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Eat out awards winners 2011


At a glittering awards ceremony held at the Rotunda at the Bay Hotel, we announced the winners of the 2011 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards and the prestigious Top 10 restaurants.

Restaurants are judged on food, service and ambience, as well as other aspects that make or break the eating out experience. This year we also included a host of new categories, making these the most extensive culinary awards in South Africa. Without further ado, here are the winners:
 
Chef of the year: Luke Dale-Roberts
Restaurant of the year: The Greenhouse
Service Excellence Award: The Roundhouse
 
Best Bistro: Bizerca Bistro
Best Steakhouse: The Local Grill in Boksburg and Parktown North
Best Country Style Restaurant: The Table at De Meye
Best Asian Restaurant: Kitima
Best Italian Restaurant: 95 Keerom
The City Press ViP Sunday Breakfast Award: Salvation Café
The Lannice Snyman Lifetime Achievement Award, brought to you by Paarl Media: Garth Stroebel
The Boschendal Style Award: Makaron
Woolworths TASTE Bursary winner: Zahir Isaacs

Eat out top 10 2011


The Greenhouse The Greenhouse
International, African
The Greenhouse
Cape Town (Western Cape)
The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts
Tapas, Contemporary, Fusion
The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français  Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français 
Contemporary
Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français 
Franschhoek (Western Cape)
The Roundhouse  The Roundhouse 
Contemporary, French
The Roundhouse 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Overture Overture
Contemporary, Mediterranean, South African
Overture
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)
Terroir Terroir
Bistro, French
Terroir
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)
DW Eleven-13 DW Eleven-13
Contemporary, International
DW Eleven-13
Johannesburg (Gauteng)
Jordan Restaurant Jordan Restaurant
Bistro
Jordan Restaurant
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)
Nobu  Nobu 
Sushi, Japanese
Nobu 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
La Colombe  La Colombe 
Fusion, Asian, French
La Colombe 
Cape Town (Western Cape)

20 Nominees 2011


Azure Azure
Seafood, Grills, Contemporary, International, Mediterranean, South African
Azure
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Babel Babel
South African
Babel
Simondium (Western Cape)
Bosman's Restaurant  Bosman's Restaurant 
Contemporary, French
Bosman's Restaurant 
Paarl (Western Cape)
DW Eleven-13 DW Eleven-13
Contemporary, International
DW Eleven-13
Johannesburg (Gauteng)
The Restaurant at Grande Provence The Restaurant at Grande Provence
Contemporary, French, South African
The Restaurant at Grande Provence
Franschhoek (Western Cape)
The Greenhouse The Greenhouse
International, African
The Greenhouse
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Hartford House  Hartford House 
Fusion, International, French
Hartford House 
Mooi River (KwaZulu-Natal)
Jordan Restaurant Jordan Restaurant
Bistro
Jordan Restaurant
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)
La Colombe  La Colombe 
Fusion, Asian, French
La Colombe 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient
Contemporary
Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient
Pretoria (Gauteng)
Nobu  Nobu 
Sushi, Japanese
Nobu 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Overture Overture
Contemporary, Mediterranean, South African
Overture
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)
Pierneef à La Motte Pierneef à La Motte
Light meals, Grills, South African
Pierneef à La Motte
Franschhoek (Western Cape)
Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson
Contemporary, South African
Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Roots Roots
Contemporary, International
Roots
Krugersdorp (Gauteng)
The Roundhouse  The Roundhouse 
Contemporary, French
The Roundhouse 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français  Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français 
Contemporary
Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français 
Franschhoek (Western Cape)
Terroir Terroir
Bistro, French
Terroir
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)
The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts
Tapas, Contemporary, Fusion
The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts
Cape Town (Western Cape)
Tokara Tokara
Contemporary
Tokara
Stellenbosch (Western Cape)

2011 Judging


One judge – a multitude of voices

Our dedicated team of professional reviewers has sampled aperitifs, sipped soups and devoured desserts all across the country, to bring us reviews of the best restaurants in their area. Their knowledge and expertise have helped to inform judge Abigail Donnelly’s shortlist.
 
This year, we also felt it was about time to include the voices of our audience. Everything we do is informed by our network of national food critics, as well as our (very vocal) online users, who consistently deliver feedback about their dining adventures throughout the year. 
 
As such, with the input from the entire Eat Out community, Abigail Donnelly drew up a list of 20 nominees. Each nominee had to adhere to the following guidelines: 
 
• The establishment must have been open and 
operating since November 2010, i.e. for a full year.  
• The owners and chef should show an absolute 
passion for their business.
• Dedication to uplifting the industry should be displayed.
• Chefs should care about sourcing quality produce. 
• Consistency and excellence must shine through every aspect of the business. 
 
For months after drawing up the list, Abigail eats at each of these 20 restaurants. She scores them on food, service and ambience, taking into account a multitude of aspects that make the eating out experience a showstopper.

 

Judging criteria:
Restaurants must have been open, with the same head chef, for a period of one year to be eligible for the Top 10. They are judged on a scorecard out of 100, on the following criteria:

Food /70
Which includes:
Menu composition and seasonality /15 – choice, cooking techniques, dietary requirements, local ingredients, choice of fish, out-of-season ingredients
Presentation /15 – visual appeal, fits description, use of plate, garnishes
Taste /25 – execution of dish, balanced, flavours complimentary, texture
Wine /10 – choice, other beverages offered, staff knowledge, pairing and value for money
Value for money /5
 
Service /20 – reservation, arrival, staff attitude and knowledge, specials, wine matching, dietary requirements, extra mile, billing
Ambience /10 – comfort level, cleanliness, cutlery, music and bathrooms.
ABIGAIL DONNELLY is the editor of Eat Out and food editor of Woolworths TASTE. Her accolades include winning the Galliova Award for best food writer four times. Her free time is spent with husband Terry (who cooks every night) and their two boys Jack and Matthew.
 

Eat out review team 2011


Our dedicated team of reviewers has made their way through everything from the aperitif to dessert all across the country, to bring us news of the best restaurants in their area. This year, our reviewers are:

• Janine Walker
• Hennie Fisher
• Diane de Beer
• Frank Chemaly
• Tracy Gielink
• Annette Klinger
• Greg Landman
• Graham Howe
• Clifford & Maryke Roberts
• Dax Villanueva
• Andy Fenner
• Fiona McDonald
• Richard Holmes
• Charlotte Pregnolato
• Colette du Plessis
• Kate Ziervogel
• Shirley Jones
• Sue Maclennan
• Lisa van Aswegen

Boschendal Style Award

 
What defines a stylish restaurant?
 
The ambience of a restaurant needs to be taken into account when choosing where to eat. You need to feel that you belong. 
 
Stylish need not equal award-winning design. It is all about the different elements coming together to create an aesthetically stylish whole. Comfy chairs are a start, and so are the music and the lighting - all of which shouldn't be too hard or too soft. By the same t oken, good-looking crockery and well polished wine glasses should also be taken into consideration.
 
It's also about excelling in quality - a standard that fits snug in a particular style of restaurant, whether it offers a luxuriously rustic ambience or a beautiful 5 star view. Lastly, design is key - from glamorous to off-beat, classic elegance to sophisticated urban chic. 
 
In 2011, we announced a brand new award at the Eat Out Awards. The Boschendal Style Award recognises the most stylish restaurant in the country. In the past couple of months we've featured a host of nominees on our site, boasting everything from cutting edge contemporary design, to sumptuous vintage interiors. The winner of the Boschendal Style Award was announced at the 2012 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards on the 20th November. Without further ado, here is the winner, and the four runners up.
 
La Colombe  

2011 WINNER OF THE BOSCHENDAL STYLE AWARD AT THE EAT OUT DSTV FOOD NETWORK RESTAURANT AWARDS

Makaron
And the four runners up, in alphabetical order:
 

Babel                                        Hemelhuijs                               Kream                                       The Test Kitchen

DStv & Food Network, sponsors of the Eat Out Restaurant awards

Food Network is available 24/7 to all DStv Premium and Compact subscribers on Channel 185 and offers a combination of credible cooking, new culinary ideas and high-energy entertainment to inspire foodies and non-foodies alike.

Coming Up in June
This month Food Network goes Italian, with premiering episodes of Extra Virgin and loved episodes of Everyday Italian and Lidia's Italy.
Every Friday we will have Italian Nights: Friday 1st June at 20.10, Friday 8th June at 20.10, Friday 15th June at 18.30, Friday 22nd at 19.20, and Friday 29th at 18.30.
Our beloved Ina Garten will prepare Italian dishes (Barefoot Contessa), Debi and Gabriele (Extra Virgin) head to Tuscany, Guy (Guy's Big Bite) prepares pizza, plus three amazing new specials:
•    Giada's Italian Holiday:  Let Giada De Laurentiis take you on the ultimate trip to Italy! From Venice to Parma to Rome, let Giada be your guide to one of the world's most beautiful countries.
•    Pizza Outside the Box: When people think of pizza, no longer do they just picture cheese, sauce and pepperoni. Whether its mashed potatoes, sweet corn, clams, or even wild elk, new ingredients and even new techniques are being used to create one of the country's most popular and adored food. This special that showcases some of the most innovative pizza's across the United States.
•    Iron Chef America: Pizza Dough Battle: Italian cuisines reign supreme in kitchen stadium as Todd English challenges Iron Chef Batali to a Pizza Dough battle of incredible proportions

New Series/Programme Launches

Extra Virgin (s2) - New Series - from June 11th, every day at 08.55 and 14.20
Actress Debi Mazar and her husband, Gabriele Corcos, are back on our screens to share their passion for Tuscan food in the second season of Extra Virgin.

United Tastes of America (s1) - New Programme - from June 4th, every day at 10.10, 17.15, and 04.05
Brand new to Food Network, United Tastes of America sees food fanatic Jeffery Saad discover exactly what dishes get America’s taste buds tingling.

Coming Up in July
French Night: Friday 6th from 20.10 to 22.40
Join Ian Garten (Barefoot Contessa) while she goes back to basics on French food made easy.  Ina makes Jeffrey a French inspired meal based on bistro favourites barefoot style - simple easy and very delicious. On the menu Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette followed by Easy Sole Meuniere inspired by the local street markets of Paris then for dessert a an incredible to look and taste French Apple Tart. She will also prepare a Perfect French Dinner Party inspired by her trips to France. Paula (Paula Best Dishes) and Michael are reminiscing about their trip to Paris, and Melissa (Ten Dollar Diner) takes us on a French Bistro Bargain.

British Night: Friday 13th from 20.10 to 22.40
Andy (Andy Bates Street Feasts) will delve into the history of Britain’s most famous dishes and give them a modern ‘street food’ interpretation. Claire Sweeney and celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo (Gino vs Britain) tour Britain to test the country's finest amateur cooks, who think they can compete with professionals at the highest level. And Chopped has a British invasion! Four English chefs face off to see who will be headed back over the big pond with the big money.

Also coming to Food Network in July:
•    Unique Eats (s1) - New Programme - from 2nd, every day at 10:10 & 16:50. Repeat Wed at 21.00
•    Unique Sweets (s2) - New Season - from 16th, every day at 6.50, 13:30 & 18.05
•    Food(ography) (s1) - New Program - from 23rd, every day at 8.55, 14:20 & 17.15
•    Unique Eats (s2) - New Season - from 12th, every day at 10:10 & 16:50

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