SOUTH AFRICA’S RESTAURANT PLATE RATINGS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023
The 2023 JHP Gourmet Guide™, for the first time a digital edition, was launched at an event at Makers Landing in the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, on Monday 31 October. This gave the entrepreneurs in the incubation hub the opportunity of feeding the country’s finest chefs. The guide, which showcases the best fine-dining establishments all over SA, celebrates and rewards excellence in the industry and is highly respected for its authenticity and credibility. It is the first restaurant rating system in South Africa that equates to global standards with international benchmarking.
After publishing a series of annual, award-winning printed guides, culinary travelers can now have their appetites whet by reading the stories of these talented chefs before planning their visit to SA. Dineplan, the restaurant booking app, will dispatch the free guide to 500 000 diners on 1 November.
Premium restaurants, 36 in total, received their Plate Ratings at the ceremony. Iconic chefs were recognised for their contribution to future-proofing an industry that is being re-energized in time for what they believe will be a fruitful season. One plate is awarded for excellent cuisine, two for exceptional dining that demands a detour, and three plates for world-class destination dining worthy of a flight. As consistency forms an integral part of expansive criteria, no new restaurant receives three plates initially.
THREE PLATES
Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia
FYN
Indochine
La Colombe
La Petite Colombe
TWO PLATES
Basalt
Beyond
Chefs Warehouse Maison
Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic
Epice
Klein JAN
Le coin Français
Les Créatifs
PIER Restaurant
Rust en Vrede
Salsify
The Pot Luck Club
The Test Kitchen Carbon
Wolfgat
ONE PLATE
Aubergine
Belly of the Beast
Cavalli
Clara’s Barn
Eike
Faber
Fermier
Gåte
Nobu
Qunu
Séjour
The Chefs’ Table
The LivingRoom
The Tasting Room at Creation
The Test Kitchen Fledgelings
The Waterside
Tokara
HAUTE PERFORMANCE AWARDS
Six Haute Performance awards were bestowed on deserving icons in the industry for their part in future-building the industry.
Pillar – Harald Bresselschmidt of Aubergine
Pivot – Luke Dale Roberts of The Test Kitchen Carbon and The Test Kitchen Fledgelings
Pioneer – Mmbatho Molefi of Emazulwini Restaurant
Provenance – Allistaire Lawrence of The Werf
Proficiency – Peter Tempelhof, Ashley Moss and Jennifer Hugé of FYN
The inaugural Wesgro Purpose and Passion Award was given to Sense of Taste Chef School. It’s more than a cookery school, it’s a platform where students learn skills as chefs and restaurateurs plus experience how a restaurant should contribute to a community. The school received a brand and media training programme for their students and awarded a ‘Future in Food’ mentorship to a student at the school from JHP. Committed to strengthening the industry, this will include an internship, personal brand strategy, media training and a six-month food-writing course.
Curator and author of the guide, Jenny Handley, holds formal qualifications in food and nutrition and owns a brand performance business. Handley is the author of three best-selling books which centre on cultivating inspiration and empowerment among people in business. “Of the many skills learnt during their studies, leading a diverse team, managing a media interview, creating a personal brand and myriad other soft skills, may be overlooked in preference of technical skills. The research and experience gleaned while writing three of my business books, Raise your Game©, Raise your Profile and Raise your Leaders™, will be shared during this tenure,” says Handley.
COMMITTED TO THE INDUSTRY
In an optimistic address to the chefs, Handley thanked them for their talent and tenacity, and encouraged them to collaborate in building a new foundation for the industry. “By working closely together, sharing skills, inspiration and resources, we will remain resolute and resilient and be able to face whatever challenges come our way.” Handley also thanked their partners Dineplan, Wesgro and Mervyn Gers Ceramics, exclusive creator of the hand-crafted plates and trophies.
HISTORY OF THE GUIDE AND AWARDS
The Plate Rating, South Africa’s original, respected restaurant rating was implemented in 2016, the first of its kind in this country. Global benchmarking and final, announced reviews by qualified and trained evaluators after anonymous visits, have remained consistent. The 2018 guide represented South Africa in the international Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and was awarded with ‘Best in the World’. The 2019 guide represented SA in the Culinary Travel/Tourism category. The JHP Gourmet Guide was awarded the ‘Restaurant Platform of the Year’ accolade in the Prestige Awards’ South African category by UK-based company, Corporate LiveWire.
DINE, WINE AND TRAVEL
The guide is available to locals and internationals, for free, to savour, to get to know the chefs and entice tastebuds globally. Visit www.gourmetguide.co.za.
