. With a seating capacity of 258 diners, various seating options are available that include a pizza counter where children may build their own pizzas, an outdoor dining area, as well as a private dining room for bigger families or groups. The open kitchen invites diners to watch the team of chefs at work, allowing the delicious aromas to waft through the space to create an enticing sensory experience.
Designed by a joint team of architects Munnik Visser Abayili and interior designers, Design 360 of Cape Town, La Cantina’s interiors are imbued with modern lines, striking artworks and contemporary furniture complemented by elements of metal, glass and timber.

Chef Siliberti’s classic Italian fare displays a deliciously tasty twist to the tried and tested Mediterranean format, with revelatory new dishes celebrating a collection of modern Italian items with a common theme – fresh, healthy (low-fat, low cholesterol and natural ingredients), flavourful, and also familiar. With a penchant for simplicity, and cuisine that bursts with flavour, Siliberti says his vision is to establish La Cantina at the forefront of Italian dining in South Africa, and locally, to be the friendly neighbourhood restaurant of choice in the area.
La Cantina’s extensive dinner menu offers contemporary Italian dishes, as well as a selection of traditional choices. Diners may start their Italian culinary journey at the extensive Anti-Pasti table, which will change dependent on the availability of seasonal ingredients. Expect a selection of Italian cheeses, Italian cold meats, Polenta cheese fondue and fresh vegetables, as well as Bruscetta with fresh toppings of tomatoes, vegetables or salmon to stimulate the taste buds.
Siliberti’s passion for preparing flavourful dishes using raw ingredients is evident in his signature dishes, which include Raw beef and almonds with radicchio salad, celery and balsamic vinegar, as well as the Raw tuna with Pachino tomatoes and ginger.
La Cantina also boasts a hand-selected wine list, with an extensive choice of both South African and Italian wines, many of which are available by the glass, conveniently allowing for perfect food and wine matching with every course.
Chef Siliberti boasts a distinguished international career that has taken him around the world, where he cooked at various top grade establishments, from the start of his career at the St James Club Luxury Collection in Paris in 2000, after completion of his Science of Nutrition diploma at the state university in Milan. Recent positions include the Hotel Principe Di Davoia as part of the Dorchester Collection in Italy, In Frigerio restaurant in Como and Cantina di Manuela in Milan, Bruno James’ Café B in New York, as well as Café Milano at the Ritz

Carlton South Beach in Miami, that have earned him a reputation as one of the world’s foremost modern Italian dining specialists. Siliberti also opened two of his own restaurants, the Station Café in Milan, and the Court House in Byron Bay on the Gold Coast of Australia, both of which he still owns.
According to Murray Aitken, Hotel General Manager of Fancourt, with Chef Siliberti at the helm La Cantina offers an authentic, modern and elegant Italian dining experience with an informal atmosphere, attentive service and cuisine that strikes the perfect balance between tradition and innovation.
Situated across 613 hectares of lush countryside, Fancourt is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, and is the perfect leisure and lifestyle destination for families and individual travellers alike.