We are pleased to announce the editorial panel of varied industry experts, food journalists and editors across the country who rated restaurants to make up the Eat Out 500. These top 500 restaurants in South Africa will feature in the new dynamic Eat Out Magazine 2014, which will be on shelves in November 2013.

“This is truly a first, a coming together of industry experts and some of SA’s most respected food journalists and food lovers to decide who will be named as part of Eat Out’s top 500 restaurants in the country,” says Anelde Greeff, editor-in-chief for Eat Out.

The members of the panel are:

Aletta Lintvelt – Food editor, Weg! and Go! Magazine
Alida Ryder – Author, Simply Delicious
Anelde Greeff – Editor-in-chief, Eat Out
Anna Montali – Freelance food editor and writer
Bernadette le Roux – Editor, Condé Nast House and Garden Gourmet
Bianca Coleman – Freelance journalist
Brent Meersman – Food columnist, Mail & Guardian
Bridget McCarney – Managing director, New Media Publishing
Carianne Wilson – Vice-principal, Silwood Cookery School
Cathy Marston – Freelance writer and wine educator
Charlotte Pregnolato – Freelance writer
Coenie Visser – Freelance writer
Colette du Plessis – Freelance writer
Corneil Muller – Operational director, Urban Hotels
Diane de Beer – Journalist, Pretoria News
Erwin Schnitzler – Owner, Mont Rochelle
Graham Howe – Wine and food editor, Habitat
Greg Landman – Freelance writer
Gwynne Conlyn – Freelance food and travel writer
Hennie Fisher – Culinary arts lecturer, University of Pretoria
Herman Lensing – Food editor, Sarie
Horst Frehse – General manager, Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa
Irna van Zyl – Founder and executive director, New Media Publishing
Ishay Govender – Freelance writer and recipe developer
Jacquie Myburgh – Freelance journalist and media consultant
Jane Broughton – Food and travel writer
Janine Walker – Freelance food critic and writer
Jeanne Callitz – Deputy editor, My Tyd
John Psillos – Founder and executive director, New Media Publishing
Josef Talotta – Freelance writer
Kate Wilson – Editor, Women’s Health
Kate Ziervogel – Owner, South Coast Live
Katharine Jacobs – Online editor, Eat Out
Kristia van Heerden – Johannesburg correspondent, Eat Out
Leila Saffarian – Freelance food editor and writer
Linda Scarborough – Copy editor, Eat Out
Lisa van Aswegen – Freelance editor and writer
Marie-Lais Emond – Freelance editor and writer
Miguel Chan – Group sommelier, Tsogo Sun
Paul Duncan – Head of design for homeware, Woolworths
Petro Lotz – Owner, Appetito Catering and Cooking School
Priscilla Urquhart – PR and media manager, World Design Capital Cape Town 2014
Raphaella Frame-Tolmie – Food editor and features writer, House and Leisure
Reinette Geldenhuis – Woolworths marketing: MasterChef project, hospitality, event and sponsorship manager and TASTE
Richard Holmes – Freelance food and travel writer
Rupesh Kassen – Freelance writer
Sam Woulidge – Freelance writer and columnist for Woolworths TASTE
Sdu Gerasch – Freelance writer
Stefania Johnson – Creative strategist
Tracy Gielink – Freelance food and wine writer

The panellists recently completed the process of rating restaurants that they had visited over the last twelve months on a variety of criteria including food (menu composition, seasonality, presentation and wine), service and ambience.

The ‘Eat Out 500’ is a power list of great restaurants across South Africa. The 500 restaurants with the highest aggregate scores will appear in the 16th annual issue of the Eat Out magazine. This revamped 2014 issue will be launched at the prestigious Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards in Cape Town on 10 November. Book your tickets now.