Gastronomy Awards Honor South Africa’s Top Food Destinations

South Africa has recognized five culinary businesses and professionals for strengthening the country’s appeal as a food tourism destination at the 2026 Gastronomy Tourism Awards. Kruger Shalati won for fine and casual dining, while de Tafel at Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa received the immersive experiences award for combining indigenous ingredients with storytelling. Chef Xolani Zibane, known as Chef Lani, won the cultural dining category for reinterpreting traditional South African foodways. Qambathi Mountain Lodge was recognized for sustainability and its commitment to local sourcing and community development. Boekenhoutskloof Winery’s The Chocolate Block won the wine brand category, supported by distribution across 90 international markets. South African Tourism lauded the chefs for contributing to the country’s appeal to visitors, citing research which showed that over 1.3 million international travelers gave the country’s food and beverage sector a sentiment score of 90.7 out of 100.