Sydney’s Quay restaurant has won the Restaurant of the Year award for the second consecutive year at the largest consumer-led restaurant awards in Australia.
More than 400 guests gathered in Brisbane last night to celebrate the Savour AustraliaTM Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS National Awards for Excellence. The awards recognise hospitality operators that provide exceptional service, demonstrate culinary excellence, and great value for money.
The Awards for Excellence criteria are determined by consumers who rank what is important to them in the dining experience. The winners of the major award categories include:
· Quay, The Rocks – Restaurant of the Year; · Blond Catering – Austral Bricks Design Studio, Marrickville, NSW – Caterer of the Year; · National Wine Centre, Adelaide – George Mure Memorial Professional Development Award; · Compass Group, Melbourne Zoo – Green Table Award for Excellence in Environmental Sustainability; and · Sofitel, Brisbane – Innovative Workplace Training Award.
In addition to their major awards, Blond Catering also won best Venue Caterer and Quay took out the Fine Dining Restaurant category. This is the second year Quay has been crowned Restaurant of the Year, having also received the award in 2014. Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) CEO John Hart congratulates all winners and finalists on their achievements.
“Tonight we recognise the best of the best in our industry. Special congratulations must go to the team at Quay who have won Restaurant of the Year two consecutive years in a row. It is a testament to their hard work in delivering exceptional dining experiences year after year.
“It is quite fitting Quay is awarded this accolade in Brisbane, which will become the home of a flagship Fink Group restaurant in 2016. The Brisbane dining scene will be richer with the addition of this restaurateur’s passion and skill,” Mr Hart says.
The National Awards for Excellence also marks the launch of R&CA’s SavourSummer campaign - a national social media photo competition aimed at capturing the nation’s favourite restaurant dishes. This year’s theme is SavourSunday – capturing great meals enjoyed on weekends.
Mr Hart says the competition underlines the importance of social media in promoting the exceptional food experiences provided by the hospitality industry.
“Dining out is the most popular out-of-home activity for Australians on weekends. What better way to capture these experiences than through photos collected and shared by customers over the summer trading period.
“The digital age is upon us, with Smartphone ownership estimated at around 81 per cent in Australia. Customers share their meals on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Businesses cannot ignore this channel in promoting their business,” says Mr Hart.
Consumers participating in the competition must upload their Sunday dining pictures using the hashtag #SavourSunday and tag the establishment location, then register on the campaign website www.savoursunday.com.au to win.
R&CA has partnered with Singapore Airlines to offer the diner with the best Sunday photo a trip to Japan to enjoy either lunch or dinner at Luke Mangan’s Salt in Tokyo.
“I am confident the competition will highlight the best people, produce and places that make our weekend cafe and restaurant culture great. Our dining experiences are a key feature of Tourism Australia’s ongoing Restaurant Australia campaign,” Mr Hart says.
