By MIRIAM ZIMBA –
HOTEL InterContinental’s Rosso Restaurant has been awarded the 2014 Zambia’s finest dinning establishment by Nederburg Wines.
According to Distell, the manufacturers of Nederburg, the decision was reached at after over six months of close monitoring of different restaurants around the country.
The award means that Rosso Restaurant’s fine dinning award entails it having the best service as regards food, atmosphere, best wine knowledge and brand display.
These assessments were carried out by a team of Nederburg representatives comprising mystery diners, consumers and adjudicators that visited various establishments in search of Zambia’s finest dining institutions.
Announcing the winners, Distell sales and promotions officer Field Kulelwa, said the team was impressed with Hotels InterContinental’s Rosso Restaurant.

• Chef Marco Pincelli (Nederburg Mastering Fine Dining Chef of the Year 2014 with InterContinental Hotel PR manager Veronica Simubali, Competition adjudicator Nabwalya Vlahakis&Chef Lillian Mumba

“After a rigorous evaluation process, we are excited to announce that the Hotel InterContinental’s Rosso Restaurant is Nederburg’s 2014 Mastering Fine Dining Challenge Winner,” he said.
According to Mr Kulelwa, Nederburg does not view this as a just a competition, but rather one of the ways the brand can contribute to improving the service delivery in Zambia and ultimately make Zambia the tourism destination of choice.
“The Nederburg mastering fine dining challenge did not only help people in the hospitality industry but was one a learning curve for many consumers who were happy to learn how to pair wine and food.”
“We endeavour to make this our annual programme to ensure that we keep the momentum going,” he said.
One of the adjudicators Lillian Mumba, proprietor of Twaala Kitchens explained that Rosso Restaurant stood out in service and quality.
“We went around to all the amazing restaurants around Zambia, we ate, and we enjoyed the ambiance and the music, the waiters and the chefs and came to the conclusion that the Rosso at the intercontinental outstood all of them.”
“They deserved to be crowned the best fine dinning restaurant in the country,” she explained.
Chef Lillian explains that this is the most prestigious award for being the best restaurant in the country, adding that the competition was tightly contested and challenging to judge.
“The top five restaurants gave their very best, and it was not an easy award to preside over,” she said.
And Rosso Restaurant executive chef Pierre Mourez explains that fine dinning is categorised in many ways.
He explains that fine dinning encompasses service, the foods, the atmosphere as well as the quality of service and products offered.
He explains that he is delighted to witness Rosso, a relative new restaurant win the award, adding that he is hopeful that his restaurant will remain among the top restaurants in the country.
Chef Pierre attributed the winning of the award to the team work by his co-workers in the restaurant.
“We are a new restaurant who only came into being in October 2013, and 90 per cent of one’s success is dependent on employees-team work. This includes how you welcome guests, and the knowledge of products and the quality of service,” he explained.
He was elated that Rosso is the first restaurant in Zambia to win such a prestigious award, saying the greatest challenge would now be to remain as best in the country.
“It is good to be the first prize winners, and even harder to stay at number one, but we will continue to re-invent ourselves to ensure that we stay on top,” he said.
Rosso Restaurant having been the gold prize winners of the 2014 challenge, won themselves specialized training by Nederburg’s wine makers.
In addition to this, more than ten of its waiters and waitresses, including the winning chef Marco Pancelli and a waitor-Mafukeni Mutemachani will travel to Cape Town South Africa for a week long holiday.
Hotel InterContinental’s Rosso Restaurant has paved the way by setting standards that other Zambian restaurants may wish to emulate.
The challenge is on again this year, and Rosso Restaurant will stop at nothing to ensure that they defend their title as Zambia’s finest dinning restaurant.