Terrarium in Cape Town: A Fine Mix of Art and Good Food

What used to be Dash restaurant at the Queen Victoria Hotel by Newmark Hotels & Reserves has transformed into Terrarium by head chef Chris Erasmus. 

Set in a five-star location at the V&A Waterfront, Terrarium offers a luxurious gastronomic experience with a refreshing visual dimension. Erasmus, known for his passion for foraging, has combined fine food with fine art to complement his restaurant with a sensory appeal that guests can savour. As an artist in his own right, crafting sumptuous and visually stunning dishes, he has decided to make visual art a prominent feature in the restaurant too.

As guests take in the surroundings, they can also enjoy live musical performances, from traditional folk and blues to contemporary, jukebox-style numbers played on the hotel’s grand piano.

Meet the Artists
Erasmus has partnered with Ilse Schermers, the owner and curator of IS Art Gallery in Stellenbosch, to bring art into Terrarium. The artists selected to display their work at Terrarium are all masters of their craft, with many of them having solo exhibitions both locally and abroad. 

Each artwork takes the viewer on a visual journey of creativity, colour, awe and introspection, in much the same way that Erasmus does with his culinary creations. Below are the featured artists at Terrarium:

Klara-Marié den Heijer
For Klara, painting is the bridge between the mind and matter. She is fascinated by strange objects and pigment creation, and her international experience shines through in her collection.

Kobus la Grange
The human form and identity are at the core of Kobus la Grange’s wood sculptures. His latest exhibition, Configuration, showcases his meticulous processes of carving, stacking and assembling wood fragments, adding colour and offcuts to create dynamic wooden forms.

Mari J Breedt
Mari’s work is inspired by natural landscapes such as the Waterkloof farm which she describes as a ‘natural fortress’. In her charcoal drawings, she captures the beauty and underlying menace of the African landscape.

Susan Grundlingh
Susan is an award-winning artist whose most recent works are stunning close-up paintings of nature, inspired by natural surroundings at her home in Gordon’s Bay and Klein Karoo.

Jaco van Schalkwyk
Jaco’s art explores the idea of the exotic and the symbolism of forests, delving beyond the surface to challenge common perceptions of paradise and utopia. His oil paintings depict the intricacies of wild natural landscapes through evocative colours and shadows. 

Henk Serfontein
Henk produces mixed media artworks exploring themes of memory, heritage, and the landscape as both physical and psychological space. He captures a sense of South African nostalgia through visual storytelling.

Ignite all your senses with a unique experience of fine art and farm-to-table gourmet food at Terrarium, located at Queen Victoria Hotel by Newmark Hotels & Reserves. View the menu or make your reservations here.