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!
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