Popular East London eatery Le Petit with its stolid fittings will vanish this week to be replaced with a fresh new concept – The Cow Shed.
East London chefs Adam Iverson, 31, and his wife, Zina, 29, can’t wait for liquidator Mike Timkoe to move out the fittings bought by alleged multi-million rand fraudster Henry Schreuder for his son, also Henry.
Le Petite, in a prime position halfway down Nahoon’s popular Beach Road, has history. It started in 1977 as a Swiss-styled fine-dining restaurant serving European expats and local families, but its famous flambé crocodile steaks took a dive when their Gauteng supplier fell into his own crocodile pen and was devoured.
Last year in May, the Schreuders bought Le Petit from Llewellyn Thatcher for a purported R2.5-million, but the true price of R1.3-million was revealed in court papers last month when the Assets Forfeiture Unit (AFU) seized the business and its assets.
The AFU is busy taking down Schreuder senior, accusing him of using some of the R70-million allegedly stolen from his Wilsonia firm, Floorworx, to buy Le Petit with its artwork and silverware.
Although Schreuder’s estate was frozen and forfeited to the state, the restaurant was allowed to carry on operating in terms of a preservation order.
Last month Grahamstown Judge Gerald Bloem granted a further order to seize the restaurant assets.
A day after Le Petit closed, Henry Schreuder junior said he had tried his best but ran out of cash.
This week the owner of the building, chartered accountant Russell Seymour, said the younger Schreuder still owed him R200000 in rent.
To stem his losses Seymour, the owner of the Nahoon Arms nearby, said he needed a new tenant with a different concept, which he got from the Iversons. He chose them out of 18 proposals, calling Iverson “the best chef in South Africa”.
The Iversons said the Cow Shed, billed to start at the end of the first week of July, would be an upmarket venue serving the “best cuts of meat”, with vegetables and good wines.
Their adjoining pub, which will be closed off from the restaurant, will become The Milk Shed, offering couches, games and a “chilled lounge atmosphere”. – mikel@dispatch.co.za
Le Petit to head into Cow Shed
East London chefs Adam Iverson, 31, and his wife, Zina, 29, can’t wait for liquidator Mike Timkoe to move out the fittings bought by alleged multi-million rand fraudster Henry Schreuder for his son, also Henry.
Le Petite, in a prime position halfway down Nahoon’s popular Beach Road, has history. It started in 1977 as a Swiss-styled fine-dining restaurant serving European expats and local families, but its famous flambé crocodile steaks took a dive when their Gauteng supplier fell into his own crocodile pen and was devoured.
Last year in May, the Schreuders bought Le Petit from Llewellyn Thatcher for a purported R2.5-million, but the true price of R1.3-million was revealed in court papers last month when the Assets Forfeiture Unit (AFU) seized the business and its assets.
The AFU is busy taking down Schreuder senior, accusing him of using some of the R70-million allegedly stolen from his Wilsonia firm, Floorworx, to buy Le Petit with its artwork and silverware.
Although Schreuder’s estate was frozen and forfeited to the state, the restaurant was allowed to carry on operating in terms of a preservation order.
Last month Grahamstown Judge Gerald Bloem granted a further order to seize the restaurant assets.
A day after Le Petit closed, Henry Schreuder junior said he had tried his best but ran out of cash.
This week the owner of the building, chartered accountant Russell Seymour, said the younger Schreuder still owed him R200000 in rent.
To stem his losses Seymour, the owner of the Nahoon Arms nearby, said he needed a new tenant with a different concept, which he got from the Iversons. He chose them out of 18 proposals, calling Iverson “the best chef in South Africa”.
The Iversons said the Cow Shed, billed to start at the end of the first week of July, would be an upmarket venue serving the “best cuts of meat”, with vegetables and good wines.
Their adjoining pub, which will be closed off from the restaurant, will become The Milk Shed, offering couches, games and a “chilled lounge atmosphere”. – mikel@dispatch.co.za
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