Tessa Purdon

Western Cape

Head Of Content at Eat Out

Featured in: Favicon

eatout.co.za Favicon

allafrica.com Favicon

dailymaverick.co.za Favicon

food24.com

Articles

Rediscovering our country's indigenous ingredients

2 weeks ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

Eat Out Magazine teaserThe first time I came across the saying “the future lies in the past”, it felt as though something clicked into place. It was like suddenly remembering a past scent and finding it the next day at the store, or cooking a recipe from muscle memory and tasting the nostalgic joys of your grandmother’s food. That is my culinary connection of past and present, and the ways in which our ancestors created our future.
Chef Coco Reinarhz brings Épicure back to life in a stylish Joburg setting

2 weeks ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

Joburg’s dining scene is heating up with the anticipated reopening of Épicure, the celebrated Pan-African restaurant from chef Coco Reinarhz. After a pandemic-induced break, the Burundian chef is ready to share his new vision at the restaurant’s new home at One Rosebank. “COVID taught me to take time, to travel, and to return with stories,” says Coco. “Now I’m ready to share them – on every plate. We’ve found a new home for Épicure, and with it, a renewed purpose.
Drinks break: Redefining restaurant mixology

3 weeks ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

While the worlds of fine food and well-crafted beverages are inextricably bound, we tend to envision wine when we consider elevated pairings – or sake or soju, for Asian fare. The role of cocktails in elegant environs has long been ancillary to the act of breaking bread, bookending meals as aperitifs and digestifs rather than being part of the main course, so to speak.
BREAKING: Eat Out's Restaurant of the Year enters World’s 50 Best top 100 list

3 weeks ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

News just in! Salsify at the Roundhouse, the reigning Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year located in Camps Bay, has just secured its debut 88th position on the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants extended list (51-100). The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranks the top dining destinations globally, but the extended 51-100 list offers a glimpse into the rising stars of the global food scene.
The Eat Out way: a reminder of the judging process and methodology

1 month ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

At Eat Out, we believe that every exceptional restaurant deserves to be recognised for its culinary excellence, and our judging process reflects this unwavering commitment. As we enter a new era of celebrating South African dining, we’ve refined our approach to ensure that only the best of the best rise to the top. Think of our process as a funnel, where only the finest contenders make it to the final stage.
In the margins: Investigating restaurant tipping culture in South Africa

1 month ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

Eat Out Magazine teaserScribbled in the candlelit semi-darkness of restaurant booths, tips are the culmination of complex social choreography. Within the greater ritual of human public meal consumption, these incentives vary in scope, and could be delivered with pomp or in silence. Tipping is a divisive matter, with underpinnings of both virtue and vice – moral good springs to mind, as do matters of justice and greed.
Back to the future: Can innovation and tradition share the same kitchen?

1 month ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

Eat Out Magazine teaser Tech developments in modern kitchens have transformed traditional cooking into more precise adaptations as a result of a deeper understanding of the science behind – and the behaviour of – ingredients and processes. And while the adoption of modern approaches has been quite rapid, the soul of tradition has not been lost; it has, instead, been adapted to coexist with the present.
The 2025 Eat Out Magazine – on sale now - Eat Out

1 month ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

For more than 26 years, Eat Out has stood as the unrivaled publication guiding South Africa’s diners to exceptional culinary experiences. Building on the success of its bold 2024 reimagining – which positioned the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards and its winners at the core of the brand’s identity – 2025’s issue promises to elevate South Africa’s vibrant dining culture to new heights.
The 2025 Eat Out Magazine – coming soon - Eat Out

2 months ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

For more than 26 years, Eat Out has stood as the unrivaled publication guiding South Africa’s diners to exceptional culinary experiences. Building on the success of its bold 2024 reimagining – which positioned the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards and its winners at the core of the brand’s identity – 2025’s issue promises to elevate South Africa’s vibrant dining culture to new heights.
ANNOUNCED: winners of the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards

2 months ago | eatout.co.za | Tessa Purdon

SA’s culinary stars shine at the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant AwardsThe 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards took centre stage at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town on Monday, 31 March. The ceremony was a star-studded affair, bringing together the country’s leading chefs, restaurateurs and industry figures for an evening celebrating South Africa’s culinary excellence. As part of Eat Out’s ongoing evolution, the 2025 judging process took a more comprehensive and transparent approach.