Buzz
Wolfgat, a charming eatery on a secluded beach in the remote fishing village of South Africa, gained global acclaim by winning at the World Restaurant Awards held in Paris, France.
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The awards ceremony, held on February 18 (local time), was based on the votes of chefs, restaurants, food enthusiasts, and restaurant critics worldwide.
Wolfgat Restaurant opened its doors two years ago in a 130-year-old house in the fishing village of Parentoster, Western Cape province, southwest South Africa.
According to AFP, the restaurant's 7-course menu is priced at $60, equivalent to only a fraction of the cost of a high-end dining experience in Paris, France.
Chef Kobus van de Merwe's belief in natural cooking methods led his restaurant to achieve the highest honor at the World Restaurant Awards in Paris.
The 38-year-old chef shared with AFP: “I don't feel deserving; this is a significant accolade. My staff, who had to forage for herbs and find fresh, tasty wild greens, are the ones behind this success”.
With competition dishes like double-cooked seaweed, sambal-glazed dogfish, and wild garlic masala, as well as starfish and seaweed, Wolfgat also claimed the top prize in the Off-Map Destination category.
Chef Van der Merwe said that besides the delicate local Cape Malay spices, his philosophy is “the less intervention, the better, keeping the ingredients as fresh as possible”.
“It's super-local cuisine, but we try to create new flavors, like adding celery growing on sand dunes to the dishes,” former journalist Van der Merwe added.
Van der Merwe only seriously started cooking at the age of 30, opening Wolfgat with only 6 untrained female staff members.
He vowed not to raise prices after winning the award in Paris, attributing the victory to his “continent and country, rich and beautiful.”
The World Restaurant Awards judging panel consists of 50 male and 50 female culinary experts. The awards also feature other categories such as Chef without tattoos of the year, claimed by French culinary legend Alain Ducasse, and many more.
Source: Anh Thư/Tuổi trẻ
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourApril 4, 2019
