Siba Mtongana wins 'Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant Award' for local & global culinary blend

Clarence Ford speaks to multiple award-winning celebrity chef, Siba Mtongana and restaurateur of 'Siba: The Restaurant at The Table Bay Hotel.'

Siba Mtongana continues to fly South Africa's flag high in culinary excellence.

South Africa’s celebrated and much-loved TV chef, Siba Mtongana, has clinched a prestigious new international culinary award at the fifth annual World Culinary Awards.

For the second year running, Siba: The Restaurant at the five-star Table Bay Hotel was named as Africa’s Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant.

Voted for by culinary professionals, media and consumers worldwide, the award recognises Siba: The Restaurant’s commitment to excellence in fine dining.

Winners were announced at a gala dinner held in Dubai on 2 October.

Speaking at the event, a delighted Mtongana said, 'Family, we did it. South Africa, we did it. Africa, we did it.'

On representing Africa as the best in this category, Mtongana says it's 'incredible.' 

"I'm super grateful for this award... it's one of the best in the industry and the fact that we're recognised on another continent... from Dubai is incredible and I'm so happy."

- Siba Mtongana, World renowned chef

"It means that the work we have done in our restaurant has been recognised world-wide once again... and one of the hardest things of being a restaurateur is being able to keep things going consistently... so the fact that we've been awarded this award twice in a row speaks volumes because it's easy to impress once but to impress consistently is where the trick is and it's hard work to do that..."

- Siba Mtongana, World renowned chef

Part of the win is also her culinary philosophy... 

"There is a culinary philosophy and part of it is that we have to pride ourselves in the food we grew up with by giving it an international flare which appeals to both locals and tourists..."

- Siba Mtongana, World renowned chef

Mtongana says that Cape Town and South Africa has Michelin-standard and world-class restaurants without the stars... 

"I think our restaurants are Michelin equivalent but we're not Michelin rated because we don't have Michelin Star ratings that come to Africa but if they did... I would have a Michelin Star and many other restaurants would have them too."

- Siba Mtongana, World renowned chef

Mtongana also spoke about what makes her and Siba: The Restaurant legendary...

"Behind me is a sense of wanting to leave a huge legacy that will outlive me..."

- Siba Mtongana, World renowned chef

"For the restaurant, we pride ourselves in taking local staples and giving them a new life. For example, we make the most amazing samp risotto which is something amazing that you won't taste anywhere else and I can say that with confidence."

- Siba Mtongana, World renowned chef

So what's next for the back-to-back award-winning culinary queen?

An expansion of the brand 'Siba' and many other delicious things are in the works - we can't wait to see it all happen. 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.