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The winners of the third annual Gastronomy Tourism Awards were announced on Monday evening at Breakers Resort in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, as part of the Gastronomy Africa Conference & Expo 2026.

Presented by B2B media, events and knowledge platform Gastronomy Africa in partnership with South African Tourism, the awards celebrate the people, businesses and experiences strengthening South Africa’s reputation as a world-class culinary destination and inspiring visitors to explore the country through its food.

Held annually alongside the Gastronomy Africa Conference & Expo, the awards form part of Gastronomy Africa’s commitment to recognising culinary excellence, strengthening connections between the food and tourism sectors, and creating opportunities for South African chefs, restaurants, producers and hospitality businesses.

By celebrating the people and places that make the country’s food culture distinctive, the awards highlight gastronomy’s role in attracting visitors, supporting local economies and encouraging travellers to discover South Africa’s diverse regional cuisines and culinary experiences.

Following a public nomination process and independent judging, five winners were recognised across fine and casual dining, immersive experiences, cultural dining, sustainability and wine.

Gastronomy Tourism Awards 2026 Winners

Best in Gastronomy Tourism: Fine & Casual Dining

Winner: Kruger Shalati, led by Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha

This award recognises dining experiences that combine innovative cuisine, exceptional local produce and outstanding hospitality to showcase South African culinary excellence and inspire local and international travellers to discover the country through its food.

Located at the gateway to one of South Africa’s most iconic tourist attractions, Kruger Shalati offers a culinary experience shaped by its extraordinary surroundings. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha, the offering connects food, nature and place, making the setting an integral part of the experience.

Whether dining beneath the stars beside historic railway tracks, enjoying a picnic overlooking the river or sitting down to dinner after a game drive, guests experience cuisine that complements the remarkable landscape.

Following the announcement, the Kruger Shalati team said: “At the heart of the Kruger Shalati experience is a kitchen that brings people together through food. Under Vusi’s leadership, the Kruger Kitchen celebrates creativity, exceptional flavours and a genuine passion for creating memorable dining experiences, all within the extraordinary setting of the Kruger National Park.

“This award is a wonderful recognition of Chef Vusi’s talent and dedication, as well as the hard work and heart that our entire culinary team brings to the table each day. We are so proud of what they continue to create and the role the Kruger Kitchen plays in making every stay at Kruger Shalati special. Congratulations, Chef Vusi, and to our wonderful kitchen team. This is a moment to celebrate together.”

Best in Gastronomy Tourism: Immersive Experiences

Winner: Executive Chef Gregory Henderson and de Tafel at Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa

This award celebrates culinary experiences that engage all the senses, invite guests to become part of the story and transform a meal into a journey of discovery.

At de Tafel, Executive Chef Gregory Henderson brings the Cape’s indigenous fauna and flora to the plate through a distinctive combination of foraging, local knowledge and creative cooking. Guests can join him on a beach foraging walk, discovering the surrounding ecosystem through knowledge developed over a lifetime of research.

That exploration continues at the table, where each dish is accompanied by storytelling that connects ingredients to the landscape and its biodiversity. The result is an interactive dining experience celebrating the Cape’s unique natural heritage. Here, foraging is not simply something to talk about; it is something to taste.

Best in Gastronomy Tourism: Cultural Dining

Winner: Xolani Zibane, aka Chef Lani, founder of Ibhodwe Shandis

This award recognises chefs and culinary establishments that bring South Africa’s rich cultural heritage to life through food, connecting diners with the traditions, ingredients and stories that shape the country’s diverse food cultures.

Chef Lani approaches South African cuisine as a living cultural language, drawing on indigenous ingredients, traditional foodways and culinary memory while expressing them through contemporary techniques and thoughtful presentation. Rather than simply recreating traditional dishes, he explores the ingredients, rituals, landscapes and stories behind them, translating this knowledge into modern dining experiences that celebrate cultural identity and invite guests to engage with South Africa’s culinary heritage in new ways.

The 21-year-old credited his collaborators for the award.

“It’s partners like GardenFresh at Nine Yards, Tolokazi and Embo Farmstead that make working with indigenous ingredients possible and a treat for our guests across private chef services, corporate consultancy, menu design, concept development and the creation of sellable ideas.”

Best in Gastronomy Tourism: Sustainability

Winner: Nadia and Stephen Maritz, Qambathi Mountain Lodge, Kamberg Valley

This award celebrates culinary establishments that champion a more sustainable and responsible future for South African gastronomy through ethical sourcing, waste reduction, environmental stewardship and support for local communities.

At Qambathi Mountain Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal’s Kamberg Valley, Nadia and Stephen Maritz place local sourcing at the heart of their hospitality philosophy, helping ensure that money spent on a meal continues to circulate within the local economy.

Their commitment to the region extends beyond the kitchen. They recognise that sustainable tourism depends on the wider infrastructure and community networks that enable rural destinations to thrive. Their involvement includes serving on the local road committee, acknowledging the importance of road access to tourism, while Stephen chairs the newly formed Community Tourism Organisation.

Their work demonstrates how responsible hospitality can contribute to local economic development and strengthen the communities that make a destination distinctive.

Stephen said: “We believe that luxury and sustainability should go hand in hand, and that thoughtful hospitality should leave a positive impact on the place we call home. We still have more to learn and improve, but this recognition means so much to us. A huge thank you to our wonderful team and local suppliers who make it all possible.

“I feel like this award belongs to all of us, amazing local Midlands food producers who have the same vision of the future and each one of us does a little extra to help protect the planet.”

Best in Gastronomy Tourism: Wine Brand

Winner: The Chocolate Block by Boekenhoutskloof Winery

This award recognises a South African wine brand that carries the country’s story beyond its borders, using its wine, identity and sense of place to invite local and international audiences to discover South Africa.

The Chocolate Block by Boekenhoutskloof Winery combines commercial success with a distinctive South African identity, building an international profile that showcases the country’s winemaking credentials to a global audience.

With distribution across 90 international markets, The Chocolate Block has established itself as one of South Africa’s most successful wine exports, demonstrating how a distinctive brand can introduce the country’s wines to consumers around the world.

Gastronomy Tourism as an Economic Driver

Sithembile Ndaba, Chief Marketing Officer of South African Tourism and keynote speaker at Monday’s Gastronomy Tourism Awards & Networking Dinner, highlighted the role of gastronomy in positioning South Africa as a destination that celebrates its cultural diversity.

“At South African Tourism, we believe food brings people and cultures together, and it is one of the most powerful ways to share South Africa’s story with the world. The data reinforces this: research by Data Appeal analysed more than 1.3 million international traveller reviews between September 2025 and September 2026 and found that our food and beverage sector achieved a sentiment score of 90.7 out of 100. This shows visitors are responding positively to our food experiences, and we can build on that by making gastronomy an even bigger part of why people choose to visit South Africa.

“We must also celebrate our chefs, who do more than prepare exceptional food. They tell our stories, share our heritage and culture, and represent South Africa to the world with immense pride.”

Lance Gibbons, CEO of Gastronomy Africa, said recognising excellence across the five categories was essential to strengthening the industry’s contribution to tourism and economic growth.

“Acknowledging these five distinct sectors is not merely a formality; it is a profound economic necessity. Each category represents a vital cog in the machine that transforms our rich local foodways into a primary, high-yield driver of international travel.

“By institutionalising excellence in these specific areas, we give our industry a powerful, unified voice. We show our public sector partners and international markets that South African gastronomy is a sophisticated, highly structured ecosystem capable of world-class delivery.”