It was a night to celebrate the best of Canberra hospitality. Photo: Ben Calvert.
Over 200 Canberra hospitality workers switched their aprons for black tie to attend the Restaurant & Catering Association (R&CA) Hostplus Awards for Excellence to celebrate the best in local dining.
Les Bistronomes was a big winner on the night, taking out the awards for Premium Dining and European Dining, as well as the major prize for Restaurant of the Year. Les Bistronomes owner and chef Clement Chauvin is no stranger to awards, having taken out Best European Restaurant at last year’s national R&CA awards.
R&CA CEO Suresh Manickam said: “These awards highlight the strength and commitment of Canberra’s hospitality industry. The winners have demonstrated outstanding food, service, and professionalism, setting benchmarks for the entire sector.”
Uptown Vibes’ Prabin Timilsina and James Zhang were shocked to win the New Restaurant award. Photo: Ben Calvert.
Uptown Vibes in Braddon won the prize for Best Newcomer. Owner James Zhang told Region his team was super excited about the win.
“We are just overwhelmed! Ever since we launched the venue, there have been lots of hurdles and setbacks, so this win has really boosted the morale of our team. Everyone was super happy about it,” he said.
Uptown Vibes beat finalists Azima (a Lebanese restaurant in the city) and Carlotta, an upmarket Italian restaurant run by nationally renowned restaurateur Chris Lucas.
“We were shocked! We thought Carlotta or Azima was going to win the award. We definitely felt like the underdog! But this is why I love Canberra: everyone gets a fair go.
“It’s not just about big interstate businesses that might have a bigger budget. A small local business like ours can also thrive as long as we do the right thing, and it all comes down to the hard work of our whole team.”
The team from Petrichor Farm, including owner Hayley Richardson (centre) and chef Dave Young (right), won Caterer of the Year and Wedding Caterer. Photo: Ben Calvert.
Caterer of the Year went to Petrichor Farm, who also won the Wedding Caterer prize. The venue is situated near Gundaroo and provides in-house catering for weddings and other events. Head chef Dave Young (formerly of Temporada) heads up the catering at Petrichor Farm.
“We’re absolutely thrilled. Every wedding at Petrichor Farm is deeply personal, and food is such an important part of that experience. These awards are a tribute to our remarkable chef, Dave Young and our amazing team who work so hard to create memorable celebrations for every couple,” said Petrichor Farm owner Hayley Richardson.
Other winners included Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant INKA, which took out Best Asian Restaurant, and Sweet Mahal in Amaroo won Best Indian Restaurant. Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant in Wanniassa won the prize for Specialty Restaurant, and Manuka Steakhouse won the award for Best Steak Restaurant.
Chef Clement (centre) and the team from Les Bistronomes. Photo: Ben Calvert.
Established in 1922, R&CA is a national industry association that represents over 57,000 restaurants, cafés, and catering businesses across Australia. The Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence are presented to eligible members of the association annually and are judged on a wide range of criteria, including food, service, operations, and staff.
For the full list of winners and finalists, visit the Restaurant & Catering Association.
