What is it that sets our nominee restaurants apart? And what drives the chefs to go that extra mile, to make that dish just a tiny bit more delicious?

We chatted to some of the chefs whose restaurants have been nominated for this year’s Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards to find out what they strive for – and what it would mean to them to make the 2015 Top 10.

Win a meal at the No. 1 restaurant for 2015.

One lucky reader will win a meal for two at the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant of the Year winner, which will be announced on 15 November. Watch the videos below to get to know the chefs, then head over to mblife to enter.

At Five Hundred at The Saxon, David Higgs finds inspiration in the hotel’s own organic vegetable garden.

Peter Tempelhoff and his team at Greenhouse celebrate Africa on a plate.

At Indochine, Virgil Kahn and his team serve up the flavours of the East in a modern African setting.

Scot Kirton at La Colombe aims to give guests an experience, not just a full tummy.

Tickets to the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards are on sale now.

Be there on the day

The 2015 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards will be hosted as a Sunday lunch on 15 November at Mistico Equestrian Centre, 40 minutes’ drive from Cape Town. Tickets are on sale now for R1 495 per person. Pre-drinks will be served from 12pm, followed by lunch prepared by top chefs Scot Kirton of La Colombe, Nic van Wyk of Bistro 13, Michael Broughton of Terroir and George Jardine of Jordan. Bread will be baked by Jason Lilley of Jason Bakery. The awards ceremony will conclude at 6pm, followed by drinks at dusk. A complimentary shuttle service will be available from central points in Cape Town and Franschhoek, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.