Cape Town-born Scot Kirton, head chef at La Colombe, in Constantia, was crowned S. Pellegrino chef of the year at the Eat Out Awards on Sunday. I doubt you were surprised to win.You can never expect to be chef of the year. So many chefs have been doing incredibly well this year .What is the strangest thing you snack on?Raw cauliflower. I've loved it since I was a young boy.When was your first encounter with cooking?When I was much younger, I used to hang around my grandmother when she prepared meals.When did it dawn on you that you wanted a life in the kitchen?After school I went into computers and realised that it definitely wasn't for me. My dad suggested I work at a restaurant for a couple of weeks because I already loved it, so I went to see Matthew Gordan at Haute Cabriere. I ended up staying there for six years.At this point did you have any professional training?No, I was planning to study, but I was enjoying it so much and learning so much, time just flew by. Then I was off to London to work at the Savoy Grill for two years. I came back and joined Luke Dale-Roberts at La Colombe.How did you impress Dale-Roberts?I think he asked me to cook him a quail pithivier, after which he asked: "When can you start?"You've often said Dale-Roberts is your biggest influenceDefinitely, and the time I spent with him was invaluable. [Dale-Roberts is the chef-owner of top restaurants The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club, both in Woodstock].How do you spend free time?Eating out, beach, tuna fishing.Where have you recently eaten that's made an impression on you?The Pot Luck Club, Jordan and The Test Kitchen, as well as breakfast at Four & Twenty and Café Olympia.Secret to getting a reservation at La Colombe at this time of the year?Phone on the day at 11am. People often cancel and if there is no waiting list you might get in.Strangest fine dining dish you've eaten?Cod's throat in Madrid.Ten years from now?Hopefully some kids running around and maybe chilling out a bit.Silvermist Wine Estate, Constantia Nek, 021-795-0125..