A Personal Take on the Woolworths Eat Out Awards
I’ve always held a quiet reverence for the culture of critique especially in hospitality. As a kid, I had to wait my turn to read the Sunday paper tossed on the dining room table. I would charge straight for the lifestyle section, this dash was of course met by the TV guide and the Super Striker cartoon magazine hurdles. I didn’t care for the headlines or politics at the time, I just wanted to read about lifestyle, leisure, food and the people bold enough to have an opinion on it all. I dreamed of one day formally writing a column of sorts and being a critic.
For a while, I thought I had betrayed that dream. Life has a way of grounding you.
Over time, I learned what it actually takes to run a place. My first brush with the practical side of hospitality was my mom’s catering business and later in my adult years as Vice President of one of the oldest art galleries in South Africa, I would learn what it takes to filet a cafe/restaurant well enough to survive the COVID19 pandemic.
The margins, the pressure and the chaos behind the scenes created a kind of quiet empathy. It softened the sharp edge of critique. I started to see the work behind the plate before I judged the food on it.
But the other day, having learned of the Woolworths Eat Out Awards, something clicked.
There was that spark again. That thrill of curiosity. That need to see who’s pushing things forward. It reminded me of the younger version of myself, wide-eyed and hungry for new experiences.
So, I am borrowing the list from the Woolworths Eat Out. Not as a critic but as someone who still believes in the magic of a well-run establishment and I am going to eat them out.
I will be documenting my thoughts & experiences as someone who still wants to be surprised. My opinion might also help you if you’re looking for eating out ideas.
P.S – this blog post was written with the help of AI. There is no falsehood to it as it carries an intimate childhood memory and my young adult excitement.