Neil Grant

Neil Grant is the co-founder and owner of Burrata and Bocca restaurants.

Neil Grant is the co-founder and owner of Burrata & Bocca restaurants. Neil is one of South Africa’s finest wine experts and restaurateurs with a real passion for what he does.

Neil returned to his native South Africa in 2006 after spending seven years in San Francisco, California. While in the USA, he worked in various top restaurants and spent his last three years with the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, voted the Best Wine Merchant in the USA by Food and Wine magazine. At the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, Neil had the opportunity to work under two Master Sommeliers and to study through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He earned his certification in 2005. Neil’s return to South Africa was spurned by his desire to give back to his county of birth and to help promote the growth and recognition of sommeliers in South Africa.

Neil has a sort of poetic love of wine, and being a sommelier has allowed him to truly flourish both abroad and in South Africa. Once back in South Africa, Neil helped build Rust en Vrede restaurant with chef David Higgs. Within three short years, Rust en Vrede was one of South Africa’s top restaurants winning a myriad of accolades including Best Chef, Best Service and Best Restaurant at the 2010 Eat Out Awards.

In 2011, Neil left Rust en Vrede and after being introduced to Barry Engelbrecht, his current business partner, the vision for Burrata was brought about. Neil wanted to offer top quality food without the stiffness of a typical fine dining establishment. Burrata opened its doors in March 2012 at the Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town. Burrata has received several awards and accolades. Soon after opening in 2012, Burrata won the internationally recognised Birra Moretti Best Emerging Italian Restaurant – Middle East and Africa award (judged by the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Academy). In November 2013, Burrata was honoured to be named the best Italian restaurant in South Africa by EatOut.

One of Neil’s greatest pleasures is being able to continue to work as a sommelier while running Burrata on a daily basis. By continuing to work on the floor, Neil is able to stay up with the current trends within the food and wine market. Neil currently serves as the Chairman of the South African Sommeliers Association and has also participated on the judging panels for the Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Awards, WOSA Sommelier World Cup, and the Chaine d Rositssier World Junior Sommelier Cup. Neil had the privilege to have been invited to travel to China and Hong Kong on two previous occasions to host a series of wine tasting events. In 2010, he attended the World Expo in Shanghai to present a tasting at the South African pavilion. In September 2013, he travelled to six cities in China and Hong Kong promoting South African wine by hosting a series of wine events.