Tomorrow night, dining spots across the nation will be on edge as the 2023 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards reveal the best of the best.
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The 2023 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards highlight the trailblazers who’ve etched their mark on South Africa’s diverse culinary landscape, and these winners will be announced at Grand West.
What makes this year unique is the all-female ensemble of chefs, including chefs Jackie Cameron, Eleanor Coetzee, Ronel de Jager, Megin Meikle, Motheba Makhetha, Charné Sampson, and Carla Schulze.
‘Each chef in this year’s all-female star lineup has reached the top of their game in the competitive restaurant industry,’ says Melissa Cumming, head of Eat Out.
‘Handpicked by our chief judge, Abigail Donnelly, each will bring her own unique style, adding up to a fabulous five-course food experience for 800 guests.’
In addition to the Eat Out Stars, this year will feature 14 Special Awards to highlight the chefs and restaurants who are making waves in the local food scene.
Eat Out will award three new Special Awards this year: the Eat Out Woolworths Trailblazer Award, the Eat Out Cacao Barry Dessert Award and the Eat Out Patron Mixology Award.
After four years, the Eat Out BIRKENSTOCK Chefs’ Chef Award will make a comeback to honour someone who is viewed as a source of inspiration and leadership within the restaurant community, as voted for by their peers.
Here are the nominees for the 2023 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards:
- Acid Food & Wine Bar (Randburg, Johannesburg)
- ARKESTE by Richard Carstens (Franschhoek)
- Belly of the Beast (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- beyond (Constantia, Cape Town)
- Cavalli Restaurant (Somerset West)
- Chefs Warehouse at Maison (Franschhoek)
- Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia (Constantia, Cape Town)
- CHORUS (Somerset West)
- Creation Wines Tasting Room (Hemel en Aarde, Hermanus)
- Dusk (Stellenbosch)
- Eike (Stellenbosch)
- ëlgr (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Epice (Franschhoek)
- FABER at Avondale (Paarl)
- Farro (Botrivier)
- Fermier (Pretoria)
- Foxcroft (Constantia, Cape Town)
- FYN (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Le coin Français (Franschhoek)
- La Colombe (Constantia, Cape Town)
- La Petite Colombe (Franschhoek)
- Les Créatifs Restaurant (Bryanston, Johannesburg)
- Madre Stanford (Stanford)
- Meraki by Charlie Lakin (Hillcrest, Durban)
- Nevermind (Cape St Francis)
- Orangerie at Le Lude (Franschhoek)
- Ouzeri (Cape Town)
- PIER (Cape Town)
- Post & Pepper (Stellenbosch)
- Protégé (Franschhoek)
- Proud Mary (Rosebank, Johannesburg)
- Restaurant Klein JAN (Tswalu, Northern Cape)
- Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch)
- Rykaart’s (Stellenbosch)
- Salon (Woodstock, Cape Town)
- Salsify at The Roundhouse (Camps Bay, Cape Town)
- Séjour (Houghton Estate, Johannesburg)
- Spek & Bone (Stellenbosch)
- The Table at De Meye (Stellenbosch)
- The Chefs’ Table (Umhlanga, Durban)
- The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira (Stellenbosch)
- The LivingRoom at Summerhill Estate (Pinetown, Durban)
- The Melting Pot (Elgin)
- The Pot Luck Club Cape Town
- The Pot Luck Club Johannesburg
- The Red Room by Chefs Warehouse (Cape Town)
- The Test Kitchen Fledgelings (Cape Town)
- The Waterside Restaurant (Cape Town)
- Upper Union (Cape Town)
- Wolfgat (Paternoster)
- Zioux (Sandton, Johannesburg)
Cumming says the star-rating format implemented for the first time last year has allowed for more inclusivity. ‘To be included on the star-rating shortlist, each restaurant has scored a minimum of 70 points. This is already a major achievement as the quality that we’ve come across in 2023 is exceptional.
‘The star-rating criteria include service, décor/ambience, the menu, how ingredients are used to convey your story, your techniques, execution, presentation, beverages, brand promise, perceived value, and overall consistency. It’s a comprehensive score card and over 90 restaurants were visited by the judges and rated on Eat Out’s online rating tool.’
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This year’s judging panel, in addition to chief judge Abigail Donnelly, includes chef Karen Dudley and food activist and cookbook author Mokgadi Itsweng, Woolworths Head of Product: Food Business Development Marisa Munroe, sommelier, wine judge and founder of Mosi Wines and Spirits Joseph Dhafana, and writer, publisher, editor and broadcast personality Herman Lensing.
‘It has been such an honour to work alongside such a diverse and experienced judging panel,’ says Donnelly. ‘Each of them has brought their own perspective, cultivated over decades, so this shortlist does represent the diversity of excellence that South African restaurants have to offer.
‘There are several new inclusions this year. They include restaurants in locations such as Randburg, Hillcrest, Pinetown, Tswalu and Cape St Francis. The judging has been far-ranging across the provinces to find the gems.’
Woolworths Food assumes the position of title sponsor for the second consecutive year. Zyda Rylands, Woolworths Food CEO, says the past few years ‘have presented unprecedented challenges which have been met with extraordinary innovation and determination by both chefs and restaurant owners.
‘We feel truly honoured to once again have the privilege of contributing to the acknowledgement, appreciation and celebration of culinary brilliance in South Africa.’
As per its rating system, restaurants that score 70 to 80 will receive one star, those that score 80 to 90 will receive two stars, and those that score more than 90 will receive three stars. Restaurant of the Year will be awarded to the establishment with the highest score.
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Picture: Jason Leung / Unsplash