La Colombe at Constantia Uitsig in Cape Town has walked away with two prestigious 2008 Prudential Eat Out Restaurant Awards: Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year to chef Luke Dale-Roberts.

The awards are regarded as the oscars of the restaurant industry, and are judged by an esteemed panel that includes Eat Out's Editor Abigail Donnelly as well as restaurateur Dario De Angeli, director of the SA Chefs Association, Arnold Tanzer, and food alchemist Peter Goffe-Wood.

British-born and Swiss-trained chef, Dale-Roberts hopped from London to Sydney and back again before leaving for the Far East for four years where he conquered Singapore, Malaysia, Seoul and the Philippines. Most notably his launch of Shune in Seoul and his involvement with the Shunju group in Tokyo have strongly influenced the appreciation of nature in his food. He joined La Colombe as executive chef in November 2006, and over the past two years he has gently yet expertly stamped his personality on this establishment.

Topping a shortlist of 20 nominees, La Colombe was applauded by Donnelly. "La Colombe excelled on all levels of an award-winning restaurant. It's the complete and ultimate dining experience. Luke Dale-Roberts cooks the finest cuisine using the very best ingredients and has superb technical skills, ambition and individuality — he has the 'wow' factor."

The glamorous award ceremony was held at the Westin Grand in Cape Town on Sunday, 30 November. Guests were treated to a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience, created by four award-winning chefs — Bertus Basson (Overture), Franck Dangereux (The Foodbarn), George Jardine (Jardine) and Phillippe Wagenfuhrer (Roots at The Forum Homini). The meal was a symphony of balanced tastes and textures that featured seasonal ingredients sourced from South Africa's finest producers.

Hiring the right people

The 2008 Prudential Eat Out Service Award went to Terroir in Stellenbosch.

"We celebrated Terroir as the winner for service since this year. All the judges experienced a great attitude from the service staff at Terroir — from the reservation and menu knowledge to matching wine with food. It's about hiring the right people, training them in the chef's methods and philosophies and then keeping them happy and developing their skills," Donnelly explains.

The Prudential Eat Out Lifetime Achievement Award was posthumously awarded to Frank Swainston, former chef patron at Constantia Uitsig. During his 12-year tenure, Swainston became known for his generosity: with his staff, his guests and on his plates.

Nerita Bharuth is the recipient of the third annual Woolworths Taste Bursary Award. The talented 22-year-old is currently a junior chef for Fedics at GrandWest Casino in Cape Town. This award recognises and nurtures young talent in the culinary industry.

Top 10 restaurants

The Prudential Eat Out Top 10 Restaurants were announced on the night. With seven new restaurants making the list, fine diners are sure to map an exciting new gastronomic route through South Africa's best eateries.

The 2008 Prudential Eat Out Top 10 Restaurants in order from one to 10 are:

• 1. La Colombe (Cape Town) - Chef: Luke Dale-Roberts
• 2. Jardine (Cape Town) - Chef: George Jardine
• 3. Terroir (Stellenbosch) – Chef: Michael Broughton
• 4. Overture (Stellenbosch) – Chef: Bertus Basson
• 5. Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient (Pretoria) – Chef: Chantel Dartnall
• 6. Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch) – Chef: David Higgs
• 7. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français (Franschhoek) - Chef: Margot Janse
• 8. Roots at the Forum Homini Boutique Hotel (Joburg) - Chef: Philippe Wagenfuhrer
• 9. Bizerca (Cape Town) – Chef: Laurent Deslandes
• 10. Hartford House (KwaZulu-Natal Midlands) – Chef: Jackie Cameron


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