New judge for Eat Out Restaurant Awards

Trapido studied at the Prue Leith College of Food and Wine, is the author of the award-winning Hunger for Freedom - The Story of Food in the Life of Nelson Mandela and is already a judge at the Eat In SA Produce Awards.

Trapido's inclusion in this year's judging panel is very flattering, she admits, but something that she takes very seriously. "We have a huge responsibility towards diners, especially with the fine-dining restaurants eligible for the Top 10," she says. "None of them are cheap and almost invariably reserved for special occasions, so we need to offer people educated, thoughtful, helpful advice on where to spend their special-treat money."

Commenting on what she's looking for when eating out, "I much prefer chefs who are very brave, almost standing up naked and saying, 'This is who I am'. When they're able to show this on a plate, that's when I think skill turns into real art. It's not just technique, it's about culinary art."