In anticipation of the awards this Sunday, Eat Out has put together some fun number-related trivia about its previous awards (shows/ceremonies).
1: Number of chefs who have done a highland dance move on stage, whilst wearing a kilt. (George Jardine in 2007.)
2: Number of women who have won the Chef of the Year title in the past. (Chantel Dartnall in 2009 and Margot Janse in 2002 and 2012.)
3: Number of chefs who have won the Chef of the Year award more than once: Margot Janse (2002 and 2012), George Jardine (2006 and 2007) and Luke Dale-Roberts (2008 and 2011).
3: Number of years (including 2013) that DStv and Food Network have been title sponsors of the Eat Out Restaurant Awards.
4: Number of anonymous judges who will be revealed at this year's awards ceremony.
5: Number of people who, in 2007, misunderstood instructions and ate the dry ice on which dessert was served, thinking it was lemon sorbet. Thankfully no ill effects ensued.
10: Number of times The Tasting Room has appeared in the Top 10. Terroir has appeared seven times, La Colombe five times and Overture four times.
10: Number of smoking guns that will be used in the second course of this year's awards dinner.
35: Number of people who attended the very first awards ceremony - a lunch at Graeme Shapiro's The Restaurant - in 1998. This year, 500 guests will be attending the event, to be held at The Lookout.
56: Number of different restaurants that have featured in the Top 10 over the past 16 years.
500: Number of bowls specially designed by famed South African ceramicist Mervyn Gers for this year's event.
700: Number of bottles of wine (excluding celebratory bubbly) that will be served at this year's awards ceremony.
750: Number of bottles of water ordered for this year's event. (400 bottles of Acqua Panna and 350 bottles of S. Pellegrino.)
15 000: Number of pieces of cutlery and crockery hired for this year's awards.
Follow @Eat_Out on Twitter to join the conversation and see live updates on the night (#eatoutawards #DStvfood) and like the Eat Out Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EatOutMag. The 2014 Eat Out magazine will be available in stores at the end of November.
