NSW’s best restaurants, caterers and cafe operators were recognised last night at the annual Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence.
Marking a first for the program, 2015’s event saw the Southern, Northern and Sydney Metropolitan regions combine to form the only Awards for Excellence held in NSW.
Held at Sydney’s Dockside Pavilion, Darling Harbour, the event attracted close to 750 guests and celebrated the exceptional service and culinary excellence that the state’s foodservice operators have demonstrated over the past 12 months.
Winners of the major award categories include:
- Quay, The Rocks – Sydney Metropolitan Restaurant of the Year
- Eschalot Restaurant, Berrima – NSW Restaurant of the Year
- Blond Catering – Austral Bricks Design Studio, Marrickville – Sydney Metropolitan Caterer of the Year
- Leogate Estate, Pokolbin – Regional NSW Caterer of the Year
- Bill Galvin – Lifetime Achiever
- Judy & Michael McMahon – Hall of Fame
- John Fink – Restaurateur of the Year
- Jean-Michel at the Knickerbocker, Thredbo Village – Consumer Vote Award – Southern NSW
- Table 1 Espresso, Merewether – Consumer Vote Award – Northern NSW
- Bistro Hulu, Sydney – Consumer Vote Award – Sydney Metropolitan
In addition to their major awards, Quay also won Fine Dining Restaurant; Eschalot Restaurant was awarded the Contemporary Australian Restaurant award; and Blond Catering took home the Venue Caterer category.
The NSW Social Media Award was taken out by Table 1 Espresso, who generated the most posts on Instagram for using their registered hashtag.
“The digital age is upon us – the use of smartphones is growing exponentially in Australia with smartphone ownership estimated at about 81 percent. It’s great to see operators embracing technology and finding new ways to engage with customers,” said Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) CEO John Hart.
Hart congratulated all of the winners, and thanked them for their ongoing commitment to the industry.
“The winners should be proud of their achievements, as they have been rigorously reviewed in one of the most objective awards systems, which looks at the entire dining experience, rather than a single food or service dimension. It is this dining experience that attracts international visitors to our country and is proudly promoted in Tourism Australia’s Restaurant Australia campaign,” said Hart.
“I thank all the operators who participate in the Awards for Excellence program for their passion, commitment and dedication to their craft. Both the finalists and winners have made a significant contribution to the industry and its reputation across the world,” said Mr Hart.
For the full list of winners, click here.
