Yesterday was International Women’s Day, and the Michelin Guide has paid tribute to the Top 16 Women Chefs in the world which own and head up the kitchens of one-, two-, and three-star Michelin Restaurants.
It is also a good opportunity to pay a final tribute to our country’s only Top 10 Chef Chantel Dartnall, who is soon to close down her Restaurant Mosaic outside Pretoria.
Women Chefs have always been in the minority in general, but also at the top echelon of restaurant ownership.
Pierneef à La Motte has announced by media release that its Pastry Chef Michelle Theron has been appointed as its Chef de Cuisine from 1 May. Chef Michelle has been at La Motte since the opening of the restaurant in 2010.
Chef Michelle takes over the kitchen from Chef Chris Erasmus, who is opening his own restaurant Folliage in Franschhoek in July. Chef Chris leaves when the restaurant closes for its annual winter break on 15 June. He took Pierneef à La Motte to an Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant last year.
Chef Michelle was involved from the beginning in the research and recipe development for the ‘Cape Winelands Cuisine’ cook book. She is inspired by leading female chefs such as Chef Margot Janse from The Tasting Room, Chef Clare Smythe from Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and Chef Elena Arzak of Michelin-star restaurant Arzak. Continue reading →