Cowies Hill restaurant named best in the country

COWIES Hill fine dining restaurant, The LivingRoom at Summerhill Estate, was named Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year for 2022, at an awards ceremony in November. In addition, The LivingRoom was one of only five South African establishments to win a three-star rating.

When Eat Out’s chief judge and food director for Woolworths TASTE, Abigail Donnelly, announced her panel in March, her cohorts included chef Karen Dudley, cookbook author Mokgadi Itsweng, sommelier Moses Magwaza, food writer Anna Trapido, and Michelin-starred chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen.

After a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the judges assessed approximately 300 of the country’s restaurants for the best dining experience, strictly rating the quality of food, drink, service and ambience.

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The LivingRoom first entered the Eat Out list in 2019, achieving thirteenth place shortly after opening its doors. This year’s winning restaurant presents dishes described as ‘Durban-centric with African and Indian influences.’

The 30 fine-dining guests for each sitting are welcomed into the interior of the Richter family home, which forms part of the Summerhill Guest Estate. Established in 1997, the lodge offers accommodation in 15 rooms named after SA jazz musicians who have stayed and played at the estate, in addition to the world-class restaurant and conference centre. Located between Westville and Pinetown in the quiet, shady suburb of Cowies Hill, the country’s best restaurant might be Durban’s best-kept secret.

Chef Johannes Richter is German-born but Durban-raised. Richter trained and worked as a chef in world-renowned international restaurants and met his wife Johanna in Berlin. Richter returned to KZN in 2017, along with Johanna, and the couple opened their restaurant on the family estate, in Johannes’ childhood house. Johanna is the sommelier and host.

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The Richters cultivate their own fruit, vegetables and herbs in the Summerhill garden for use in their dishes, and the ethos of sustainability remains a focus of their work. Johannes’ grandparents had a farm in Hungary where they lived in a self-sustainable manner, and this led the chef in the same direction. The couple has chosen not to feature ocean-caught wild fish on the menu unless it has been foraged or self-caught. Every detail is considered, from the source of the ingredients to the preparation of the meal and presentation to the guest. Crockery is custom-made from Midlands clay by local potter Louise Jennings, to complement the culinary experience.

Johannes says, “The LivingRoom’s aim is to showcase our province’s culinary diversity from product to plate. Additionally, we strive to be one of the country’s flagships regarding sustainability and community development.”

The LivingRoom serves dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and lunch on Sunday. Enquiries: 063 529 1966.