A burst of confetti at Cape Town’s GrandWest Grand Arena on Sunday, 19 November concluded the much-anticipated 2023 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards ceremony, where over 800 guests gathered to celebrate South Africa’s culinary excellence.
Embracing the star-rating system introduced in 2022, South Africa’s top restaurants were awarded with 3, 2 or 1 stars following a meticulous judging process led by chief judge Abigail Donnelly. The criteria spanned the entire spectrum of the dining experience – from decor and ambience to service, the wine list and the quality of the ingredients – with restaurants needing to score between 70 and 79 out of 100 to win 1 star, between 80 and 89 to win 2 stars, and over 90 to win 3 stars.
Donnelly says: “This year’s winners have demonstrated a seamless combination of consistency and quality, coupled with a commitment to progression and experimentation. We have seen the young and upcoming shine and the established legends generously imparting their wisdom, fostering a wonderful spirit of mentorship within the community.
“The celebrated establishments tonight have fearlessly articulated their visions, captivating guests with exciting ingredients, unique spaces, exquisite service and a sincere love of their craft.”
Eat Out brand custodian Aileen Lamb says: “Fifty-one restaurants were in that elite group of starred restaurants this year, an increase from last year’s 42 and testament to our restaurant industry continuing to evolve and ascend to new heights. What a privilege it was to eat out in 2023! Thank you to Abigail and her judging panel – Joseph Dhafana, Marisa Munroe, Mokgadi Itsweng, Herman Lensing and Karen Dudley – for their dedication to highlighting the best of the best and pushing the industry forward.”
SPECIAL AWARDS
In addition to the starred restaurants, 14 special awards were handed out to individual restaurants, chefs and food personalities.
Restaurant of the year
La Colombe in Constantia was awarded Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year, having attained the highest score of any restaurant in the country. The judges said: “La Colombe is an institution on South Africa’s fine-dining scene. It has been a consistent award winner, both locally and internationally, offering a menu that is executed with impeccable precision and attention to detail.”
Chef of the year
The Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Chef of the Year award went to Ryan Cole, the head chef and co-owner of Salsify at The Roundhouse in Camps Bay. The judges said: “Ryan demonstrates a high degree of creativity and displays a passion for driving the local food scene forward. This is a chef at the height of his powers.”
Cole’s peers agreed, awarding him the Eat Out Birkenstock Chefs’ Chef of the Year Award. All the star winners from 2022 were invited to vote, and this accolade not only acknowledges Cole’s culinary achievements but also underscores his role as a source of inspiration and leadership within the restaurant community.
The Eat Out Valpré Rising Star Award went to Anwar Abdullatief of The Happy Uncles in Salt River. The judges said: “Here we award a young chef doing amazing things in the restaurant industry. It’s recognising someone with a future-forward approach, someone who is innovative, breaking down barriers and exploring new ways of working with food.”
The remaining special award winners were:
Eat Out Woolworths Sustainability Award – The LivingRoom at Summerhill Estate (Pinetown, eThekwini)
Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Service Excellence Award – Meraki by Charlie Lakin (Hillcrest, eThekwini)
Eat Out Woolworths Wine Service Award – Bafana Zondo, Dusk (Stellenbosch)
Eat Out Lexus Style Award – Restaurant Klein JAN (Tswalu)
Eat Out Retail Capital Best New Restaurant Award – Boma on Bree (City Bowl, Cape Town)
Eat Out Highland Park Lannice Snyman Lifetime Achievement Award – Germain Lehodey
Eat Out Cacao Barry Dessert Award – Motheba Makhetha, The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira (Stellenbosch)
Eat Out Patrón Mixology Award – La Petite Colombe (Franschhoek)
Eat Out Lexus Best Destination Award – Wolfgat (Paternoster)
Eat Out Woolworths Trailblazer Award – Siba Mtongana, SIBA – The Restaurant (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town)
