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South Africa's culinary hot shots assembled in Cape Town last night for the announcement of 2018 Eat Out Mercedes Benz Restaurant Awards sponsored by Acqua Panna and S.Pellegrino, to witness a new no.1 restaurant making it to the top spot this year.
The Restaurant at Waterkloof , a biodynamic wine farm in Somerset West, was crowned best restaurant in South Africa, finally toppling The Test Kitchen from its throne, following a 6-year reign.
Speaking of the win, jubilant head chef Gregory Czarnecki, also awarded S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna the Chef of the Year at the South African Eat Out Awards, 2016, said “We cook for pleasure and we cook to fulfil our passion and to get recognised for it is an amazing feeling. I am truly proud of the team and what they were able to achieve. It’s just incredible.”
In other awards, this year's Eat Out S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna Chef of the Year went to Kobus van der Merwe, from Wolfgat (Paternoster), a tiny cottage and 20 seater restaurant sat on the west coast of South Africa serving a largely foraged menu.
See the full list and all the individual award winners below:
The Top 10 restaurants
1. The Restaurant at Waterkloof (Somerset West)
2. The Test Kitchen (Woodstock, Cape Town)
3. La Colombe (Constantia, Cape Town)
4. Wolfgat (Paternoster)
5. La Petite Colombe (Franschhoek)
6. Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenort (Constantia, Cape Town)
7. Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient (Elandsfontein, Pretoria)
8. Camphors at Vergelegen (Somerset West)
9. Jardine Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
10. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Constantia, Cape Town)
The extended 11 to 20 list:
11. Fermier Restaurant (Die Wilgers, Pretoria)
12. Jordan Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
13. Foliage (Franschhoek)
14. Le Coin Français (Franschhoek)
15. The Chefs' Table (Umhlanga, Durban)
16. Chefs Warehouse at Maison (Franschhoek)
17. La Tête (City Bowl, Cape Town)
18. Overture (Stellenbosch)
19. The Shortmarket Club (City Bowl, Cape Town)
20. The Pot Luck Club (Woodstock, Cape Town)
Eat Out Awards
Eat Out S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna Chef of the Year: Kobus van der Merwe, Wolfgat (Paternoster)
Eat Out Diners Club Award for Service Excellence: The Test Kitchen (Woodstock, Cape Town)
Eat Out Retail Capital Best New Restaurant: Janse & Co (Gardens, Cape Town)
Eat Out Graham Beck Chefs’ Chef Award: Chris Erasmus, Foliage (Franschhoek) and Ivor Jones, Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Constantia, Cape Town)
Eat Out Nederburg Rising Star: Candice Philip, Grei (Sandhurst, Johannesburg)
Eat Out Woolworths Sustainability Award: The Werf Restaurant at Boschendal (Franschhoek)
Eat Out VISI Style Award: Saint Restaurant (Sandton, Johannesburg)
Eat Out Wine Service Award: Moses Magwaza, Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient (Elandsfontein, Pretoria)
Eat Out John Psillos Award for Outstanding Contribution to Service: Germain Lehodey
Eat Out Lannice Snyman Lifetime Achievement Award: Abigail Donnelly
Woolworths TASTE Eat Out Bursary: Thapelo Tsotsetsi
