To celebrate 20 years of the foodie Oscars, Zola Nene presents a one-hour special of the 2018 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards, featuring interviews and never-seen-before footage. The show takes us from the celeb-filled red carpet to the chefs in the kitchens, where the heat is on.

Zola, our restaurant editor, goes behind the scenes to watch how the evening’s remarkable dishes are prepared and meet the rockstar chefs of South Africa’s top restaurants.

After an edge-of-your-seat countdown of the Top 10, the show ends with the announcement of the chef of the year and restaurant of the year. It’s a celebration of our country’s culinary talent, showcasing the people who have put our industry on the global map, one plate at a time.

Go behind the scenes with Zola Nene. Photo by Jan Ras.

Ready your snacks (trust us, you’ll get hungry) and tune into VIA, channel 147 on DStv, to enjoy the show on the following dates:

5pm on Monday 24 December
10pm on Thursday 27 December
3pm on Sunday 30 December
6.30pm on Sunday 13 January

Also read the full list of winners and check out the highlight reel of the 2018 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards.