The 2020 Food XX finalists have been announced. At least 73 phenomenal womxn have been selected as finalists for this year's awards.
The annual event – which celebrates womxn powerhouses in South Africa’s hospitality industry – will take place at The Belmond Mount Nelson once a new date has been finalised.
“This event is the culmination of our ethos at Food XX, which is to create a collaborative space where womxn can support and celebrate each other,” says, Hannerie Visser, Food XX director and founder of Studio H.
“Our industry is full of hard-working, creative and innovative womxn who push boundaries and break through glass ceilings every day, creating a path for others to follow. The finalists this year are doing prolific work on so many levels and it is humbling to see how our community rallied to nominate them. They inspire us all at Studio H to keep progressing and pushing forward,” Visser adds.
According to Visser, their aim is to create a community for womxn where they feel seen, respected and a platform where the work that they do is honoured.
Applications were open to the public to nominate womxn in the food industry and so they received a flood of nominations, highlighting the need to support and shine a spotlight on the amazing womxn in the food and drinks industry.
“In the true spirit of sisters doing it for themselves, we are stronger together and magical things happen when womxn stand up for other womxn,” says Visser.
This year’s awards were judged by the award’s inaugural winners, a group of womxn, who are tasked with the difficult decision of selecting someone in each category to pass the baton of Food XX winner to.
Finalists per category for the second edition of the FOOD XX Awards are:
Alcohol
Cameron-Leigh Henning: bartender at Saint and Marble
Catherine Marshall: winemaker at Catherine Marshall Wines
Laurie Cooper: winemaker and sommelier at Abingdon Wine Estate in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
Leah van Deventer: writer and editor specialising in food, drinks, events and travel
Sabrina Traubner: head bartender at The Athletic Club & Social
Shanna-Rae Wilby: co-founder and head distiller of Time Anchor Distillery
Cameron Leigh Henning
Sabrina Traubner
Bakers
Anmar Wilding: owner and head baker at CRUMB Cakes
Mahlatse Lentsoane: founder of Tatso Homemade African patisserie
Megan Rodseth: owner of The Gypsy Kitchen vegan bakery
Mo Lewis: owner of The Accidental Baker
Nikki Albertyn: owner and creative director of LionHeart online pâtisserie studio
Entrepreneurs
Che Upton: Taste Creator at Che Gourmet
Denise Cowburn-Levy: owner at Ginger & Lime
Julia Hattingh: chef and owner at Reverie Social Table Restaurant
Kerry Maher: owner at Farm Table Grocer
Leah Bessa: co-founder of Gourmet Grubb insect ice cream
Lyndall Maunder: owner of Clarke's Bar & Dining Room
Nobhongo Gxolo: founder of Third Culture Experiment food club
Sarah Collins: founder and CEO of Wonderbag
Shannon Smut: chef and founder of Pure Good Food
Leah Bessa
Sarah Collins
Farming
Iming Lin: farmer and owner of Meuse Farm
Joy Phala: educator, landscape designer and founder of Organic Kitchen Gardens
Umthunzi Farming Community
Food educator
Amanda Manyatshe: chef and educator at Beyond Bars Akademia
Loubie Rusch: urban forager, indigenous food activist and founder of Making KOS
Sarah Collins: founder and CEO of Wonderbag
Sepial Shim: chef, owner and educator at Sepial's Kitchen in Cape Town
Dr Tracy Nelwamondo: health coach, food activist and owner of Modern Traditions
Food icon
Abigail Donnelly: food director at Woolworths TASTE
Cass Abrahams: food historian and author
Nompumelelo Mqwebu: chef, author and founder of the Mzansi International Culinary Festival
Dr Tracy Nelwamondo: health coach, food activist and owner of Modern Traditions
Abigail Donnelly
Nompumelelo Mqwebu
Food styling
Amerae Vercueil: chef, recipe developer and food stylist
Georgia East: writer, food stylist and photographer and blogger at East After Noon
Julie Velosa: digital editor and food stylist at Crush Online
Katelyn Williams: author, food stylist, photographer, recipe developer and blogger at The Kate Tin
Dr Tracy Nelwamondo: health coach, food activist and owner of Modern Traditions
Melissa Delport
Yolisa Qunta
Fresh voices
Bathandwa Nkambule: recipe developer and content creator at The Earthy Cook
Ishay Govender-Ypma: food and culture journalist, author and blogger at Food & the Fabulous
Melissa Delport: author, photographer, chef, health coach and blogger at The Truffle Journal
Samantha Linsell: author, food stylist, photographer and blogger at Drizzle and Dip
Yolisa Qunta: author and blogger at Yoli Said
Front of house
Eloise Windebank: Farro in Johannesburg
Jenny Foulis: Tin Roof Cafe in Pretoria
Simnikiwe Mkhize: Rosetta Roastery in Cape Town
Future food
Che Upton: taste creator at Che Gourmet
Leah Bessa: co-founder of Gourmet Grubb insect ice cream
Mokgadi Itsweng: chef, writer, food stylist, activist and co-founder of Lotsha Foods
Giving back
Amanda Manyatshe: chef and educator at Beyond Bars Akademia
Catherine Barnhoorn: author, health coach, recipe developer and blogger at Mila's Meals
Leah van Deventer: writer and editor specialising in food, drinks, events and travel
Stephanie Simbo: hospitality educator and co-founder of Beyond Bars Akademia
Tabisa Mahlathi: project manager at Mhani Gingi Trust
Catherine Barnhoorn
Leah Van Deventer
Heritage
Errieda Du Toit: author, food culture commentator and content producer for Kokkedoor and Koekedoor
Loubie Rusch: urban forager, indigenous food activist and founder of Making KOS
Nompumelelo Mqwebu: chef, author and founder of the Mzansi International Culinary Festival
Sepial Shim: chef, owner and educator at Sepial's Kitchen in Cape Town
Dr Tracy Nelwamondo: health coach, food activist and owner of Modern Traditions
Zolitha Magengelele: creator of The Cooks' Table pop-ups
In the kitchen
Abigail Mbalo-Mokoena: chef, owner and creative director of 4Roomed eKasi Culture in Khayelitsha, Cape Town
Carla Milli Schulze Doerr: chef at The Test Kitchen in Cape Town
Christi Semczyszyn: head chef at Tjing Tjing in Cape Town
Colette Robert: owner and chef at The General Store in Cape Town
Jade de Waal: chef and founder of Food Jams in Cape Town
Nanda Cardoso: head chef at Chefs Warehouse Bree Street in Cape Town
Sepial Shim: chef, owner and educator at Sepial's Kitchen in Cape Town
Abigail Mbalo Mokoena
Sepial Shim
Secret ingredient
Hayley Morison: online video specialist co-author of Foodies of South Africa
Jan Tomlin: front of house and behind the scenes at Chefs Warehouse Bree Street
Mareli Basson: partner in Bertus Basson's restaurant empire
Maria Van Zyl: owner of Cream of the Crop cultured butter
Nicki Russell: product developer and head of innovation at Pick n Pay
Sustainability
Kim Bloch: founder of Umthumzi Farming Community
Sarah Collins: founder and CEO of Wonderbag
Thekla Teunis: founder and director of Grounded
Zayaan Khan: food activist and seed librarian at Seed Biblioteek
Grass roots
Andiswa Mqedlana: manager of Brunch at Jackie Cameron's School Outlet in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela: brewmaster and founder of Brewster's Craft
Sarah Niemand: business owner of a collective selling alikreukel and mussels from Buffeljagsbaai in the Western Cape Overberg
Phatiswa Magazi: cook at The Kitchen in Cape Town
Doreen October: founder of Bredasdorp Nutrition and Development Centre feeding scheme
Shirley Muswema: general manager at Chefs Warehouse Bree Street
Leshoto Thooe: electrical engineer, gardener and recipe developer at @athomewithlesh
Khuthala Bokolo: small-scale chemical-free farmer based in Khayelitsha, Cape Town
Nonkululeko Britton-Masekela: agriprenuer, farmer and seller of organic vegetables online at Kula
Andiswa Mqadlana
Shirley Muswema
The Food XX Womxn in Food Awards 2020 will be accompanied by a gala dinner cooked by the womxn of the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel.
