This afternoon the 2021 World’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S. Pellegrino and Aqua Panna, were celebrated in Antwerp, the first time since 2019. Noma in Copenhagen was announced as the number 1 restaurant in the world.
South Africa remains on the World’s 50 Best Restaurant List, despite The Test Kitchen having closed down last week. It represented our country on this List over the past few years. Wolfgat crept into the list at number 50 today, also winning Best Restaurant in Africa.
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.
In Singapore today The Test Kitchen moved from 50th position last year to number 44 on the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurant list, and was recognised as the Best in Africa. Mirazur in Menton was named the World’s 50 Best top restaurant, not without controversy surrounding a significant change in the rules regarding the top spot this year. The 18th ‘truly global’ ceremony of the Awards was women-dominated, to make up for their past under-representation. Continue reading →
On Friday I was lucky to bump into Chefs Rikku O’Donnchü and Warwick King in Camps Bay, the two rockstar chefs who masterminded and led Gäte Restaurant at Quoin Rock wine estate outside Stellenbosch until the end of March, and to spend time with them to obtain first details about what they have planned for their new restaurant. Continue reading →