2026 Gourmet Guide™ celebrates a decade of culinary excellence

THE 2026 JHP Gourmet Guide™ launched with a celebratory event at Time Out Market Cape Town last week, marking a proud milestone: a decade of championing excellence and driving positive change within South Africa’s culinary landscape. What follows is the press release, and interspersed with quotes sourced by me. I’m pleased and fortunate to have eaten at almost all the Cape Town honourees, and it’s always so much fun to be in the same room with so many of our talented chefs and restaurateurs. Congratulations to all the winners.

This curated collection of fine-dining restaurants showcases the artistry, innovation and integrity of chefs across the country. The full list of 50 Plated restaurants and Haute Performance Award winners is now available in the free digital guide on the Gourmet Guide website (link below).

Since its inception in 2016, the JHP Gourmet Guide™ has become synonymous with consistency, credibility and global benchmarking. Anonymous professional evaluation, alongside international standards, ensures that Plate ratings and Haute Performance Awards remain trusted indicators of excellence.

A printed commemorative keepsake of the guide was presented to each winning restaurant—made possible through the generous support of Sanpellegrino and Nespresso. Mervyn Gers Ceramics once again created the coveted plates, rimmed in real gold, silver and bronze, including 24-carat gold plates awarded to three restaurants for achieving globally iconic status: La Colombe, Salsify and FYN.

“At Mervyn Gers Ceramics, we are proud to celebrate South Africa’s exceptional culinary talent through our partnership with the JHP Gourmet Guide Awards, says Mervyn Gers himself. “Each plated award is individually handcrafted and finished with real 24-carat gold – a reflection of the artistry, care, and excellence that the awards themselves honour. It’s a privilege to create pieces that recognise the country’s finest chefs and restaurants for their outstanding contribution to dining excellence.”

Ashley Moss (FYN) says: “It’s a privilege to receive this prestigious award. I am incredibly proud of the whole FYN team for their consistent dedication and passion for what we do. It takes focused attention and skilled precision to work in our kitchen and manage the restaurant floor. Our team continues to deliver exceptional results.”

This year’s Haute Performance Awards honoured excellence across a wide range of categories, recognising those whose creativity, leadership and purpose elevate South Africa’s reputation on the world stage:

The inaugural Haute Pastry Award was presented to Catherine Adonis of Qunu at The Saxon Hotel & Spa, who won a three-day advanced pastry course at L’École Valrhona Dubai, courtesy of Wild Peacock Products and Valrhona.
The Avante Haute Pour Award recognised Jennifer Hugé of FYN and beyond for an outstanding beverage programme. A second Haute Pour Award went to Grub & Vine for an exceptional wine list.
Aubergine, La Colombe and The Pot Luck Club each received Haute Decade Awards for achieving a Plate in every guide for 10 consecutive years.

“I’m incredibly proud of this recognition – it’s a true reflection of the passion and precision our entire front-of-house team brings to every service. I want to thank each member of my team for their trust, dedication, and unwavering commitment to delivering excellence every day,” says Hugé.

“Great pairings go beyond matching flavours – they create moments of harmony between food, drink, and guest. And with cocktails, non-alcoholic pairings, sake, and more, there’s endless opportunity to elevate the dining experience through beverages. This award belongs to everyone who shares that devotion to craft and care.”

Also in the FYN Group, beyond at Buitenverwachting claimed two plates. “I’m incredibly proud of what our teams at FYN and beyond continue to achieve,” says Peter Tempelhoff. “These awards are a reflection of their commitment to excellence, innovation, and consistency – values that define everything we do. Watching Jennifer receive the Haute Performance Award was a real highlight; her contribution to the industry and to our group is immeasurable. Recognition like this reinforces our belief that South African dining can stand confidently among the best in the world.”

Head chef at beyond Seb Stehr adds: “With our fourth consecutive year receiving two plates from Gourmet Guide, we’re truly thrilled. This recognition inspires our team to keep pushing boundaries – innovating through our menu, elevating the dining experience, and deepening our work with indigenous ingredients and distinctive local flavours.”

Now in its third year of partnership, WWF-SASSI and the JHP Gourmet Guide™ continue to highlight restaurants committed to sustainability through the Green Philosophy Plates. Terrarium won the restaurant category, with Gregory Henderson recognised in the chef category. His restaurant De Tafel was also awarded a Plate.

“I am incredibly honoured and humbled that De Tafel has been awarded a One Plate in our very first year,” says Henderson. “I am also deeply proud to be the first chef in South Africa to receive the new Individual Green Plate Philosophy Award, which was introduced this year as an extension of the Green Plate recognition traditionally awarded to restaurants.

“From day one, De Tafel has been about honouring our land and oceans, celebrating indigenous ingredients, ethical foraging, and sustainability grounded in real responsibility, not trend.

“For the Gourmet Guide, a platform I respect greatly for its transparency and integrity, to acknowledge our philosophy and approach so early is both humbling and energising. Their commitment to fairness, including that no restaurant can receive a Three Plate in its first year, brings credibility and trust to the awards.

“This recognition belongs not only to me, but to our producers, foragers, fishers, and our dedicated team who share this vision. We are just at the beginning of telling South Africa’s wild, heritage-rich food story, one plate and one season at a time.”

Pot Luck Club Cape Town and Joburg were each awarded two plates, and TTK Fledgelings received one. Luke Dale-Roberts, the champion of mentoring, says: “It’s been one of my greatest privileges to watch so many incredible chefs and hospitality professionals grow through the kitchens we’ve built together over the years. The Test Kitchen Fledgelings is a big part of that journey, but it’s really about the people, their passion, grit and creativity. To see them go on to do amazing things in their own right is the ultimate reward.”

The 2026 JHP Gourmet Guide™ is so much more than a collection of ratings, says curator and founder Jenny Handley. “It is a celebration of resilience, creativity, talent and progress. This guide stands as a commitment—to fairness, transparency and the highest standards of culinary recognition.”

View the official 2026 JHP Gourmet Guide™ here.

The JHP Gourmet Guide™ proudly acknowledges the generous support and contributions that made this celebration possible:

Culinary Contributors
Barakat | Ramenhead | Sushiya | Die Vrije Burger | How Bao Now

A special thank you to the Silwood School of Cookery students who assisted on the evening—an honour made even more significant as 25% of this year’s Plated chefs are Silwood graduates.