Business Events Africa — September 2024

Chefs Warehouse launches Room 91

Liam Tomlin has just significantly upped the level of party and event catering with the launch of Room 91, a versatile selfcontained private events space at 91 Bree Street that serves Chefs Warehouse’s signature cuisine.

This means that event guests and corporate delegates can now enjoy globally inspired fare such as braised lamb rib with Persian-spiced tomato and lentil ragout, beef fillet, herbed roast chicken with stuffing, and spiced apricotglazed kingklip with mussels, along with a host of other flavour-packed dishes, instead of the ubiquitous beef, chicken or fish offering.

Liam, together with his wife Jan and David Schneider are partners in Room 91, an easily adaptable multi-level indooroutdoor space on the upper floor of 91 Bree Street, overlooking vibey and vibrant Bree Street, the CBD, and Signal Hill. Room 91 is a versatile blank canvas for many an occasion, from wedding receptions, anniversaries, and cocktail parties to corporate lunches, dinners, and year-end functions, award and gala celebrations, product launches, musical events, and even photography and film shoots.

“One of the things we’ve noticed after running restaurants in the CBD for so many years is that there is a dearth of versatile event spaces in town that serve great food and are not in hotels,” Liam said. “We had this wonderful indoor-outdoor space on the top floor of our building that we’d used for a few functions, and a strong contingent of highly professional management, kitchen, and front-of-house staff already on the premises. One day the penny dropped — it would be perfect as a designated space for occasions of any kind.”

Room 91 offers exciting, flavourful, and versatile contemporary menus, with cuisine of the same high quality and innovation as the group’s global tapas restaurants across Cape Town, regardless of whether it’s cocktails and canapés, a family-style feast or a set menu of lunch or dinner.

Spanning the second and top floor of the Tomlins’ beautifully restored historic building on Bree Street right in the centre of town, Room 91 sits atop restaurants Chefs Warehouse & Canteen and Merchant Bar & Grill, which opened in early August.

Accessible via its private entrance, it is a separate self-contained open-plan space with the functionality of different areas that can be staged in a variety of ways: as one large open space, or smaller areas for meetings, cocktails, and canapés, and seated luncheon or dinner. Room 91 can accommodate 200 pax for cocktails and 70 pax for seated luncheons and dinners.

The indoor space is split-level, with warm, muted colours, classic dark wood parquet floors, and dimmable LED lighting, to create a range of moods. The lower level has a marble-topped wooden bar, an elegant place for drinks service, with its generously stocked selection of premium drinks. It can easily be separated from the room, with a curtain. It has a demarcated stage area and facilities for large-screen TVs, and is ideal for meetings and gatherings.

The upper landing area has the same classic look and opens onto a large balcony via a long sliding door. The open balcony is an inviting plant-filled outdoor area connected to the city below. With beautiful views up and down Bree Street, and of nearby Signal Hill and Table Mountain, it places guests right in the middle of The Mother City, with its stunning mix of urban and natural glory.

The spaces of Chefs Warehouse & Canteen, Merchant Bar & Grill, and Room 91 are also available to book as a complete 91 Bree Street take-over, with an easy flow of access between all three venues. It’s the ideal city address for a signature knock-yoursocks-off event of up to 400 pax.

91 Bree Street is easily accessible from all parts of the Cape Town metropolitan area and has substantial parking on Riebeek Square Parking, across the street.