The Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant awards are a closely guarded secret. I'm reliably informed that judges and staff take an oath of secrecy. Despite doing several lunches in the winelands with Eat Out staffers recently, I've been unable to ferret out the finalists. After eating my way through the winelands on my annual mission for Eat Out, I'm waiting out the big countdown as impatiently as the top 20 nominees. Winning six places in Eat Out's top twenty nominations, the Stellenbosch wine route consolidates its status as the new culinary epicentre of the country. Three wineland newcomers have made this year's top 20: Jardine at Jordan (also nominated for Jardine in Cape Town), Waterkloof and Restaurant Christophe (Dehosse) in Stellenbosch. The trio join regular finalists Terroir at Kleine Zalze, Overture at Hidden Valley and Rust en Vrede in the golden culinary triangle of the Helderberg. Other top nominees in the winelands are Reuben's and Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek, Bosman's at The Grande Roche in Paarl, La Colombe at Constantia Uitsig and The Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenort in the Constantia Wine Valley. City restaurants which won top 20 nominations are Aubergine and The Roundhouse, two venues which are a showcase for Cape wine - and up north, Mosaic (Eat Out chef of the year in 2009), Linger Longer, Roots and DW Eleven-13 in Dunkeld; also Hartford House in KwaZulu/Natal plus Zachary's in Knysna (see list at www.eatout.co.za). Your guess is as good as mine when predicting which of these 20 nominees will make Eat Out's Top 10 2010. But consider the trend that four wineland restaurants have won prized first place as Eat Out restaurant and/or chef of the year in recent years - La Colombe, Reuben's, The Tasting Room and Terroir. The other usual suspects are Rust en Vrede, Overture, The Greenhouse, Aubergine, Jardine (city) - as well as Mosaic and Roots. While the three new wineland nominees will be hot contenders, expect a sprinkling of top up-country restaurants to make a nationally representative top ten. Wineries compete to attract consumers to the cellar-door with attractions ranging from rustic farm bistros, delis and picnics to fine dining restaurants. Wine routes with a handful of winery restaurants a decade ago have blossomed into restaurant rows - complete with billboards and banners. On my Eat Out 2011 rounds, I've spotted twenty new cellar-door restaurants which have opened over the last twelve months. The heart of South Africa's culinary scene and gastro tourism lies in the winelands - with top chefs like Richard Carstens (Tokara), Christiaan Campbell (Delaire) and Chris Erasmus (La Motte) leaving city kitchens for flagship cellar-door venues in the winelands. Wherever you find good wine in the world, good food is sure to follow. To qualify for a top twenty nomination, the restaurant must have been open for at least one year - making ineligible a trio of new cellar-door restaurants - Pierneef à La Motte (under Chris Erasmus, ex-Ginja), the new-look Tokara under chef Richard Carstens (ex Eat Out Chef of the Year) and Indochine at Delaire Graff. Besides these flagship new entries in Eat Out 2011, I have recently reviewed impressive new cellar-door restaurants at Freedom Hill, The Long Table at Haskell Vineyards and Eight at Spier. Other exciting new wineland entries are Bayede at Eikendal, Clos Malverne, Delaire Graff (the main restaurant under Christiaan Campbell), Fyndraai at Solms Delta, Waterkloof, Towerbosch at Knorhoek - and the new Sofia's at Morgenster. Looking back on the highlights of my big eat in the winelands in 2010, a significant trend to rediscovering traditional Cape cuisine with a contemporary spin runs through the winelands restaurant scene - a movement led by restaurants such as Fyndraai at Solms-Delta and Pierneef à La Motte. Following a global culinary trend, there is a much more authentic focus on the provenance of winelands fare as chefs acknowledge the source of ingredients on menus and work closely with small-scale specialist suppliers and growers - or simply grow their own. Delaire Graff, Jordan, The Long Table and Eight at Spier showcase the "locavore" philosophy of "local is lekker". While the style of cuisine in the winelands runs the spectrum from the comfort zone to fine dining, cellar-door restaurants such as Delaire Graff, Jordan, Terroir, Tokara and Waterkloof are at the forefront of Cape cuisine - drawing on a combination of classical French and contemporary techniques. And, after a decade's absence, Richard Carstens is back in the winelands bringing his innovative culinary style to Tokara which reopened in late October - and is sure to be a contender in next year's awards. Carstens, former Eat Out SA Chef of the Year, takes over from master saucier Etienne Bonthuys (who is soon to open a new venue in Stellenbosch town) at Tokara, a flagship restaurant in the winelands. One of South Africa's most creative chefs, Carstens is inspired by cutting-edge culinary techniques from the molecular gastronomy of Ferran Adria to newer influences like Spain's Quique Dacosta and Andoni Luis Aduriz - two of the most influential chefs in the world today. The focus of Carsten's intriguing new menu at Tokara is on preserving the natural flavours and textures of the main ingredient - with a "terroir" focus on local quail, duck, trout, ostrich and lamb (sous vide) to studies of vegetables (try his terrific tomato textures). Carstens' art lies in his aesthetic treatment of the main ingredient which showcases layers of flavours on a landscaped plate. Signature dishes have evolved from his own culinary journey at top wineland restaurants - from Chamonix and Monneaux to Le Provencal (and Linton Hall in KZN) - like his signature trio of trout inspired by Franco-Japanese influences. Expect elaborate attention to detail in minimalist dishes with layers of flavour enhanced by playful spheres (mange tout), foams (beetroot), custards (olive oil), purees (pistachio) or mustard ice-cream (in pea soup) in an arty symmetry which appeals to eye and palate. Try the slow-roasted water-melon carpaccio with olive oil "rocks" and "custard", a tribute to Andoni Luis Aduriz. A superb wine-list showcases Tokara's own wines by the glass as well as the Cape's leading winemakers by variety with a global selection of top French, German and Spanish producers. A tasting menu (R400) pairs Carstens' signature dishes with a choice of Tokara (R250), Cape (R400) or premium wines (R800). A trend to featuring leading wine labels from the old and new worlds at cellar-door restaurants like Delaire, Pierneef, Tokara and Haskell Vineyards is evident at several top wineland venues - tempting wine consumers to explore the world of wine beyond the Cape. The other new cellar-door restaurant that seriously impressed me is Pierneef à La Motte at the renovated winery, art gallery, museum and deli bakery - the state-of-the-art new tourist gateway to the Franschhoek Wine Valley. Head chef Chris Erasmus (ex-Ginja) goes back to his country roots with an innovative marriage of Cape Dutch and French Huguenot fare. The focus is on home-style winelands fare from the artisanal breads to authentic spices, dried fruits and cured meats. Re-interpreting traditional Cape recipes in a contemporary idiom, the menu tempts with spicy, smoky and savoury flavours on a generous plate - try bokkom salad, delectable King's bread soup, salted lamb ribs, smoked pork belly, rolpensie (rolled tripe) and skilpadjies. A first-rate wine-list demonstrates how to add value at the cellar-door and build wine brand. It offers rare back vintages of La Motte wines going back to 1994, current cellar releases by the glass - and iconic wines from around the world. Whether you dine in the conservatory, courtyard or chic interior with its original Pierneef prints and porcelain plate chandeliers, the ambience is casual and relaxed with hearty portions. Don't miss the unusual Shiraz bread, wine sorbets and wine cocktails - or the tasting menu which matches five signature dishes to La Motte wines for R195. I'm almost ready to reveal my own top ten cellar-door restaurants - but will wait for the show-and-tell of the official national Eat Out 2010 top ten while suspense builds. Everyone loves a hit parade - whether a top ten of Pinotage, restaurants or pop music.