KASHEW RESTAURANT AT JOHANNESBURG’S CATALYST HOTEL PARTNERS WITH UPSTART GALLERIES TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS

South Africa, Johannesburg, 28 March 2022; THE Catalyst Hotel in the heart of Sandton, Johannesburg has been open for just six months and its eatery, Kashew Restaurant, has become a popular destination not only for its delicious food and relaxing outdoor deck, but for its ever-changing, intriguing art collection.

“The art is really one of our big attractions at Kashew Restaurant,” says Robert Chifunyise, the GM of The Catalyst Hotel. “The space works as an ever-changing gallery,” he says, as he gestures towards the walls surrounding the tables and the entrance hall.

The decor and design of the hotel evoke a sense of understated elegance that appeals to both business and leisure travellers alike, but, really, allows the art adorning the walls to be the shining stars of the space. From the minute guests walk through reception, an array of spectacular pieces, across multiple mediums, feature on the walls on the ground floor of The Catalyst Hotel, guiding guests through to the restaurant and conference rooms.

Expect to find works by Jibril Linjoum Achu – who hails from Cameroon and sold his first painting at age seven; exquisite paintings by Teboho Makoatsa, who says “I engage a personal expression of solid marks and living imagery to express the beauty and innocence of everyday life in South Africa”; and beautiful pieces by Treatwell Mnisi – who says of his work: “I apply impressionistic marks on a surface, to create an image.”

“upstART galleries is fortunate to be able to partner with Kashew restaurant in showcasing up-and-coming talent. The restaurant provides the perfect environment for our gallery to gain exposure in a trendy and popular space,” says Jaclyn Ellert, director. upstART Galleries is the result of a joint initiative between White Hall Venture Capital Company (WHVCC) and expert art curators, who source artworks from local artists.

“The passion of our team, and the excitement and enthusiasm of the artists, has created something remarkable,” says Jaclyn. “upstART galleries began as a project to assess the viability of a business that empowers emerging artists, to bring new South African art to the market,” she explains. “The exploratory process yielded a resounding conclusion: where there is passion, there is potential.” Currently, upstART Galleries supports multiple artists on a monthly basis, offering both financial and business guidance as well as exposure of their works at The Catalyst Hotel.

“We are constantly meeting with new artists, procuring new work and developing long-term strategies in order to offer desirable works to our clients, at affordable prices,” explains Jaclyn. A portion of each sale is redistributed towards the upliftment of the South African art industry.

Guests can enjoy viewing these spectacular pieces while dining on on the wholesome and hearty, yet sophisticated menu, featuring favourites such as the Kung Pow Salmon Poke Bowl, with pickled ginger, crispy fried onions, purple Asian slaw, wasabi kewpie mayonnaise and baby shoots or the popular 28-day Aged Sirloin with roast marrow bones, brandy sauce poivre and hand-cut fries.

Guests can expect to find the occasional “special” off the main All-Day Dining Menu, which has been newly updated to include the Pan-fried Mozambique Prawn Pasta, with rich tomato chilli linguine, lime, fresh dill, Parmesan lashings and rocket.

Kashew Restaurant offers a beautiful deck and swimming pool, surrounded by an oasis of greenery and makes for the perfect spot for sundowners and post-work cocktails. The restaurant also features an elegant bar, which plays host to events, including gin evenings and, occasionally, live music.

Currently, the team at The Catalyst Hotel are also working on a new conferencing offering and set of menus for what Robert refers to as “Intimate Conferencing”. “No one in Sandton can give the level of attention to a conference that we can,” he explains. “We have a proper restaurant, with a real focus on food, as opposed to being just a hotel who offers food and conferences. We can offer our corporate and conference guests a food experience like no other,” says Robert.

For bookings and enquiries please visit www.newmarkhotels.com, email reservations@newmarkhotels.com or call +27 21 427 5900

More About The Catalyst

Located in the heart of Sandton, The Catalyst Hotel enjoys a prominent location – just 700m from the Gautrain station – in this upscale business and leisure district. Offering premium facilities for conferences, meetings and executive retreats, this grandiose hotel, set in South Africa’s golden entrepreneurial mile, is less than five minutes’ drive from Sandton City and ensures seamless connections to various parts of Johannesburg and O.R. Tambo International Airport. In addition to superior service, The Catalyst Hotel features 206 lavishly appointed rooms, replete with deluxe bathroom finishes and top-class, in-room conveniences.

About NEWMARK Hotels & Reserves

With a heritage spanning two dynamic decades, NEWMARK Hotels & Reserves provides extensive experience in managing prestigious and distinctive properties matched by its passion to assist owners realise their business goals. This is made possible by a highly focused, motivated and skilled executive team, led by industry visionary, Neil Markovitz. The team’s collaborative proficiency enables the company to offer a comprehensive range of hospitality management services, specially tailored to suit each property. Newmark’s forté lies in identifying the unique attributes of each property and bringing these to the marketplace’s attention through a bespoke, tailor-made model.  This dynamic company’s singular approach, which involves first establishing solid infrastructure before pursuing other goals, has driven its success.

The company’s portfolio includes a curated collection of luxury hotels, reserves and lodges in South Africa, East Africa including Zanzibar as well as Mauritius.  NEWMARK’s portfolio includes the Cape Town signature addresses of the Victoria & Alfred Hotel, the deluxe Dock House Boutique Hotel, the five-star Queen Victoria Hotel & Manor House, the Onyx Boutique Hotel and the Rockefeller Hotel, both on the city’s Foreshore. Further into South Africa’s interior, the collection includes the Eastern Cape’s historic Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet as well as the nearby and legendary Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve. Motswari Private Game Reserve in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and the Nkomazi Private Game Reserve in Mpumalanga complete the lodge and reserve collection. NEWMARK recently cemented a presence in South Africa’s financial capital, Johannesburg, with the launch of The Catalyst Hotel situated in Sandton.

NEWMARK has most recently opened The Winchester Hotel on Cape Town’s sunset strip, Beach Road.

Beyond South Africa’s borders, NEWMARK represents and manages the boutique hotels of La Maison d’Été in Mauritius and Chuini Zanzibar Beach Lodge.

Current new projects include the much anticipated Blue Amber property development on an idyllic tranche of Zanzibar’s sunwashed coastline that encompasses the beach chic Shirazi Resort & Villas; set to open in early 2024.

www.newmarkhotels.com.

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