When theyre not furiously whipping up award-winning fare, where do Eat Outs Top 10 chefs get their culinary kicks?

Do they prefer dining at high-end restaurants in the cuisine capitals of the world, or whiling away the time at unpretentious local gems?

Annette Klinger posed the question and got some surprising answers.

Self-confessed Francophile Chantel Dartnall cites highbrow French eateries Auberge Michel (pictured, prawn dish) and Pierre Gagnaire as some of her favourites, while Peter Tempelhoff sings the praises of the unaffected neighbourhood darling, Magica Roma.  

Lazy days and Sundays are best spent at the serene, family-friendly Bread & Wine for Margot Janse, whereas PJ Vadas is more partial to buzzing city spots like Caprice when he hangs up his apron.

Chantel Dartnall from Restaurant Mosaic

Unfortunately, I don’t get much time to dine out locally but some of my most memorable meals in South Africa have been at: La Colombe. Wow, where do I begin? My most recent meal out was at La Colombe where I was fortunate enough to exchange a few words with Luke, despite his busy schedule. The food here is incredible – innovative, fresh and very exciting…

Linger Longer. Chef Walter Ulz and his bubbly personality, along with the warm and friendly ambience, make every meal here a memorable one.

Auberge Michel. Definitely THE restaurant to visit if you want to reconnect with your French roots. Owner Michel ensures that you always feel very welcome – in true French tradition. The duck leg confit is superb and I love the elegantly chic interior.

Pierre Gagnaire. During my recent visit to China I was fortunate enough to dine at Pierre Gagnaire in Hong Kong. This was a magical experience; some of the most artistic and dazzling combinations of flavours and textures that I have ever experienced.

David Higgs from Rust en Vrede Restaurant

I recently ate at Thomas Kellers Bouchon in the Napa Valley n the USA. Brasseries have always done it for me. The vibe, simple, good food, and loads of bubbly!

Guardian Peak. This restaurant in Stellenbosch is one of the most spectacular places to sit and eat. Relaxed atmosphere, good food and, again, wine to complement it all. The views are incredible. It’s the best place for breakfast.

I love sitting in restaurants where I can smell the sea, and enjoy some sushi and a glass of wine. Live Bait is one of those settings. Relaxed and fun. River Café on the Thames in London is all about freshness, tasty Italian food and wine, of course.

Michael Broughton from Terroir

To be really honest, my favourite meal is a good, braaied smoky burger (with lots of sweet, smoky basting), with meltingly tender caramelized onions, a soft sesame bun, mustard on one side of the bun and mayo on the other, sliced tomato, gherkins, one piece of crisp lettuce and a dollop of tomato sauce. Eaten with a crisp green salad with loads of palm sugar vinaigrette and a bucket of Pinot Noir. Of course no one makes such a burger so I’m afraid the only place I (and any other human) would get such a thing is in my own home.

My all-time favourite restaurant is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Royal Hospital Road in London, followed closely by the Square Restaurant in Bruton Street, Mayfair. My wife Jane and I had one of our most memorable meals there too. The best maître d’ there, Jean-Claude, is the best in the world. The magnetism and absolute charm of the man is staggering. He is quite clearly the force that holds the restaurant together when Gordon is not there. He was solely responsible for our unforgettable experience there.

My favourite restaurant locally is La Colombe, and has been for the last 10 years. I have always enjoyed the generosity of the food and flavours and Franck Dangereux (currently chef of The Foodbarn) always went out of his way to make our meal as special and as memorable as possible. It is at this restaurant that my wife and I had our very first date. I think that Luke Dale-Roberts has carried on Franks legacy and I enjoy his food just as much. So when we have a special occasion to celebrate (or a few grand to blow – not!) we always head to La Colombe.

I recently ate at NOBU in Cape Town and it was also one of my best local experiences. The food, with its sharp, spiky, yet well-balanced flavours, was really memorable. I would definitely go back there, anytime!

PJ Vadas from The Roundhouse

Carprice. Im never disappointed, the view is amazing, staff incredible and the beer always cold. Dizzys. Best place to go for beers and pizza late at night after work. Blue Ribbon in New York has awesome food and a great vibe.

New Yorks Sushi Sake (the resturant has since closed) makes the most incredible sushi I have ever eaten.

Jacques de Jager, previously of The Restaurant at Grande Provence, now heading up Salt

Overture in Stellenbosch. Bertus’s skill and ability is admirable in every dish; clean, fresh flavours and loads of courses with wine.

Rust en Vrede. It’s just the perfect experience. You feel spoilt from the moment you walk in until you leave. Moto in Chicago. Chef Homaro Cantu is really pushing the cutting edge of cuisine in the States.

Bread and Wine. Nothing beats Neil’s good cooking for lunch.

Peter Tempelhoff from The Greenhouse at the Cellars-Hohenort

Magica Roma in Pinelands, Cape Town. Unpretentious, genuine Italian food with Italian wines by the glass. It’s always busy – I’ve never had a bad meal there.

Le Chateau de Joel Robuchon in Tokyo. I’ve eaten there three times and it gets better with every visit. This is three Michelin stars at their best. Seafood at The Marine in Hermanus. The best seafood restaurant on the entire coast, relaxed cooking, great views and five-star service. A definite must for fish-lovers.

Philippe Wagenführer from Roots

Nobu in London has a great feel, a vibrant atmosphere and great quality food. Rust & Vrede has wonderful food, great service and an amazing sommelier – one of the best I have experienced in SA. Chef David Higgs is creative and passionate. Pomodoro is where I like to go with my family to chill and enjoy a glass of wine. Stefano Mas balances a busy restaurant, a pleasant atmosphere and authentic Italian cooking.

Restaurant Mosaic. Twenty guests fill up the room, which allows for attentive service and creative cooking at a French-type restaurant. It’s somewhere I’d like to revisit with my wife for a spoiling instant.

Carly Gonçalves from 9th Avenue Bistro

 Because I work in the industry, I like to relax and wind down when I’m off, usually with the family in more casual venues as opposed to formal ones. Ile de Pain on the beautiful Knysna lagoon is truly unique and the bread speaks for itself. Great fresh ingredients in abundance and a fun, an energetic atmosphere created by the wood-burning ovens, wonderful aromas filling the air and staff buzzing around – how could you not feel happy?

Restaurant Lulu in San Francisco is a bustling 300-seater Provençal-style restaurant where the food is served on colourful clay platters and everybody shares. The huge open room is loud and vibey. There are wood-burning ovens and rotisseries built out into the dining room with whole ducks, legs of lamb with anchovy and rosemary, pork loins with fennel cooking in front of you, not to mention whole fish and mussels coming out the oven. It is truly an intriguing experience with wonderful food and wine being enjoyed at large tables with good friends.

We recently ate at Bizerca Bistro in Cape Town and thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope we have the opportunity to return there soon. The food is beautifully presented, with clean, vibrant flavours, not over the top, allowing the exquisite quality of ingredients to come to the fore. Simple, uncomplicated and truly exceptional food.

One day I would like to get to Alinea in Chicago for one of its 14-course tastings. It serves truly inspirational food that is executed to such perfection that diners describe it as breathtaking. It’s definitely on the top of my wish list.

Bertus Basson from Overture

For the past month or so my favourite restaurant has been George Jardines new Restaurant at Jordan. His food is unbelievable. Theyve also done a brilliant job of putting the whole restaurant together, creating a very elegant space thats a bit different from other Winelands restaurants.

Roundhouse. I love their food and their service philosophy. Bread & Wine. Neil is a complete legend. There are really very few people out there who love their jobs as much as he does. His food is very fresh and light and his charcuterie is amazing.

Margot Janse from The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français

I love eating at Rust en Vrede. The restaurant is beautiful, the food fantastic and I feel special when I dine there. Arriving as the sun goes down and having a glass of champagne outside is the perfect start to an evening out. Bread and Wine is a firm favourite for lunch. It’s perfect with our five-year-old son – he plays in the little stream and we sip wine and eat Neil’s delicious charcuterie.

Luke Dale-Roberts from La Colombe

One one the most inspiring dining experiences I’ve had recently was at the Pierre Gagnaire in Seoul. It’s on the top floor of a beautiful hotel, Pierre was there in person, and his attention to detail was just amazing. He really is an artist. Locally, I always love going to Carné when I’m in the mood for a good steak, and other favourites include Jardine and Terroir, because their food is exactly in my taste.