WHAT DOES “BEST” REALLY MEAN
- Awards
- Beyond
Beyond the awards, the accolades and the applause, the true art of hospitality lies in the experience we create for others.
As we celebrate recent culinary achievements and look forward to the festive season, we are reminded that there is something even more important than the awards on the table: the experience created around it.
A word that tells a story
Have you ever considered the origin of the word “restaurant”?
It comes from the French verb “restaurer”, meaning to restore or refresh. In eighteenth-century France, the word originally referred to a nourishing broth or soup believed to restore strength and vitality.
There is something rather beautiful about that history.
A restaurant, at its heart, was a place where people came to be restored. Not simply to satisfy their hunger, but to regain their strength.
Today, we understand that restoration in a much broader sense. We visit restaurants to celebrate, reconnect, mark milestones, spend time with people we love, escape the everyday or simply enjoy being looked after for a little while.
A truly memorable restaurant does more than feed its guests. It gives them a reason to linger, something to talk about and a feeling they will want to experience again.
“I’m here to serve you.”
ICA’s founding Principal, Letitia Prinsloo, has a story that has stayed with her throughout her career.
After completing her studies under the legendary French chef Roger Vergé, she was later invited to his restaurant as a guest. She was quite taken aback when he personally approached her table. Here was a celebrated chef, a culinary icon, coming to share a few words with her.
Her surprise must have been evident, because his response was simple:
“But ma’am, I’m here to serve you.”
There is a whole philosophy of hospitality in those few words.
For all his talent, reputation and recognition, Roger Vergé understood that when a guest walks through the restaurant door, the occasion is no longer about the chef. It is about the person sitting at the table. That is the art of serving. And it is an art that no award can fully measure.
When the guest becomes the greatest reward
Franck Dangereux, one of South Africa’s most respected chefs, has spoken openly about the pressure that can accompany awards and accolades.
After years of building La Colombe into one of the country’s most celebrated restaurants, he eventually chose to step away from the relentless pursuit of recognition and find a different rhythm at The Foodbarn.
His philosophy was beautifully expressed in an interview:
“It is not about the winning of awards, but the enjoyment of cooking. The award should really go to the patrons who walk through the door.”
It is a sentiment worth remembering.
Awards recognise talent, innovation, consistency and excellence. They provide valuable benchmarks and celebrate the achievements of chefs and their teams. But they are not the reason a chef should get out of bed in the morning.
The real reward is in the work itself: the ingredients, the creativity, the teamwork, the service and, ultimately, the people who experience the result.
A salute to ALL the people who make it happen
At the ICA, we are immensely proud of our alumni whose work is being recognised in South Africa’s finest kitchens. Their achievements reflect years of dedication, skill, creativity and an unwavering commitment to their craft.
Beyond the restaurant kitchen, our alumni are also making their mark in New Product Development (NPD) establishments, on the Wine and Hospitality Events front and in Food Media Communication fields. Across these specialist culinary areas, they continue to set benchmarks, challenge conventions and contribute to the wider culinary industry.
Our admiration extends to EVERY chef who approaches this profession with heart. To those who quietly deliver excellence day after day, whether or not their names appear on an awards list. To those who nurture their teams, respect their ingredients, welcome their guests and understand that the privilege of cooking for someone comes with the responsibility of making that experience meaningful.
We salute the chefs who cook because they love what they do, the chefs who share their passion generously, who understand that hospitality is ultimately about making SOMEONE ELSE feel valued.
Perhaps that is the greatest accolade of all.
At the Institute of Culinary Arts, we believe in developing chefs who understand that distinction. If you share that passion, we invite you to join us and become part of a legacy built on excellence, creativity and the art of genuine hospitality.
