Although there are no South African restaurants with a Michelin Star, there are now four South African chefs who carry the “badge of honour”!
Johannesburg, South Africa (13 November 2022) – Thinus Van Der Westhuizen has joined the prestigious Michelin Star family after becoming the fourth South African chef to receive the coveted award.
The talented South African chef completed his culinary training at Steyns Culinary School in 2009. He then completed his industry training at Transkaroo Restaurant in Grootbrak before taking on the head chef role at 99 Sushi Bar in Abu Dhabi.
And that move has just made him the fourth South African to ever be awarded a Michelin Star.
The 100-year-old Michelin Guide is the world authority in high-end dining. Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants judged to be of an exceptionally high standard. The accolade is coveted by eateries around the world and even though the distinguished title is awarded to a restaurant, the credit for it goes to the chef in charge of the kitchen.
In 2016, Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen made history by becoming the first South African chef to be awarded the Michelin Star and then in 2019, Jean Delport and Conor Toomey joined him. Now in 2022, we can proudly say we have four South African chefs who carry the distinguished badge of honour.
Michelin awarded 99 Sushi Bar the Star for its beautifully presented dishes, full of finesse and precision!
“There’s no shortage of finesse and precision in the well-constructed and beautifully presented dishes at this chic Japanese restaurant, skills whose primary goal is to underline the quality of the ingredients. Even the more contemporary touches are done with subtlety and care. The Spanish owners import most of the seafood from their native country; the red shrimp is particularly noteworthy. It’s all run as smoothly as silk and is the ideal venue for an intimate experience.”
The proudly South African chef says the award is a dream come true but he couldn’t have done it without his team.
**We have updated the article to include Conor Toomey, who also received a Michelin star in 2019. Originally from South Africa, Toomey won the Michelin star at Condita in Edinburgh.
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