Gourmet food, wine and networking were the order of the day at the Gourmet Restaurant Awards on Thursday, 18 October at Life Grande Café at Waterfall Corner.
The mouth-watering awards in partnership with Whirlpool and Waterfall Corner serve to honour the most talented establishments and individuals who have made an impact in the culinary industry.
Hosted by PR Maven and personality Jarred Doyle, the afternoon soiree was full of elegance, fun and a handful of South African celebrities, including actress Tema Sebopedi, TV personality Chris Jaftha and Internet sensation Lasizwe to mention a few.
In line with the order of the day, guests were treated to wine and an array of cuisines including luxurious sushi, prawns, 90-day aged steak, Greek roasted potatoes and more.
Big Winners of the day were Irene and Gary Kyriacou, owners of Sandton-based Italian eatery Saint who walked away with the coveted Restaurant of The Year Award.
Other eateries that walked away with the Condé Nast nod include Johannesburg-based Bellagio, Cape Town-based Between Us and Durban-based Bel Punto.
Chef Candice Philip of the recently relaunched Grei at The Saxon Hotel won the Young Chef Award while Chef Coco Reinharz of Epicure walked away with the Modern African award for the contemporary take on African cuisine offered at the restaurant.
Philippe van der Merwe and Greg Gamble of Tonic design reigned victorious in the design category for their interior décor of Sandton’s The Course.
Guests in attendance were treated to a goodie bag with a range of gifts from Healing Earth, kitchen accessories from Whirlpool and the latest issue of Condé Nast House and Garden.
A beautiful, sunny day filled with wine, music, conversation, food and amazing people – now, that’s rocking, real and relevant.
