Eat Out awards bursary winner, most stylish restaurant

Bursary winner keen to start

Bursary winner, Damien Stemmet

The culinary bursary to the Silwood School of Cookery includes one year's study sponsored by Taste Magazine and a second year's study sponsored by the school.

Now in its seventh year, the bursary seeks to inspire, nurture and uplift promising culinary talent. Amongst other requirements, the ideal candidate should be younger than 35 years; have a passion for food and cooking; and show a keen interest in boosting the standard of South Africa's culinary industry. The bursary is awarded to a candidate who has dreams of becoming a dedicated chef, but does not necessarily have the resources to make it a reality.

Stemmet, a matric pupil at Plumstead High School, certainly fits the bill. He is passionate about cooking and baking, especially pastries. "I'm excited and anxious to let all the hard work begin. To work with the school's chefs is going to be a great honour for me, because I know they are going to give me a vast knowledge of food and kitchen management, which I really look forward to," he says.

Editor of Eat Out magazine and food editor of Taste magazine, Abigail Donnelly says, "Damien is so passionate, which is shown through his commitment to working in the kitchen (at Knead, a Cape Town bakery) over weekends and during school holidays, starting work in the early hours to bake bread. What I loved about meeting him is that he just can't stop talking about food."

Style rewarded

Team from the Greenhouse

The Style Award recognises the hard work and long hours that go into creating a stylish restaurant, said Ross Sleet, marketing manager for Boschendal & Brampton at DGB. "The finalists epitomise the style and elegance for which our wines are renowned. The restaurants were selected for their sense of élan, theatre or simplicity in design, which elevates them above the norm. None more so than the Green House at Babylonstoren. Congratulations to owner Karen Roos and general manager Terry de Waal."

Donnelly commends the restaurant for its design, "Like everything at Babylonstoren, the décor is understated and authentic."