In a culinary heaven where macaroons grew on trees and bread was served with custom-carved butter sculptures, the restaurant and foodie community eagerly watched as South Africa’s newest Top 10 restaurants were announced, along with the Chef of the Year and a host of other awards. The Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards took place on Sunday, 10 November 2013 at a gala ceremony held at The Lookout at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
One of this year’s highlights was the re-entry of highly acclaimed chef, David Higgs, into the Top 10 with his new Johannesburg restaurant, Five Hundred, as well as his reclamation of the title of Eat Out S. Pellegrino Chef of the Year. The last time David received an Eat Out award was in 2010. Heading up the kitchen at Stellenbosch’s Rust en Vrede at the time, he walked away with the Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, and the Service Excellence awards.
Other new entries into the Top 10 include Camphors at Vergelegen and Pierneef à La Motte; and for the second year in a row, the title of South Africa’s Restaurant of the Year went to The Test Kitchen in Cape Town.
This year also saw the introduction of two new accolades as part of the restaurant awards. The Rising Star Award recognises promising talent in the industry; and the Wine Service Award acknowledges the top sommelier in the country.
Here are the winners of the 2013 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards:
The Top 10 restaurants for 2013:
1. The Test Kitchen
2. Five Hundred
3. Rust en Vrede
4. The Greenhouse
5. Hartford House
6. Jordan Restaurant
7. Overture
8. Camphors at Vergelegen
9. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français
10. Pierneef à La Motte
Get to know the Top 10 a little more with these great 1 minute video clips by Eat Out!
Restaurant of the Year: The Test Kitchen
Eat Out S. Pellegrino Chef of the Year: David Higgs, Five Hundred
Service Excellence: Rust en Vrede
Best Asian Restaurant: Kitima
Best Bistro: The Leopard
Best Country-Style Restaurant: Towerbosch
Best Italian Restaurant: Burrata
Jacobsdal Best Steakhouse: Carne SA
Boschendal Style Award: The Pot Luck Club
The Lannice Snyman Lifetime Achievement Award in association with Paarl Media: Michael Olivier
Wine Service: Joakim Hansi Blackadder, Rust en Vrede
Rising Star: Vanessa Marx, Dear Me
Woolworths TASTE Eat Out Bursary: Amanda Manyatshe
Also revealed at the ceremony were the four anonymous South African-based judges, who worked alongside Eat Out editor and chief judge, Abigail Donnelly, to determine the winners. Garth Stroebel, Liam Tomlin, and Andy Fenner judged the Top 10, while Jenny Morris judged the “Best of” portion of the awards.
Says Donnelly, “To work with these respected people was a huge honour. Their honesty and enthusiasm was a fantastic support during the judging process. With their input, we have a phenomenal new Top 10.”
Aileen Lamb, General Manager of Eat Out, echoes Donnelly’s sentiments, “Our new judging process has been a phenomenal success. For the first time in Eat Out’s history we have audited results and a completely transparent process. And yes, an amazing group of winners!”
Follow @Eat_Out on Twitter and search #eatoutawards #dstvfood for commentary from the awards night.
On behalf of the team at LekkeSlaap, we’d like to congratulate all the winners and nominees on their outstanding achievement in the restaurant industry. We are excited to see such incredible food and service represented in South Africa!
Have you dined at any of these award winning restaurants? Tell us about your experience!
Main image is from The Test Kitchen
