Celebrated chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and all-round food lover Karen Dudley joins the panel of this year’s Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards judges.

Karen says: “South Africa as a country is so diverse – there are things that we love here in the Western Cape, such as pickled fish on hot cross buns, that people in the north have no connection to. What we should be celebrating is the fact that we have so much richness in terms of ingredients, from meat and fish to incredible produce.”

She says it’s been a rough few years for the industry and it’s important to pay respect to the people who have made it through the pandemic and to honour those who are making excellent food and telling stories through their food.

Watch our interview with her below: