The Wolftrap Steakhouse Champion of 2017 is Crowned

A NEWCOMER BLAZES TO VICTORY!

Rare Grill in Kenilworth takes top honours with Little Havana in Umhlanga Rocks the runner up and The Local Grill in Parktown North in third place.

Greg Bax of the Rare Grill in Kenilworth

The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships 2017 saw over 150 steakhouses competing to become South Africa’s Steakhouse Champion. In the first round during May, the public seeded the field by voting, via Facebook, for their favourite steakhouse. The Top Ten Finalists, as voted by the public, were then visited unannounced during June by expert judges led by Pete Goffe-Wood, well-known MasterChef personality, and assessed according to a strict score sheet that focussed on the steak on the plate, as well as looking at the side dishes and the quality of the hospitality. Ultimately it was debut entrant Rare Grill in Kenilworth that claimed top honours.

This marks the first Cape winner in the five years of The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships. The runner up, Little Havana from Umhlanga Rocks was the winner in 2015, and in third place, The Local Grill from Parktown North, has an incredible three titles to its name.

Rare Grill owner Greg Bax was overwhelmed to claim the Championship title, as well as Newcomer of the Year, a new award this year. “For an intimate steakhouse like Rare Grill, such an accolade is really going to put us on the map!” Bax said. Pete Goffe-Wood, head judge, added: “Rare Grill is a gem, an owner-operated steakhouse where Greg personally mans the grill and takes immense pride in the quality of his beef.”

The other two new awards this year were Steakhouse Legend of the Year which was awarded to The Godfather in Centurion, a stalwart in the industry, and Steakhouse Chain of the Year which went to the Cattle Baron Group for having four outlets in the top 30: Cattle Baron Tyger Waterfront, Cattle Baron George, Cattle Baron Tableview and Cattle Baron Mossel Bay.

The 2017 Awards were announced at a steak feast hosted by last year’s winner, The Local Grill in Parktown North, on Tuesday 18^th July. Most of the Top Ten Finalists were present as well as an excited group of media and friends from the industry. Steve Maresch, owner-patron of The Local Grill, and his dedicated team pulled out all the stops at the luncheon, treating the guests to a 4-course lunch, served with The Wolftrap wine.

The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships is a blend of public involvement and expert arbitration – and the ultimate winner is therefore not only very good indeed, but also a public favourite. To the victor belong the spoils: the ultimate bragging rights of being the Champion for a year, and also a full year’s supply of The Wolftrap wine.

The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships results for 2017 are:

1. Rare Grill, Kenilworth

2. Little Havana, Umhlanga Rocks (2015 Champion)

3. The Local Grill, Parktown North (2013, 2014 and 2016 Champion)

4. The Godfather, Centurion, Pretoria

5. The Cricketer, East London

6. Beef Boys Grill, Potchefstroom

7. HQ, Cape Town

8. Karoo Cattle and Land, Irene, Pretoria

9. Jayz Grill, Pietermaritzburg

10. The Grumpy Griller, George

Newcomer of the Year: Rare Grill, Kenilworth

Steakhouse Legend of the Year: The Godfather, Centurion

Chain Steakhouse of the Year: The Cattle Baron Group

Pictures from left to right:

1. The Wolftrap wine and steak
2. The Wolftrap Steakhouse 2017 Champion: Greg Bax (Rare Grill, Kenilworth)
3. Greg Bax (Rare Grill, Kenilworth) was also presented with a new award, ‘Newcomer of the Year’, by Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge)
4. The Wolftrap wine, steak and 2017 Top 10 Finalists
5. Presentation of The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships 2017 Winner’s Trophy: Left to right Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Inge Hoffmann (The Wolftrap), Greg Bax (Rare Grill, Kenilworth) and JP Rossouw (convenor)
6. Presentation of The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships 2017 Runner-Up Award: Left to right Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Jose Goncalves (Little Havana, Umhlanga Rocks), Inge Hoffmann (The Wolftrap) and JP Rossouw (convenor)
7. Steve Maresch and The Local Grill, Parktown North team who hosted the Awards event with their 2017 3^rd Place Award
8. Steve Maresch, Nicole Alderson and Llewy Mateza of The Local Grill, Parktown North with their 2017 3^rd Place Award
9. JP Rossouw (convenor) on the left and Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge) on the right present two awards to Steve and Janet Kobrin (The Godfather, Centurion): 2017 ‘Legend of the Year Award’ (a new award) and 2017 4^th Place Award
10. Presentation of the 2017 ‘Steakhouse Chain of the Year Award’, a new award, to the Cattle Baron Group for having four outlets in the top 30: Cattle Baron Tyger Waterfront, Cattle Baron George, Cattle Baron Tableview and Cattle Baron Mossel Bay: Left to right: Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge) with Carlo du Plessis (Cattle Baron Tableview) who received the Award on behalf of the Cattle Baron Group
11. Left to right Riette and Carlo du Plessis (Cattle Baron Tableview) and David and Connie Nel (Cattle Baron George and Mossel Bay) receiving their Cattle Baron Steakhouse Chain of the Year Awards
12. The Wolftrap wine and steak
13. Presentation of the 2017 5^th Place Award: Left to right Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Jordyn Williams and Marc Nelson (The Cricketer, East London) and JP Rossouw (convenor)

Pictures from left to right:

1. Presentation of the 2017 6^th Place Award: Left to right Anre Kotze and Lodewyk Eksteen (Beef Boys Grill, Potchefstroom) and Inge Hoffmann (The Wolftrap)
2. Presentation of the 2017 7^th Place Award: Left to right Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Matt Mulholland (HQ, Cape Town) and JP Rossouw (convenor)
3. Presentation of the 2017 8^th Place Award: Left to right Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Rod and Matt Walker (Karoo Cattle and Land, Irene) and JP Rossouw (convenor)
4. The Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier 2014
5. Presentation of the 2017 9^th Place Award: Left to right JJ and Ivone da Silva (Jayz Grill, Pietermaritzburg) and JP Rossouw (convenor)
6. Top Cape Town Steakhouses in The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships 2017: Left to right Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Matt Mulholland (HQ, Cape Town – 7^th Place), JP Rossouw (convenor) and Greg Bax (Rare Grill, Kenilworth – 2017 Champion)
7. Top KwaZulu Natal Steakhouses in The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships 2017: Left to right: Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge), Jose Goncalves (Little Havana, Umhlanga Rocks – 2^nd Place), JJ and Ivone da Silva (Jayz Grill, Pietermaritzburg – 9^th Place) and JP Rossouw (convenor)
8. Pete Goffe-Wood (head judge)
9. Greg Bax (Rare Grill, Kenilworth) with his 2017 Championships Trophy, surrounded by Steve Maresch (The Local Grill, Parktown North), Inge Hoffmann (The Wolftrap) and The Local Grill team
10. The Wolftrap wine

Steak is a South African passion and the steakhouse is our favourite national restaurant – The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships is proud to celebrate South African steakhouses and thanks them for all the hard work!