Nuus/News
TygerBurger Brackenfell Bladsy 6
Woensdag 16 November 2011
Taste, menu and service the key DESIREÉ RORKE
“Accessible restaurants remain the most popular ones, the ones who offer consistency and great food, the neighbourhood gems where you really feel like you belong.” So says Anelde Greeff, content director of Eat In Eat Out Restaurant Guide, who along with DSTV Food Network presents the annual Eat Out Restaurant Awards. This year’s ceremony takes place this coming Sunday at The Bay Hotel, and although 16 of this year’s 20 nominees are from Cape Town and surrounds, not one establishment from the northern suburbs of Cape Town will feature at this year’s awards. Anelde continues to explain how winning one of these awards could benefit a restaurant, and how a restaurant can enter the competition.
“The Eat Out DSTV Food Network Restaurant Awards celebrate the best of the South African restaurant industry, the chefs who prepare world-class dishes, the waitrons who are the face of the industry and the patrons who are hungry for new flavour-filled experiences,” she says adding that they aim to seek out restaurants that demonstrate genuine greatness, and thereby inspire the culinary industry to do their best. Restaurants can’t enter or nominate themselves. Eat In Eat Out editor and sole judge, Abigail Donnelly, receives input from a panel of professional reviewers across the country and restaurant customers that are able to submit reviews online. According to Anelde, input from both of these sources are taken into account before judging commences. “Once a restaurant has been nominated, or has won an award,
Anelde Greeff, content editor of the Eat In Eat Out Restaurant guide. they are extensively promoted in Eat Out’s annual magazine as well as on our website, and off course
celebrated and recognised by their peers. “Restaurants and their respective chefs can also, and often do, leverage these accolades in their own publicity and marketing efforts,” she says. “In previous years, we have seen how winning an award catapults chefs and restaurants solidly onto the foodie map. For example, Reuben Riffel was elected Chef of the Year in 2004 – an award that instantly turned him into a celebrity chef.” Anelde says the three most important things which makes a restaurant tops, are taste, menu composition and service. “While flavours and textures frequently command the most attention during a dining experience, it is the more subtle care taken with food that sets great restaurants apart from good restaurants,” she says. Abigail adds: “Taste is the emo-
tional component of a dish. “It is about caring, passion, dedication – an uplifting philosophy and consistency that shines through.” Each restaurant is scored out of a total of 100, on criteria such as menu composition, food presentation, taste, price value, wine choice, service and ambience. The 2011 dining experience, according to Anelde, saw an even bigger move towards provenance, foraging in kitchen gardens and new techniques. “Chefs are having fun and it translates onto the plate. “Traditional methods of curing, smoking and pickling are being rediscovered and the humble egg – from duck to quail – has been truffled, poached, preserved and even cooked sous-vide style,” she says. “Using quality ingredients and letting them be the hero on the plate, is what makes a dish really special.”
Spier wine farm’s annual Festival of White Lights on Friday evening 9 December at 20:00 includes a dazzling display of light and diverse collection of artistic performances choreographed by Jay Pather. The evening includes journeys across the grounds winding through Spier’s heritage Cape Dutch monuments which boast 21 Gables. It ends at the Spier Hotel with a free glass of 21 Gables Chenin Blanc or 21 Gables Pinotage for adults.
Cost is R120 for adults and R60 for children under 12 years. Book through Computicket by contacting 083 915 8000 or www.computicket.com. Visit www.spier.co.za for more information. wanteddesign.co.za
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