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KNYSNA NEWS - A chef from Knysna recently won worldwide acclaim for a book about brunch, of all things, and has not only stepped into the limelight herself but has allowed for her hometown to share some of her shine.
This past weekend, local culinary genius Alix Verrips, who is presently employed as a private chef in New York, attended the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Yantai, China after her book Brunch Across 11 Countries had been nominated for the Breakfast and International categories.
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Speaking to the Knysna-Plett Herald from her hotel room in Yantai on Monday 28 May, Verrips said she is thrilled that her book won the Best Breakfast Book award.
Stiff competition
“This year, 215 countries entered and 116 were represented on the shortlist. Finalists from over 60 countries attended the awards. The competition was really stiff and it wasn’t a given that I would win,” she said.
Verrips explained that the Gourmands are like the international “Oscars of the food world”. “Publishers across the world enter all their newly published books for food and drinks which includes wine, spirits, nonalcoholic drinks etc.”
She qualified for the awards by winning two national awards in South Africa in the Breakfast and International Cuisine categories in December 2017.
Alix Verrips' book, Brunch Across 11 Countries, won the Best Breakfast Book award at the recent Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Yantai, China. Photos: Supplied
Culinary voyage
Brunch Across 11 Countries was published in October 2017 by NB Publishers (Human & Rousseau) and, according to Verrips, it is a culinary voyage through some of her favourite ports and places she has been fortunate to experience in her 15 years working as a private chef on yachts and in villas around the world.
“It is a culmination of my two greatest passions: cooking and travelling. My nephew Aart Verrips brought my food to life with his vibrant photography and the styling was done by Cakebread, the brother-and-sister team of Callie Maritz and Mari-Louis Guy whose book The South African Milk Tart Collection came third in the Dessert category,” said Verrips.
Although she is currently in Hong Kong, and will be returning to New York soon, Verrips also owns a house in Knysna.
“Despite having some incredible addresses around the world, Knysna is still the place I call home,” she added proudly.
* Brunch Across 11 Countries is available at Metelerkamps, 34 Degrees South and at most other good bookshops. You can also find it online at loot.co.za and superbalist.com.
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