Kitchen Samurai Sponsors Best Chef at the South Africa Restaurant Awards

At Kitchen Samurai, we have always believed that exceptional cooking begins with craftsmanship.

Before the applause, before the plating, before a dish reaches the table, there is a chef who has spent years refining technique, discipline, creativity, and precision in pursuit of excellence.

That is why we are proud to sponsor the Best Chef category at this year’s South Africa Restaurant Awards.

As a company built around Japanese craftsmanship and the tools of the trade, supporting a category that celebrates culinary mastery feels like a natural fit. Great chefs understand that excellence is found in the details, in discipline, in repetition, and in the quiet pursuit of getting things exactly right. These are values we deeply respect.

As part of this sponsorship, the Best Chef winner will receive a handcrafted prize package valued at R23,750, including a Tojiro Atelier Gyuto 210mm, Nigara Hamono STRIX Bunka, Tojiro Sakuya Petty, a professional knife roll, and precision plating tweezers. Each piece was selected to reflect the same spirit of precision, performance, and craftsmanship that this award represents.

Celebrating South Africa’s Best Chef Nominees

This year’s nominees represent some of the finest culinary talent in South Africa, each bringing their own philosophy, leadership, creativity, and dedication to the craft.

The 2026 South Africa Restaurant Awards Best Chef nominees are:

Bonga Williams
Callan Austin
James Gaag
Lorna Maseko
Luke Dale-Roberts
Moses Moloi
Peter Tempelhoff
Ryan Cole
Thabo Phake
Wandile Mabaso
Zola Nene

Vote for Best Chef

If you would like to support your favourite nominee, voting for Best Chef is now open via the official South Africa Restaurant Awards voting page.

Link to Voting: https://southafricarestaurantawards.com/Voting

From all of us at Kitchen Samurai, congratulations to this year’s nominees, and best of luck for the awards night.