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FF- Cinw Ereunus Executive Chef at Tivoli It is amazing how a person's attitude to life and to their vocation can transform what for most people is simply just a job, into something unique and expressive. Tinus Pretorius is the Executive Chef at Tivoli, and he adds a wonderful vivacity to the restaurant, bringing a love for classical Italian and Mediterranean food onto an already impressive stage. (Tivoli has throughout its existence, which extends over forty years, maintained it's reputation as one of Johannesburg's most popular Italian Restaurants.) I think Tinus' secret is simple; his goal is to enrich every person's experience of life in the time that they spend at Tivoli. This is evident as a patron, when one visit's the restaurant, but I think it's true of all the staff at the restaurant, particularly those who ( ( he adds a wonderfut vivacity , ) to the restaurant... work under someone as highly motivated as Tinus. As a chef, naturally the food that is served is of primary importance, and this too is an area of excellence for Tinus. Any Chef that prepares good ltalian food will tell you that one has to understand and respect it's her- itage. ltalian food is not complex, but it takes a lot of care and experience to pre- pare it properly. Once the foundation is correctly laid, only then can changes be made and recipes developed. Besides being artistic, gregarious and extlemely adept in the kitchen, Tinus also has a passion for helping people; one of his projects is supporting the Kid's Haven through charity events at Tivoli. Staff devel- opment and community development are very important to Tinus. Tivoli is a worthwhile destination regard- less of its gastronomic genre; but it cer- tainly does ltalian Cuisine with panache. Their menu has a wide array of choices, with a selection of pastas, oven made pizzas, seafood, and an assortment of grills. I finally settled on Ravioli Torino, a delightful haloumi and mint ravioli in a crisp white wine and cream sauce. (The dish was an experience all on its own.) Tinus also offers a lovely specials menu, if you visit before the end of winter, be sure to see his Capocuoco lnverno Specialita. Marius Sullivan
