George Eatery Walks Off With Coveted Award
Tarragons in George walked away with the honours of ‘Best Oyster Dish’ at the Pick n Pay Oyster & Wine Mardi Gras presented by Tabasco and South African Chefs Association.
Inset: Oyster and Wine Mardi Gras festive - ‘Best Oyster Dish’
More than 800 guests, judges and exhibitors tasted this award winning Mediterranean oyster with Tarragon Jelly, Sauce Vierge, Lemon-Tabasco foam, trout caviar, glass noodles and coriander.
This colourful combination lured people to Tarragons’ elegant stand and ensured a complex canvas of tastes which convinced the judges. The theme of the evening was tastes, colours and textures, which was well presented in both their cuisine and their stand. Tarragons was one of 21 food stands vying for this auspicious culinary accreditation.
Best Food Stand was awarded to Margot Swiss International, also from George, with their underwater theme called Molecular Gastronomy, making use of recycled material, blue bubble plastic to create the water panels and fibre optic lights for sea anemones and urchins. Judges’ comments were that the innovative use of décor and lighting created an eye-catching stand and surreal ambience.
Best wine
Best Wine Stand was awarded to Zidela Wine Estate from Stellenbosch. The stand was manned by Pieter Cloete, owner of PAC Productions, and the Garden Route agent of these lovely wines. Cloete presented the Zidela Pinotage and Shiraz together with Suikerbosch Golden Nectar and Suikerbosch Kaapse Rose.
The Pick n Pay Oyster & Wine Mardi Gras presented by Tabasco and SACA was the first event during the Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival where donations to charity were made on the same evening.
R50 000 was handed over to Knysna Child Welfare and R10 000 to the Knysna Sea Cadets. Further funds will be donated to the Bill Gallagher Development Fund and the SACA Garden Route Disaster Relief Fund.
