Top accolades for SA restaurants
Top accolades for SA restaurants shining through the hard times at the 2012 Restaurant & Catering awards for Excellence.
The winners have been announced for the 2012 Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence at a gala dinner, attended by Premier Jay Weatherill, last night at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The event saw South Australia’s “best of the best” honoured for their outstanding contribution to the hospitality industry.
Restaurant & Catering CEO John Hart commented that “the Awards for Excellence represent an important moment as the industry pauses to honour these outstanding venues, that have been anonymously judged and rigorously reviewed against the entire dining experience rather than a single food or service dimension.”
Assaggio Ristorante in Hyde Park was named Restaurant Of The Year, while Best Chef was awarded to Chung Jae Lee at Mapo Korean Restaurant on Gouger Street, Adelaide. The Individual Hall Of Fame Award was won by Norberto Spagnolo from Buenos Aires Brasserie on Hutt Street, Adelaide for his significant and outstanding contribution to the State’s hospitality industry. The prestigious Lifetime Achiever Award was presented to Leo Schadegg from Alphutte Restaurant whose venue has become a landmark for the business lunch diner.
Restaurant & Catering is delighted to congratulate all winners and finalists in South Australia who participated in this year’s Awards Program. 2012 has seen a tough climate for restaurant and catering businesses that have experienced a huge growth in wage costs and regulation that has made most restaurants only marginally viable. The industry is also seeing issues such as shortages of skilled workers, decreases in average spend and uncertainty of the effects of the pending Carbon Tax detracting from their bottom line.
The success of the South Australian winners shows the resilience of these businesses and the Association commends them on their success. The Awards for Excellence Program is committed to supporting the professionalism and sustainability of the Australian hospitality industry. The
awards are the most dependable and authoritative guide to Australia’s best restaurants and caterers and provide a opportunity to gain needed competitive differentiation for businesses involved.
Restaurant & Catering represent thousands of restaurant and catering businesses operating across Australia. The Association actively pursues issues and projects of relevance for its members to ensure that the industry is recognised as one of excellence, professionalism, profitability and sustainability.
For a full list of winners please go to www.restaurantcater.asn.au
