Platter’s Guide – South Africa’s first and best-selling wine annual guide, owned by Diners Club – has announced that Jean-Pierre (JP) Rossouw has been appointed as the new publisher from Friday, 1 November. He takes over from Andrew McDowall who is retiring at the end of December.

Rossouw’s long history in wine started nearly two decades ago when he began writing about food and wine. Previously food and wine editor for Condé Nast House & Garden and wine columnist for the Cape Times newspaper for 10 years, he has also been the restaurant columnist for Mail & Guardian, as well as being a regular contributor to international magazine titles.

Currently he is the restaurant columnist for Business Day after gaining experience as an advertising copywriter at agencies including TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris and Net#work BBDO, both locally and in New York City.

Rossouw has been a judge for the Diners Club Winelist of the Year Award for the past five years, as well as the Southern African Academy of the San Pellegrino Top 50 Restaurants. He has contributed to the Platter's South African Wine Guide and has written a book on South African wine, titled Mixed Case, which was re-published by Penguin in 2010 as Tasting the Cape.

Seeking reliable and incisive information about South African restaurants and not finding it, Rossouw launched Rossouw’s Restaurants guide in 2004 and, as publisher and editor, has grown it into the leading independent guide to dining out over the last decade. The guide has frequently been a best-seller on the retail shelves and the website has grown into a valuable resource, listing nearly 3000 establishments.

Says Rossouw: “When I started the restaurant guide a decade ago, Platter's was my icon. To now be able to take this position is therefore an honour, as well as being incredibly exciting. It is also wonderful to return to the world of wine and indeed to marry it to its natural companion - food.”

Starting with the founders John and Erica Platter and grown over many decades by Andrew McDowall, editor Philip van Zyl and the dedicated tasters, Platter’s Guide is now one of the world's leading wine authorities. Says McDowall, “After 29 year’s involvement with Platter’s, I am confident that the guide will continue to grow in stature and international reputation.”

Rossouw adds: “Moving forward, the opportunities are vast –the team and I have many ideas to develop the Platter's name. But at the same time, I am very aware of Platter's fantastic heritage and certainly aim to be its custodian.”

On the culinary front, there are also great plans in store, with Rossouw's Restaurants now part of the Diners Club family. Rossouw concludes: “South Africa's food and wine scene is sparkling and you can be sure Platter's will remain an invaluable guide through these taste adventures.”