The ceremony for the 2020 FOOD XX Awards, in partnership with Woolworths, may have been postponed due to the pandemic, but it has certainly not lost its impact. Elizka Ferreira, Head Brand Communications: Woolworths Food, Special Occasions, Engen and TASTE says that it’s even more important to acknowledge and celebrate the amazing women in the food and drinks industry who have shown such strength and resilience.
When Hannerie Visser, FOOD XX (pronounced: /fuːd eks eks/) director and founder of Studio H, launched the FOOD XX Awards in 2019, little did she know that the biggest challenge for her beloved industry was about to hit.
“We wanted to create a platform where we could celebrate and support women in the industry, which is needed now more than ever. This year we are celebrating an exceptional group of strong, powerful and resilient women who have fought to keep their businesses alive, and who have navigated the biggest crisis of their lives with strength, poise and grace,” says Visser.
Nominations were open to the public and the awards were judged by the inaugural winners who selected a winner in each category.
The winners per category for the second edition of the FOOD XX Awards, in partnership with Woolworths, are:
Alcohol: Laurie Cooper – winemaker and sommelier at Abingdon Wine Estate
Bakers: Mo Lewis – owner of The Accidental Baker
Entrepreneurs: Nobhongo Gxolo – founder of Third Culture Experiment food club
Farming: Joy Phala – educator, landscape designer and founder of Organic Kitchen Gardens
Food Educator: Dr Tracy Nelwamondo – health coach, food activist and founder of Modern Traditions
Food Icon: Cass Abrahams – food historian and author
Food Styling: Georgia East – writer, food stylist, photographer and blogger at East After Noon
Fresh Voices: Bathandwa Nkambule – recipe developer and content creator at The Earthy Cook
Front of House: Simnikiwe Mkhize – Rosetta Roastery
Future Food: Mokgadi Itsweng – chef, writer, food stylist, activist and co-founder of Lotsha Foods / Uju Spice
Heritage: Loubie Rusch – urban forager, indigenous food activist and founder of Making KOS
In the Kitchen: Carla Schulze – chef at The Test Kitchen
Secret Ingredient: Maria Van Zyl – owner of Cream of the Crop cultured butter
Sustainability: Thekla Teunis – founder and director of Grounded
Judges’ Choice: Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela – brewmaster and founder of Brewster’s Craft
Newcomer: Mmabatho Molefe – chef and owner of Emazulwini
“Our winners – and all our finalists – are proof that our industry is full of hard-working, creative and innovative women who not only push boundaries but continue to push forward,” says Visser. “We salute each and every woman in the industry – every person who has made it through, who has lost it all, who started again, who adjusted their offerings, who lost people dear to them, who made mistakes, who learned from their mistakes, who got up and kept fighting. We love and support everyone.”