Dining at Restaurant Jan has been on my bucket list since it opened nine years ago, and my return as chief judge at the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards means my dream has finally come true. I was over the moon when Michelinstar chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen agreed to join the judging panel. He is a locally and internationally celebrated chef, and I wanted to see for myself how he brings his unique South African philosophy to French diners.
The names of the judges are always top secret until the last minute, so my trip to Nice to interview him on video for the big reveal had to be undercover no Instagram posts allowed!
My nerves were finished by the time the Uber dropped me at the entrance to a narrow lane in Old Nice with just three minutes to spare. I had no idea which way to walk, so took a deep breath and turned left. And there she was. A vintage red Fiat with a group of good-looking men taking selfies around her. I'd reached my destination - Jan Hendrik's car, Rosie, is almost as famous as he is!
Esta historia es de la edición July/August 2022 de Woolworths TASTE.
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Esta historia es de la edición July/August 2022 de Woolworths TASTE.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Award-winning Food: Trending Plates
Fine-dining takes on both nostalgic and African ingredients - from Cremora and polony (yes!) to okra and beetroot - were food trends singled out by the judges of the 2022 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards.
Everything you need to know about quinoa
If it was good enough to sustain the Incan armies - and NASA's astronauts - you'd better believe this protein-rich seed will see you through your afternoon slump.
PIGS IN BLANKETS
The kids will love these quick-and-easy snacks that won't break the (piggy) bank.
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THE FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ is the hottest way to keep cool this summer, says Jeanne Calitz.
MEET ME AT THE RIVER
Plan a visit to the new Mukwa River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi to experience Zambian food with a twist, courtesy of head cook Aaron Menezes and four passionate members of his kitchen team.
FIRE STARTER
Celeb TV chef Clem Pedro - of Afternoon Express and Expresso fame takes the art of hosting to pro level and not because he went to hotel school or worked for TASTE, but because he started in his mom's kitchen. We asked him to share his food nerd roots and family braai secrets.
PLANTS IN PARADISE
Former Durban creative (and one-time carnivore) Neil Roake and his daughter Jordan's epic travels led them to collaborate on the all veg cookbook Castaway. They shared their meat-free adventures on the Filipino island of Siargao with TASTE.
ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ
Midsummer tomatoes are impossible to resist, we know. So when you find yourself with a bounty of exotic varieties - heirlooms, Italian Romas, ripe Mediterraneans and sweet Rosalinis - Hannah Lewry is here to help.
HOME TRUTHS
At her Joburg eatery, established in the iconic former Women's Jail at Constitution Hill, Mpho Phalane has worked to create a space that both honours the historic site and feels like home. She spoke to Khanya Mzongwana about the food journey that brought her here.
Morogo magic
Budget-friendly indigenous leafy greens - fresh, sautéed or preserved for later use are on Mokgadi Itsweng's menu at this time of year.
