The 2026 Galliova Awards, which take place annually in the week following World Egg Day, were celebrated on Friday, 16 October, at De Grendel Wine Estate Restaurant.

Now in its 37th year, the Galliova Awards continue to celebrate excellence in South African food and health media also while recognising their role in promoting local poultry and food culture.

Sponsored by the Egg and Broiler Producers of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), this year’s event was opened by Aziz Sulliman, SAPA chairman and Broiler Board vice chairman. Cookbook author Sinoyolo Sifo, of Sifo the Cooking Husband fame, was the MC, while awards were presented by Agmat Brinkhuis, SAPA vice chairman and Egg Board member.

Freelance journalist and renowned South African food writer Dr. Anna Trapido took top honours in the Galliova Health & Wellness Content Creator category. Anna believes readers value entertaining and accurate writing which is locally relevant and at the same time delicious and affordable. Registered dietitian and Health with Azi social media influencer Aziwe Booi took second place. Her vision is simple but vital: make nutrition easily digestible and reframe it from a privilege to a human right.

Dr. Trapido continued her winning streak in the Galliova Food Writer category, taking first place once again for a double win recognising both her food writing and health and wellness content. Liezl Vermeulen, editor-in-chief of MyKitchen magazine, came second, striving to put readers first by understanding their time and budget constraints while inspiring them through aspirational content.

The Galliova Up-and-Coming Content Creator category, open to entrants who have entered the Awards three times or less, went to MyKitchen food editor Lichelle May. Through her work, Lichelle speaks to food-loving South Africans who want to create delicious food without needing a culinary degree.

The Galliova People’s Hero category recognises content creators whose work focuses on affordable chicken and egg meals. Lifestyle and entertainment news editor at Africa Jamz FM News, Asanda Mbayimbayi, took top honours for journalism that tells the human stories behind the food and encompasses communities that are often overlooked. Senior content producer for Woolworths TASTE magazine, Clement Pedro, came second for his budget-friendly online recipe videos that all South Africans can recreate.

The Galliova Social Media Influencer which recognises the important role social media influencers play in sharing information with South Africans was won by Georgia East. Georgia’s East After Noon platforms beautifully illustrate to followers how enjoyable and easy it can be to create delicious recipes at home using local and seasonal ingredients. Alida Ryder came second for her Simply Delicious content, which demonstrates that home cooking can be both easy and extraordinary by stripping away complexity without sacrificing flavour.

Liezl Vermeulen scooped first place in the Galliova Food Content Creator category, followed by Herman Lensing, Editor of Sarie KOS magazine. Herman’s work combines culinary knowledge, original storytelling and a deep understanding of South African food culture.

This year’s Galliova Egg Champion was MyKitchen deputy food editor Sjaan van der Ploeg, who loves connecting with readers, whether they are novices or kitchen pros. Georgia East secured another accolade, taking second place in this category. Liezl Vermeulen added to her haul with another first-place win as the Galliova Chicken Champion, while Georgia claimed her third win of the day as runner-up.

Introduced last year to add a little fun to the proceedings, the Galliova Discretionary Delights recognise entrants who stand out in unique ways. Four special accolades were presented: Alida Ryder was recognised as Deliciously Different; Johané Neilson for Out of the Coop ideas; Jandri Barnard for being Packed with Purpose; and Fehmida Osman-Latib for her Unique Flavour Factor.

This year’s judging panel comprised Marco Torsius, Tarryn Fowler, Prof. Corinna Walsh (assisted by Dr Liska Robb), Dr Monique Piderit, Margie Burger, Justine Drake and Sinoyolo Sifo.

For further information visit Galliova.