For the third year running we are acknowledging female chefs heading up restaurant kitchens in Cape Town and the Winelands.
Started during Lockdown in 2020, as a celebration of Women’s Day, the Top 10 Women Chefs List highlights how few top restaurants have female chefs in their kitchens in general, and even fewer have women chefs heading up the restaurant kitchens.
We are grateful to Brenda Wilkinson of RIO LARGO Olive Estate for sponsoring a gift of its beautiful colourful Extra Virgin Olive Oil packs to our Top 10 Women Chefs. Continue reading →
I met Riana Andrews, Editor of SA Chef, at a recent function hosted by the Finnish Embassy in Pretoria, in Constantia. She expressed interest in writing a profile about me, and contracted Rebecca Bourhill, chef, blogger, and food writer, to do so for SA Chef magazine.
Today is a day of excitement as well as disappointment for restaurateurs, who have so looked forward to reopening their doors for a Sit-Down Service. The official reopening date is today, but sadly it appears that many restaurant doors will remain closed, restaurateurs citing the prohibition of serving alcohol with a meal, and this being the quietest time of the year for restaurants as the reasons why they will not reopen now, continuing with their Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection Service. 
I have written previously how the restaurant industry is suffering tremendously, both in being able to pay its bills due to lack of cash flow, and the responsibility it has to keep paying staff, receiving UIF payments for staff appearing to be a difficult process, understandable as every employer in the country is trying to keep head above water and therefore submitting claims. From wanting to jump in to prepare meals to deliver, and thereby keep some staff employed and some cash flowing, most restaurant were disappointed to discover that this was against the Lockdown Law. Yet a handful of chefs and food suppliers have managed to receive an Essential Service certificate, and are preparing food offerings, which they are delivering to clients’ homes or offering on a collection basis. Licensed alcohol-selling restaurants appear to be experiencing the biggest problems when it comes to food delivery permission, even though they do not offer alcohol delivery. 
Yesterday I published a post that focused on a number of leading South African chefs, in summarising what they are doing to maintain awareness for their restaurants, what they are posting, and how they are getting involved in helping their clients as well as the disadvantaged community. This Blogpost is a continuation of the story, focusing on the remaining restaurants which made the 2019 Eat Out Top 20 List. 
As a restaurant writer it is interesting to me to observe how our country’s leading chefs are coping with the Corona Virus lockdown. Ten out of ten to the chefs giving unselfishly to their communities. Less impressive are the chefs trying to raise monies for their staff or selling vouchers to cover their cash flows. Surprisingly few are using the captive audience of Lockdown diners to communicate with them! 
It would appear that there were no new restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands during April. Iconic restaurant The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français closed it doors at the end of April, after many years of operation under the guidance of Chef Margot Janse. We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.