There were no leopard skin underpants in sight at Michael de Pinna’s gourmet gathering. Instead, the wonderfully charismatic entertainer demonstrated the subtle artistry of food and friendship pairing

Michael de Pinna believes that “to gather around a table with friends is the best way to express friendship and community”. And gather they did. As the sun set, thespian stars and business luminaries sipped arrival aperitifs on the poolside deck of his Melrose North home in Johannesburg. Champagne sparkles set off a home replete with crystal chandeliers, Persian carpets and a gilded grand piano that Michael says “once belonged to a Korean concert pianist and makes Liberace seem understated”. The theatrical glamour of the guests and the interior decor were reflected in a table setting that was “modelled on Charlize Theron’s last Oscar dress, in which she was jewel bedecked and glorious in black lace with gold accents”.

The table was set up in a bespoke glass conservatory, which adjoins his hydrangea-laden, tree-lined garden and gives all the pleasure of eating in a garden without the anxiety of watching the weather. Surveying the candelabras and the cream rose centerpiece, longstanding friend Egoli celebrity David Vlok commented, “What we see here tonight is typical of Michael’s style. He is a master at producing simple, home-cooked, fresh flavours and then combining them with opulent table settings to create an ambience all his own.” As the aroma of Michael’s signature dish of lemon-infused, slow-roasted lamb wafted from the open-plan kitchen, four much-loved King Charles spaniels sniffed the air. Patting Leo, the most enthusiastic of the pooches, wedding dress importer and designer Anna Kordas observed, “Michael is like me; he loves to be involved in people’s happiest moments and whether it be dresses or dinners, to make people happy is a great privilege.” Tania Miles, his friend and business partner at Over the Top Events laughingly remarked, “He is a relentless, serial entertainer. He can’t help himself. He will invite you to what he calls ‘a quiet Sunday lunch’ and you get there to find 30 guests.”

Cabaret celebrity, Michael de Pinna (aka the ‘Yebo Gogo’ man for Vodacom), hosted the Baileys dinner party at his home, where TV personalities and Top Billing readers were treated to fine cuisine, accompanied by refreshing chocolate Martinis (choctinis), tastefully blended by Ryan Flynn.

The table decor was impressively light and elegant. The centerpiece was a blend of water with cream liqueur, and a path of fresh roses graced the perfectly-styled dining table. The menu was equally uncomplicated. Luciana Viljoen and Shaun Woolf put their culinary expertise together to stimulate guests' palates with various tasty treats. Crescent slices of avocado with salad were among the appetising starters, while succulent balsamic fillet steak was served with Parmesan mash potatoes as a main course.

Two leading South African personalities describe their visions for the ultimate decadent dining experience and where the perfect place to host it would be.

Edith Venter and Michael de Pinna share a passion for stylish entertaining. Their dream dining experience is somewhere between Marie Antoinette and Robinson Crusoe.

Over The Top Event decor and Design

Michael de Pinna comes from a show business and hotel family. He arrived in South Africa from London as a small boy when his father took over the then famous Edward Hotel in Durban and turned it into the first five star hotel in South Africa.

Michael studied dance and acting after deciding that he was not suited to the hotel business and appeared in shows all over London and the provinces. Michael became the Iraqi assassin in Egoli. Then Vodacom came along, and he became known as ‘Yebo Gogo’ or the ‘Vodacom man’. A new South African word was born and 14 years later he is still the Vodacom man.

Michael met Tania Miles at Edith Venter’s New Year’s Eve Party. Tania had started her own event decor company in Botswana and was in huge demand with all the embassies and particularly the president and his entourage. As her company strengthened she expanded into South Africa. Tania approached Michael to join her in partnership and their new company Over The Top was born.

Michael’s land of fantasy and paradise

I would have my event on the whitest beach in the world. That for me is the Seychelles.

My guests would be drawn from all walks of life. From Richard Branson to a bergie form Kaapstad. I would want Bedouin tents posing as the most luxurious apartments on earth.

I know Tania would decorate a table for about 20 people in blue and white with beautiful white chairs, plus crystal goblets, with sand laid out on the table and pebbles, adorned with the finest silver cutlery and crockery, and knowing her, a fountain of champagne would be present on the table itself. Candles for each guest, and personalised chocolates with their names inscribed to complete the touch in a magnificent box tied up with their own specially designed ribbons. A waiter for each guest would be behind the patron at all times to serve them whatever they desired.

In the bedrooms I would want my guests to have the best beds and bathrooms in the world; no expense would be spared. Men and women must feel like kings and queens privately in their bathrooms, and bathrobes. I would also insist on a TV per bathroom plus sofas on which to recover after bathing. There would certainly be a fridge housing Dom Perignon.

In the bedrooms I would like silks, satins, mirrors, heaters, air-conditioning and fridges – the best-stocked bar ever! A microwave, an oven, a butler to respond to me and my guests’ every need, 24 hours a day. And of course, a personal hairdresser and a hairdryer. Flowers galore to every guest’s taste! I would also require that all my friends be allowed to bring their pets to make them feel at home, and naturally the best vet available would be on 24-hour call.

Additionally, my favourite entertainer in the world would be present to make the evening unforgettable, Patti La Belle.

Naturally, the staff would be briefed on every personal entertainment, eating and drinking requirement of each guest.

Amongst the food on the menu there would be: Beluga caviar; oysters; crayfish; langoustine; Greek lamb (cooked for over 12 hours); prawn or seafood risotto; the most delectable simple pastas; electrifying curries; and best of all: scrambled eggs on toast with salmon and potato latkes.

My favourite chefs would have to be Luciana Viljoen and Shaun Woolf to spoil my guests rotten. Naturally the best wines, spirits and champagnes would accompany every culinary occasion at all times.

Now, on an island one would obviously need scuba gear, an instructor, boats, yachts and catamarans. Who could ask for more? Not me!

Michael de Pinna is a jack of many trades. His talents include singing, dancing, cooking, entertaining, decorating, organising events, doing voice-overs and far too many other things to list.

This charismatic entertainer, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, meets me at his Melrose North home dressed in white from head to toe. There’s no leopard print anything in sight, but he still sports his trademark ponytail, gathered at the nape of his neck.

After being suitably welcomed by Leo, Pandy, Googie and Paddington, the beloved King Charles spaniels Michael says are his kids, we settle into the custom-designed glass-enclosed patio for a chat.

Although Michael was born in London, he grew up all over the place as his father managed five-star hotels locally and overseas. “I was so lucky, because I saw and experienced the best of everything…fabulous gourmet food, beautiful and opulent décor, the best service…For a long time I believed that, unlike my father, I wasn’t born to serve, but it’s turned out to be just the opposite. From my days as a cruise ship director to my current venture into executive dining, the service industry is obviously in my blood.”

Over The Top

Michael’s latest career change came about after he met Tania Miles at a New Year’s Eve bash. The two got to know each other well and soon forged a firm friendship. Tania had lived in Botswana for three years when she ran her own executive dining business. When she suggested that she and Michael should start something similar here, it just seemed right, and Over The Top executive dining, décor and design was born.

“Our company’s been going for just over a year now and we’ve done some amazing private and corporate functions, including quite a few for Edith Venter.” Whether it’s a dinner, lunch or tea party, they’ll make sure the food is fabulous and the décor exquisite.” We can do the whole lot …from the invites and the RSVPs to the food, décor and entertainment.”

Because Michael loves cooking, he sometimes does some of the catering himself and even allows small functions to be held at his house. “My home is perfect for intimate functions because it’s very private. I usually use the patio for these as it’s enclosed by retractable glass doors, so you never have to worry about what the weather’s going to do. The setting is also beautiful.”

Michael de Pinna is recognised for his renowned cabarets and for the past couple of years, for his quirky character role in television's Vodacom advertising campaign. But this talented gentleman has far more skills up his sleeve than most realise. Having grown up surrounded by cuisine, the young man showed a keen interest in following in his father's footsteps. Mike, with a budding passion for cuisine, watched his father bring the first 5 star hotel to Durban. Prior to that, his father ran the Edward Hotel in 1955, and was an ex-GM of the Dorchester & the Grosvenor House Hotels in London. Mike's family moved between England and South Africa, fulfilling exciting and educational experiences that built Mike's love for catering into an executive dining business, run in collaboration with his partner, Tania Miles.

The two gourmets met at a function at socialite, Edith Venter's home. Tania had recently moved to Johannesburg from Botswana where she had co-ordinated & styled events. Thus the two skilled patrons of flavour joined heads and Over The Top was born. The executive dining, decor and design company took off. Between them, the pair offer a range of table settings, colours and themed meals that are highly successful and well met by both the corporate and private sectors. Mike identifies various herbs and Spices that no kitchen should be without including garlic, mixed herbs, rosemary, basil, walnut oil and paprika.

Michael de Pinna se Vodacom-Karakter in sy skraps tiervel-deurtrekker is ver verwyderd van sy ware self. Glo dit of nie, diè man het styl…

Hy is volksbesit. In sy tiervel-onderbroek het hy die afgelope twaalf jaar in die harte van Suid- Afrikaners gekruip… Maar, tuis in die hartjie van Melrose, Johannesburg sal jy Michael nie maklik in so ‘n eina-broekie soos in die selfoon advertensie kry nie.

Die eintlike Michael is ver verwyderd van sy advertensie-karakter wat gedurig aan die kortste end trek. Hy is inderwaarheid ‘n vernuftige sakeman en boonop kliphard aan die werk aan sy nuwe onthaal en vermaaklikheidsmaatskappy, Over The Top waarmee hy vele eksklusiewe onthale vir sy bekende klante reël.

Hy woon in ‘n swierige huis met blink teëls en reeds met die intrapslag besef mense dat die man van weelde hou. Die interieur skep ‘n ouwereldse gevoel met goud en donker hout terwyl die swaar gordyne met groot tossels weggebind word. In die sitkamer rond die swaar behangsel teen die plafon die prentjie tot die fynste besonderhede af end ie pragtige lig is net die kersie op die koek.

“Ek hou glad nie van opgaar nie,’’ bieg Michael gou. “Wat my betref is minder eintlik meer. Maar ek hou daarvan om moderne goed met antieke meubels te meng.’’

Hy het drie waardevolle antieke stukke by sy oupa geërf toe hy oorlede is – ‘n Victoriaanse tafeltjie met lampe en ‘n sklidery van Marllo. Sy oupa was ‘n antieke handelaar en daar is skilderye in Michael se huis wat uit die sestiende eeu dateer.

Die huis vloei reeds vanaf die voordeur tot reg na buite op die stoep. Die groot spieëls teen die mure skep ‘n weelderige gevoel en dit werk perfek saam met die wit-en-goue vleuelklavier.

In die ingangsportaal en in sy kantoor vertel die klomp foto’s die stories van die verhoog, teater end die kleurvolle lewe van diè kunstenaar. Sy pa was ook nie verniet in die hotelwese en sy ma (Nadia Dore) ‘n bekende Britse sangeres nie.

Michael vertel dat hy sy lewe lank net woonstelle gehuur het en altyd net van sy eie huis gedroom het. Hy het nooit ‘n tuin gehad nie, hoewel hy altyd een begeer het. Hy het in 1998 st eerste meenthuis in Melrose-Noord in Johannesburg gekoop, maar agtien maande later het Michael besef dat hy nie van die lae plafonne hou nie en boonop wou hy nie meer so in sy bure se asem leef nie.

Dit was tyd om te trek en nadat hy lank in byna elke woonbuurt in Johannesburg gesoek het, het hy eendag per abuis die huis, net ‘n klipgooi van sy meenthuis af, ontdek.

“Ek het onmiddelik van die atmosfeer in die huis gehou, hoewel ons kort daarna begin breek en bou het. Van die begin af het ek geweet ek wil ‘n masiewe groot buitestoep aanbou wat soos ‘n ekstra vertrek moet funskioneer. Dis hièr waar ek die meeste jolly parties hou.’’

Tania & I hard at work with our chef Shaun Woolf, auctioning off our beautifully decorated table for the Starfish Foundation.

Sun shines down on Table of Unity

DESPITE the rain pouring down in Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria, we enjoyed a last burst of sunshine last Sunday at the Table of Unity lunch. A long, long table set out in the grounds of the Union Buildings seated 450 people, and ran the length of the gardens. The theme of the day was love, peace and compassion, and representatives of the major faiths were invited to give their blessing. The tall and lovely Siphokazi sang four beautiful Afro-Soul songs about unity, peace and happiness together with hiphop singer Mpho.

All the Sheraton’s chefs combined to create the meal, together with Trevor Boyd (Angela Books’s ex-hubby). The tables were decked out by Michael de Pinna and Tania Miles from "Over The Top" event, decor and design.