CATEGORIES

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.

82 words on...

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.

At your service

While judging for the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards 2022, Anna Trapido gained respect for the X-factor that an excellent waiter brings to the dining experience.

Don't be chicken

An inexpensive dish of chicken and rice, inspired by the famous New York street food, reminds Sam Woulidge of the importance of trying something new and to keep nagging her son to do the same.

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

Who could tire of eating out in the French capital? Here's how to make the most of your time (and euros) with this guide to six of our best foodie finds in the city of love.

WINE: 10 great budget finds

Your January doesn't have to be entirely dry with these wines, including two great-value boxes, for under R130. Insider's tip: most of them are made exclusively for Woolies, says Michelle Coburn.

WOOLWORTHS FOOD HERO: Pièce de résistance

Many a day has been saved by a slice of WCafé's baked cheesecake. But did you know that you can pre-order* a whole cake for your next party/shower/dinner? Spread the love.

Fast times

Australia's most-loved home cook, Donna Hay, is back with a new book jam-packed with time-saving, flavour-forward recipes that will help you shake up your repertoire. We picked our favourite cake, pasta and curry from The Fast Five.

Dinner PLANS

Get your taco fix for breakfast (chilaquiles!), in a lunchbox (enchilada leftovers!) or supper any night of the week with Abigail Donnelly's build-your-own recipes.

HAPPY HOUR: Just add watermelon

Forget the fancy mixers and ignore TikTok trends - the MVP in your drinks arsenal is summer's best melon, says Jeanne Calitz

The last touch

A parting gift from friends who had become like family, these jam-filled cupcakes remind Sam Woulidge of the trans-continental bond that will last forever

Sabrina’s food

Who knew Persian food would be a thing? Not Sabrina Ghayour when an editor showed up to her London supper club. But almost a decade later, she’s published her sixth book, Persiana Everyday, and is changing dinner in households everywhere, including Kate Wilson’s own

SHANA TOVAH

Celebrate the Jewish new year (or just have a delicious) dinner party) with Phillippa Cheifitz's classy menu for eight starring traditional favourites with a bit of spring in their step

The family that bakes together...

Great SA Bake-Off alumnus Teddy Zaki turned his passion for pastry into an incredible family business that celebrates their Lebanese heritage

ΡΗΟΕΝΙΧ RISING

Chef Tyron Gentry is the man behind the pass at The Test Kitchen Carbon, newly opened in Johannesburg, where he's putting his own prodigious stamp on the menu

SWEETS & LIGHTS

Food and travel journalist Ishay Govender’s memories of the Festival of Lights go back to her childhood in Pietermaritzburg when her mother prepared the classic treats she has recreated here – some with a modern twist

WHAT MAKES SA'S BEST SHISA NYAMA?

An iconic mix of meat, music and community has earned Joburg's shisa nyamas pride of place as the best in the land. Thembalethu Zulu travelled from the north to the south to dig into three of the greatest

Michelin possible

TASTE food director Abigail Donnelly loves a secret mission, especially when it involves a trip to France to interview a top chef - and eating her fill of pissaladière and gelato

Bred in the bone

The smell of simmering bone broth always takes Mogau Seshoene back to winter school holidays, spent with her grandparents and cousins in rural Limpopo

"WE LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND"

Woolies' head office isn't just a nerve centre where many of the innovative products you find on shelf are created. It's also where culinary innovation manager Scott Parker and team are running a feeding scheme and training next-gen chefs

Tutto in famiglia

Owned by a family obsessed with quality food, Lello's in Cape Town is the kind of neighbourhood deli you'll wish you had around the corner in your neck of the woods

GET THE JUICE

Add a ray of sunshine to your winter bakes and savoury dishes with seasonal citrus in recipes such as Hannah Lewry's "impossible" flan cake, chargrilled pork with a zingy noodle salad, and poached fish with caramelised ClemenGolds