Fine dining innovator bags Forty Under 40 Award

Who would have thought a South African innovator of the secret fine dining movement would be among those recognised in the prestigious global Forty Under 40 Awards? Darren Meltz, who has consistently pushed boundaries in luxury dining and hospitality in South Africa, was thrilled to find out that he had made the list.

Meltz is events director for SecretEATS, which describes itself as redefining fine dining by orchestrating exclusive, invitation-only dinners in extraordinary and undisclosed locations.

He is among the few South Africans to achieve all three levels of the Forty Under 40 Awards this year – national, African, and global. These prestigious awards are presented by various organisations to honour 40 individuals under the age of 40 who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact in their respective fields. They span industries such as business, politics, healthcare, technology, law enforcement, and more. The awards not only celebrate individual achievement, but aim to inspire the next generation of leaders.

Under Meltz’s direction, the brand has won numerous awards such as Best Underground Dining Experience at the Luxury Lifestyle Awards, and Best Luxury Dining Experience at the Global Brands Magazine Awards.

“I was nominated by a friend for Forty Under 40 South Africa, and didn’t quite know what the awards were about, so I just went with it because it sounded like something worthwhile. I then realised the calibre of people in the room with me,” Meltz told the SA Jewish Report. “Just getting to know some of the people there, I realised I was surrounded by incredible leaders.” That initial awards ceremony has helped him to build relationships, leading to collaboration on events.

He was invited to Cairo in February this year for the Forty Under 40 Africa ceremony, and finally to Dubai in April for the Forty Under 40 Global Awards. There, he was one of three candidates in the hospitality category. The other two were from Ghana and Rwanda.

“I always speak of SecretEATS as being like a culinary leap of faith,” Meltz says, “because if you attend a secret dinner, you don’t quite know where the dinner is being held, what’s on the menu, or who the chef is. You put complete trust in SecretEATS.”

SecretEATS was created in South Africa by Gregory Zeleny, and there are other branches worldwide, including in Vietnam. Meltz runs the local branch.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Meltz changed the company’s business model to online dining. His team would send guests a box filled with wine, meals, and a Zoom invitation to mingle online from the safety and comfort of their own homes. Each event incorporates charitable donations, with SecretEATS donating to organisations like StreetSmart South Africa.

Over and above his business, Meltz is an academic and lecturer at Vega School. He lectures in the communications and brand space, as well as overseeing the national awards portfolios across all Vega School campuses. Meltz has mentored numerous students, many of whom have achieved significant recognition.

“Balancing the two has proven tricky,” he says. “I was always a picky eater, so I never saw myself in the food and events industry, but that’s all changed. As my passion for it grew, I found the energy, motivation, and time to do both. It’s because I get such happiness from it, and seeing what my guests get out of it and how much they enjoy these experiences, it keeps me going.”