The Great Turnabout: When the winemaker gets in the kitchen

Forget your usual dinner-and-wine pairing. Brookdale Estate is flipping the script.

On Thursday, 27 August 2026, The Bistro at Brookdale Estate in Paarl is hosting The Great Turnabout, a one-night-only Winemaker’s Dinner where the chef and winemaker swap jobs, because apparently, staying in your lane is overrated.

Chef Gary Coetzee is leaving the kitchen to present the wines, while winemaker Xander Sadie is trading the cellar for the stove. 

The result? An open-kitchen evening packed with Portuguese-inspired food, estate wines, stories, laughs and plenty of friendly chaos.

The concept is playful, but there’s serious craft behind it. The menu takes inspiration from Xander’s time working at Luis Seabra Vinhos in Portugal’s Douro Valley, with each course matched to Brookdale’s Mediterranean-inspired wines.

Setting the scene

Things kick off with Tabua de Pães: toasted baguette, sardines, Bacalhau fritters and marinated roasted red pepper, paired with Brookdale Sixteen Field Blend 2025.

Next comes Caldo Verde, a Portuguese potato-and-kale soup topped with grilled chorizo, paired with Brookdale Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024.

Then things get properly indulgent. Asado ao Forno de Peixe brings roasted line fish with Brookdale Bradbourne Estate Blend 2025, followed by Arroz de Pato, shredded duck and rice with French-oak-smoked duck breast, matched with Brookdale Grenache Noir 2025.

The savoury finale is Beef à Portuguesa: fillet of beef paired with Brookdale Twenty Field Blend 2025. Dessert gets the last word with Abade de Priscos, a rich caramel flan that sounds like exactly the ending this dinner deserves.

Good food, wine and company

Throughout the evening, Gary and Xander will swap stories, share wine and food insights, and indulge in some good-natured banter. Expect a few surprises too.

The intimate setup means seats are limited, so this isn’t one to leave in the “I’ll book later” pile.

More info:

• The Great Turnabout takes place on Thursday, 27 August 2026, at The Bistro at Brookdale. Tickets are R1,150 per person, including the wine pairing. Reservations are available via Dineplan.
• Want to make a proper night of it? Accommodation at the Manor House is available at R3,525 per person sharing, including breakfast. Also, read Time Out's review of their new Owners Lodge here

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